I am trying to grow business. In order to do that I need more time at home to grow and less time writing reports. I’ve built my own templates that have cut down my report writing by 70% at home, but I have not been able to send reports in the field.
Can anybody hellp me or show me how they did it??
Welcome Chad… IMO, an inspector should not attempt to produce reports in the field until they have mastered their craft! They need to focus on inspecting, not writing a report. Until such time, anything produced will be minimalistic and confused. Stick to office reports at least until you’ve performed 100+ inspections with no distractions. Perfect your routine, and the report writing will follow in time. One feeds the other, although, there are always exceptions! Good luck.
Just starting up myself; but in my brief experience thus far, I would never send an “instant” report from the field. I need to go over it in detail first.
Thanks for the response Jeffrey. In my opinion I have not mastered the craft, but I have done over 1500 inspections. There is always more to learn! I have mastered it enough to send reports in the field, however I have not been able to get my templates to where I want them to be. Do you send reports in the field?
Hummm!..
I do not sent my report in the field. Even though my report is mostly complete in the field. I take many pictures and need to chose the best photos and possibly add a note/arrow/circle etc). It also gives me a chance to look up date codes for HVAC equip etc. Sometimes I like to add a diagram as an example of a proper procedure. I may also have to google something (or refer to this forum!) for anything I am not sure about. It takes me 1-2 hours in my office to complete my report, depending on the size of the home. The time I estimate to write the report is part of the price I charge for the inspection.
I did, for a very short time. I discontinued the practice after I decided that my reports suffered, and I was not able to produce the same high quality level of reports that my clients expected of me.
That also ties in with my next point… about your 1,500 inspections. If you are having difficulty now, I would advise you to “drop it”! On-site is obviously not for you. You are prolly running into the same issue most competant veteran inspectors run into… “knowledge”!! You see, the better an inspector you become, the more defects you will discover, thus the longer the inspection and report will take you to produce.
My solution to that problem, reduce my goal of inspections per day, and raise my fees! Problem solved. Less inspections… longer alloted time per inspection… same or higher revenue… happy clients… Win-Win-Win-Win!!!
One think I would like to add to all the great advices you received here that clients actually may not like ” instant on field reports”
What client would not enjoy receiving the report right then and there?? Have you spoken with your clients? Have you given them the option of a report right there on the spot?? And then giving them the other option of waiting 24-72 hours for their report?? If you took a poll I’m ceyertain 99.99999999999999% of them would like the report instantly.
How would you know this?? Do you just “drop it” when things get difficult? Or do you push through?? I’m glad to see that I have a lot more ambition than most of the inspectors on this forum.
If after 1,500 inspections you can’t get something to work, you’re either not cut-out for something or your a total dumbass! Wasting more time on something that will likely never work for you is just asinine, IMO.