Does anyone know of resources that can help in developing a more efficient home inspection? Books and or websites where I can get help on the actual inspection and the amount of time spent doing the inspection as well as writing the report? How long does your average inspection take?
Thanks
Grover
Average 3+hrs in the field 1 to 2 in the office.
Mentoring with some one who has ben around for a few years .
Efficiency is second to unbiased accuracy and thoroughness.
Take the time that you need to ensure that you have accurately and completely covered the items required by your standard of practice. Then, take the time that you need to accurately report the findings of that inspection. This will vary from person to person.
If you are good and you stay in business long enough, the “efficiency” will improve with repeated application of your process. Copying someone else’s style or manner for the sake of “efficiency” is usually not a good idea. Develop your own while consitently providing a complete, accurate and unbiased description of whatever home you inspect. Efficiency will come.
I truly appreciate all the responses but I am looking for any additional help in becoming not only more efficient but better. I have been doing home inspections for 33 years and to be quite honest I probably error on the side of too much information in my reports but I want them to be a useful tool. The problem I have is my average inspection with the report written on site is about 7 hours while 90 % of my competition is 2.5 hours. I was hoping to find some resources but seems to be little if any. Secondary to this problem is the fact that many Agents and or sellers have complained and no longer will recommend or refer me to their clients. In other words, I am losing precious time and inspections jobs and one can not stay in business for long like that.
You’ve been doing home inspections for 33 years??? 7 hours for an inspection and report on site??? Yeah right.
Looks like you see what is wrong , We are abour 2.5 hours doing inspection and about 30 minutes on Report . Done and gone in just over 3 hours for most inspections
Egads, 7 hours . . .
Go in, use your camera, take pics as shorthand alternative to notes.
Dump pics into your laptop, reduce the size so they change quickly when you run them as visual reminders for client while giving the on-site verbal summary.
Pack the crap, write the report at home, email it out.
9AM - arr on site
10-10:30 - verbal review
11-11:30 - off the property
Hi, Roy . . .
I always come back!
So glad for me and the Rest of NACHI .
Always appreciate your posts and Pictures .
All the best… Roy
You should not spend no more than 3 hours for the general inspection on site. At the home or office you could spend up to 2 hours if there is allot of research to do.
If you are not taking pictures and putting them in a report after 33 years start yesterday.
Put down the ruled paper and get a tablet computer with a report writing software.
Honestly, if you’ve been doing this for as long as you say, then you should already know what you need to change.
I’m all for taking my time to do a proper inspection but 7 hours is way too long. I’m guessing that at least half of this could be done at your office so the poor family sitting at the dinner down the road came come back home.
I recommend you bring a Trailer with you along with your lunch and supper so you can get off the Home owners property in less than 3 hrs and right the report after you do the inspection, this way you can bring your 100s of library books and research with you and not miss anything on the report. LOL
There was a guy in Florida a few years back … his name was Jerry Pecker or Jerry “something-or-other” who appointed himself as the leader on an old obscure message board that I think went bust a few years ago.
This guy would count and record every nail in every board, to include its size and the material used to manufacture it. He bragged of how some of his inspections would take a couple of days, as I recall, as he filled his voluminous reports with a myriad of unusable information. He claimed that he charged several thousands of dollars for each home inspection.
If this is what you are doing … more power to you.
However, if you are taking 7 hours to do a $350 home inspection, you should revisit the SOP IMO.
Grover after looking at your sample report i saw 26 pages making me think-not bad compared to my giant 50-75 average 
however you not only do a complex 6 box checklist for @item but you do a summary story line along with some details even I do not register in my reports.
Giving estimates for issues found in print may not be a good idea either unless you intend on paying the difference for being wrong or are you also the contractor?
I notate type of material for ceilings but you go a step further and notate if they are painted.
Take the advice above and use your camera for notes then do it at home if you are going to keep this method of reporting.
After 33 years, you are not going to change. :roll: