What is your average time to write reports. I have been able to get all reports in by the night of the inspection until today. I had two inspections today and If you saw my other post about the crawlspace you might understand why I couldn’t finish the second one tonight. Just checking to see what the average report time is from all you seasoned inspectors.
Responses to that one will be all over the map and as varied as the content of the various inspector’s reports. My report times, I’m sure are quite long compared to the average. I’m usually wrapping up about 1:00 or 2:00 AM. Of course I do TREC compliant reports…
My reports are usually delivered within 30 minutes after completion of the inspection. If I am in areas of poor cell service, they are delivered that evening as soon as I get home.
It takes whatever time it takes to get it to where I am happy with it, thus, I have never had one single complaint with my reports, or how long it may take to deliver it. I inform my clients it will be delivered by email within 24 hours. I think maybe twice I needed more time to complete the report, and simply called my client as soon as I realized the need. Never a problem.
And before you ask… I have not written a Summary in over 5 years. They are counter-productive.
When you have a large report like mine, there better be a summary.
Why?
What do you leave out of the Summary that is in the Report?
Isn’t everything in your Report important?
So, what criteria do you use to determine what is useful to your client?
If it isn’t useful, and deserving to be included in the Summary, why is it included in your report?
I could go on-and-on, but you get my point. 
Do not get your point at all as unlike where you are my clients need the punchlist ASAP .
I am sure we can think of 1,000 reasons to justify not having one but I strongly believe my clients Agents already know how to check a filter once a month and save their suffering.
You get it but will find some argument point which is fine for you and your business.
Lets go further and leave out all pictures as they are not needed either,nor are introduction letters or cover shots.You understand but will now play Quiote/peyote or what ever that guys name is with the windmill fight.LOL
I’m down to about 1/2 hour max. to complete the report after I complete the inspection thanks to Home Gauge Companion. Keep it simple, write a report not a book.
half an hour? I must be doing something wrong.
Nah, there are multiple factors to take in consideration. The reporting software you use, how long you have been using that software, how much editing you do on the narratives, how your software uploads the photos etc…
Take the time it needs to take to deliver a good report. You are only as good as your last report.
I am like Chuck and have to follow TREC. It seems like it takes me forever.
I have shaved a couple hours off (no joke) ever since I changed reporting software because I don’t have all the editing crap to do with the photos.
I’m getting faster on every report I write up, as I’m learning the software’s shortcuts etc…
One thing I do to ease up my writing time is to schedule different types of inspections when I have 2 a day.
I will do a phase inspection in the morning and am typically able to write up that one onsite or have it finished before my afternoon full home inspection, so when I get home, I just have one to write.
What software do you use?
It doesn’t matter what standards you have to follow. Report writing time is 100% dependent on how much information you enter onsite.
The more information you enter/complete on site, the less time you will spend after the fact “writing” the report.
When I leave the property, the ONLY thing I have left is uploading photos and sending the email. I don’t have to edit info, add info, change info, nothing. I do all of that as I am inspecting.
Bear in mind that if you spend 10 minutes at home and do it on site then that is a 10 minute longer inspection unless being on site gives you Super Hero powers to type twice as fast with people yapping at you.
Remember anyone doing slotted photos rather than dumping them under may want to rethink doing on site unless radically changing the look of your report.
1.5 to 5 hours. I allow myself 48 hours in my PIA, but my goal is to have them done within 24 hours.
Linas says you are jackin off or getting pissed up when you get home to finish it.:roll:
same here Joe
We have a lot of crawl space and older homes around here. I write my reports very specifically, giving locations of the defects. I also include a lot of photos with annotations. That’s helpful to the client, agent, and contractor hired to do repairs (and eliminates follow-up phone calls) and helpful to me if I get hired to do a re-inspection.
I put a caption on every photo. Then I put as many NACHI graphics as I can to show proper installation and stuff like that. Ive thought about being a little more specific with the location of defects.
Are you referring to your paranoid fantasies Linas ?
Putting anything up your nose is a bad idea buddy so please seek help.
Nobody here believes half of what you say till you take care of yourself.I am beginning to feel sorry for you.Considering you stalk my posts that should tell you something.
Bob, It amazes me how much you’'ve changed your ways since O’bummer has been elected!
I write my report for my client. Period! I give a rat’s a s s what the Realtor wants.
Once years ago, a Realtor I always have issues with, was trying to get one over on me, and asked me in front of my client when she would get the summary. I responded “I do not offer summaries unless my client requests one”. (She knew that). My client asked me “Why”? I explained that “Realtors like to skim over them to save time, and it is not in your best interests. Also, you are paying them for their services, and should demand they earn their pay”. My client turned to the Realtor and simply gave her the “stink eye”. As the Realtor left the room, my client turned to me and said “I do not need a summary. Thank you.”.
Some people need to satisfy the realtors demands to get the referrals to stay in business.