Hi. How do you approach reporting multiples of the same defect that appears in different rooms, in Spectora?
Example: outlets that don’t work in Bedroom 1 and the Master Bedroom.
Do you use one Recommendation under Interior and then add Bedroom 1, Master Bedroom as location tags? Do you just put pictures of each outlet with a location comment in the one Recommendation? Do a room by room report and put the outlet problem in each of those rooms that have it? Something else?
Thanks!
You can state several randomly sample outlets did not work. I also add this statement in general notes:
Your report includes many photographs. Some pictures are intended as a courtesy and are added for your information only. Some are to help clarify where the inspector has been, what was looked at, and the condition of the system or component at the time of the inspection. Some of the pictures may be of deficiencies or problem areas. These are to help you better understand what is documented in this report and may allow you to see areas or items that you normally would not see. Some issues may be difficult to photograph so not all problem areas or conditions will be supported with photos.
Buy removable small round stickers at OD. Put them on the outlets that are miswired. One photo then identifies outlets with stickers as miswired (multiple locations).
This. But why would you have outlets under Interior? Outlets should be in the Electrical section, no?
Thank you for the advice. I think people are focusing on my example instead of the overall question. I’m really just interested in how you approach reporting defects that appear in multiple rooms in the software.
Do you use location tags and put them all under one section, make a section for each room that has the defect and repeat the recommendation on each, make one recommendation and put a bunch of annotated photos under it, or something else?
@jfrederick, In the templates I’ve seen, some have outlets under interior and some put it in electrical. It seems that a lot of inspectors keep the electrical section to be more about the electrical service system and not the individual places that electrical is used.
It depends on the report style. The two basic styles are report by system, or report by room. For myself and many others we report by system in which case outlets, regardless of the location or number, appear in the electrical section. As I posted before I like to identify the particular outlets with a removable (one that doesn’t leave a glue mess) sticker. The simple reason being each room can have many outlets. If you do a report by rooms the report tends to be much longer and you could specify the location by room (even with a system report you can note the location for each item). Windows can be either in exterior or interior as you decide. In any case the style report and how you organize it will depend on how you are accustomed to working and may take some time for you to optimize.
Thank you Bob. I think I’m liking a system by system approach for the report and just trying to find a way to keep it organized for the client to know what they have to do in what places.
Think I came behind you on a house in Baltimore about 2 months ago! Saw these stickers on all sorts of outlets with all sorts of issues.
I just give a location and take a photo. I may take a 2nd photo further back to clarify the location.
For outlets, I’ve learned no one cares about a close up photo showing the defect, they only want to know which one, so I’ve adjusted my photo taking accordingly.
All outlets are in the electrical section.
Well that’s just weird 
Jesse, everyone does it differently… you need to find what you believe is a good approach for “you”. I put overall electrical deficiencies under electrical section like a general 120v receptacle all across the interior. Specific receptacle, like dryer, goes under laundry area, bathroom receptacles would go under each bathroom section, etc… And, yes, if there is only an issue with few specific receptacles I will put their location in the location tag under the electrical section where I list the deficiency.
Hey Jesse, I definitely see both approaches but I see more usage of the location tag, as well as adding a caption to each photo to make it clear where it’s located. So multiple photos with location tags. Hope that helps!