I use home inspector pro on my laptop, but am considering getting the mobile upgrade for my Iphone and doing the report as I go.
My thoughts were that I would just be at the inspection longer, standing around and typing into my phone…
for those who converted to the mobile software…what do you think?
I did do a search and actually got no hits on my question phrased a couple of different ways…
thanks
I bought the mobile software companion to go with my desktop software and have actually never used it for a whole report. It is possible that I don’t have the optimum equipment for using it (phone screen size), but I find it much easier to just take pictures as i go. Very few handwritten notes. After I massage the pictures on my laptop at home, I write the report from the pictures.
Most of the mundane stuff for the report is actually filled in the day before from the listing, tax records, etc.
That’s what works for me, I still plan on using the portable app one of these days. Note: I don’t like to use the “cloud” for reasons of security and cost, but there are options to get around that and many are perfectly comfortable with it. JMHO
Yes - 1,000 times faster
Boy, think what I’m missing! A home inspection that takes me 3 hours now takes 10.8 seconds with mobile software!
In my experience mobile speed improves based on your standard comments and how you can make them apply to each defect on a new inspection, also I have found that I can type out comments on my iphone significantly faster than on an ipad. I get faster with each inspection but I am still onsite about the same time, the typical 3 hours. The real improvement for me comes away from the site when I am finalizing the reports. I use a combination, I use a mobile app onsite with an iphone and review all comments and pictures on a bigger screen at home.
I mirror close to what Tony does. It does not significantly speed up the inspection for me, but it speeds up the report writing. I use HIP with the cloud, and first tried it on the Ipad, but for me too bulky. Now I just use the iPhone. I also use voice notebook on the iphone instead of writing notes.
thanks to everyone for the comments. It gives me something to think about.
Trying to relearn a new platform and get up to speed on it is part of it as well…
that and trying to do everything on an Iphone with the tiny screen. I would be better with that if I could then get home and transfer everything easily over to my big screen laptop for final touch up and sending it out…
lots to think about
but need to decide soon as black friday sale for HIP mobile…with just upgrading from my current HIP membership, is only about 150 bucks.
I use HG and have the companion app for iPhone.
I too am a laptop in the kitchen type inspector.
I force myself to use the phone app for an entire inspection sometimes, but it interrupts my flow, starting stopping inputting in the phone etc.
To be fair, on a newer house or a condo/townhouse it serves it purpose for shorter reports. I do keep my AirPods in and use the voice portion to write the narratives as I go if I don’t have something pre-written and it works well.
thanks,
that was why I asked on here.
I felt like if I was on my phone after every single thing I inspect…that I would be on site for much longer.
However I can certainly see the benefits of voice to text on the phone as well…
thanks
I agree with Ian.
I use Spectora on my mobile phone (used to use the tablet but it was kinda terrifying to wander around a roof with it!!) and I can literally finish 98-100% of the inspection on premises. Most, if not all, of the narratives are already there and since I can “swipe” to type on my phone adding new items really doesn’t take that long at all. Frees up time at home to actually be time at home! I’ll never go back to the old way.
Good info, Bruce!
thanks everyone
Im sold
plan to get the mobile HIP
thanks!
At risk of repeating what’s already been said…
I too have HIP, mobile and desktop. That said; I found myself spending way to much time on site fiddling with the smartphone app. Now I use mobile a little for on site and then upload that to the cloud and download to my PC back at my office. I use the HIP cloud for storage and for my clients to view their reports. Smart phone with HIP software is to slow for photo captures so I use a decent shock resistant pocket camera for most of my photo captures. I make voice notes in a word doc on my smart phone. I take 200-400 photos for an average inspection. Then I put it all together at my leisure in my home office on the PC with a full size screen. My reports average 30+ pages, with maybe 10% of the photos I take included in the report. Most photos are CYB’s (cover your butt) in the event things get litigious I have evidence of conditions at the time of inspection. I generate comprehensive reports. I’m not a 3-5 page checklist inspector. Just sayin’ so we are not comparing apples to oranges here. Obviously conditions/circumstances will vary but that’s the gist of it.
Thanks, I had same question. I have the report prefilled out as much as possible, take pictures on site with my iPad, but don’t do any report writing on site. Then I go home, hook up a full size keyboard via blue tooth to my iPad, and spend 1.5-3 hours writing the report. Using the separate keyboard versus the touch screen actually saves lots of time. That, and making my report template show most items filled out on the report with standard answers that rarely change. But I still, like you, want to find a better faster way to do it than 1/2 - 1 hour of prep, 2-3 hours on site taking 150 pictures and showing client, then 2-3 hours at home writing the report.
Do you have a recommendation for a mobile software that is preferred to that of others out there?
Presently I have been taking and marking up pictures with my phone and then at the review with the client, I’ll airdrop all the photos to their phone so as to have a smoother review with them. I’ll then extract the photos I want for the final report before presentation to the customer.