What is this software?

Best inspector.net is very similar, i use it and like it.

The sample page here looks like what I used to get with 3D about 15 years ago

Marcel, how is the customer service with 3D and the software updates? Also, any crashes, bad syncing, etc? I think I’m stuck with InspectIT but I’m thinking home gauge or 3D as plan B if InspectIT pushes me over the edge. Lol

WARNING - RANT AHEAD - JUST MY OPINION

I prefer the look of the older inspection templates - I feel the reports now are too distracting, too many colors, hyperlinks, too many goofy symbols (like the little hammers), too much digital clutter on the digital reports. IMO, despite where the world is going technologically, people always process information that is easy to digest on the eyes. Take this internet article for example: https://cxl.com/blog/why-simple-websites-are-scientifically-better/ on cognitive fluency and visual information processing theory. “The more color and light variations on the page (i.e. the greater the visual complexity), the more work the eye has to do to send information to the brain.” It appears to me that the home inspection software companies are designing new software geared to excite us (the inspectors’) with all the new fancy digital features. And it’s easy for us to drool over them because we are already accustom to our complex software and report styles, so we add more because we want more, but this is a cognitive bias on our part. We need to get back to the psychology of what actually works for brains of the customers (of everyone actually) and not what is just new and exciting for us. Now this claim may not apply to some - I’m just saying I’m trying not to get swept up in all the neat features - and this is coming from a millennial and previous engineer who loves her technology! Lol

Also, to those of you that used or still use the Report Plus or similar type of Word based report, what was your method? Did you take short hand notes in the field to document your observations or just pictures to help you recall what you saw? Was the Word program basically just a giant document of drop down lists? Has anyone tested their old way of doing things “Word based all report writing at home/no app in the field/all report writing at home” with the “App reporting in field and quick formatting at home” and can tell me if app-based really is significantly faster? I’m sure it would take practice to get efficient at pad-of-paper note taking in the field. I’m just wondering if I should design my own Word document.

I have used 3D for 7 years now and am very happy with it, it fits all of my needs and you can easily modify for the look that you want and it has a companion app for mobile inspections, that is the only thing you would need internet for. The few times I have had to use support it has been a great experience. Take it for a spin here is a free trial.
https://3dinspection.com/en/try-3d/free-trial-download.html

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I had no problems with customer service and software from 3D and InspectIT. I didn’t use any other so I can’t comment of them.

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If I was looking for inspection software, I would try out, and probably use, Jeff’s InspectorNexus.

He’s been doing onsite reporting and been around long enough that I believe he built a gem of a system. JMHO :smiley:

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You should check out Spectacular.
Scroll down for links, including a sample report.
Remember that the formats of most software reports are now pretty editable.

I’m confident that your assessment is accurate. But, I am retired and enjoying it. :joy:

Thanks Larry. I think it’s pretty solid and very easy to navigate. Anybody wanting to take it for a test drive can PM or email and I’ll double your free inspections. No CC required…

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You’re welcome, Jeff…I knew you would come up with a great software! :smile:

Jeff,

When did you first launch the software? Are you planning on working with internachi to develop a import file to bring the internachi narratives into inspector nexus? You’re doing a good job but it looks to me Spectora is till ahead of you. Here are some suggestions: less screens to navigate through to get to the comments, some checklist items for materials/types, narratives that have titles and selectable locations like spectora, less blank space on the pdfs - tighten it up a bit…good work though - need more this type of software out there so spectora doesn’t become a super giant :wink:

Hi Alexandra,

The “official launch” was early 2019, although I’ve been using it exclusively since February of 2018.

Kenton and Alex (my engineer) have been in talks about an import tool for his narratives. I’m not sure the status of this.

The option for less navigation to comments is in the works, but once you’ve learned to navigate the app, it can be done with a few simple modifications of your template.

The “checklist” option is available (although I don’t personally use it) and has been since its inception. It’s the “Detail” item at the top of the narratives pages. You can add single items or multiple items and it appears in a checklist format.

PDF blank spaces (once a huge pet peeve for me) will vary with every report based on content and pictures. This is true with most mobile apps (even Spectora). I am not an engineer, so I can’t tell you why it’s difficult to overcome.

I appreciate the input and look forward to even more. All of this will be passed on to my engineer. Our goal is to provide the easiest to use and best quality mobile app for inspectors.

From modern, and thus mobile, perspective, the current “publicly” available software for inspections could be improved 10x. Spectora had a good start but is full of bugs/limitations that you need to workaround and the workarounds aren’t perfect. The top rated software have bits and pieces but no single well polished intuitive modern software exists (or one I could find). That being said, you need to test them and see what “works” for you.

Jeff is one of the most highly respected inspectors contributing to these boards and has posted consistently for years. He’s is a very successful inspector and I think any software he’s connected to is worth checking out.

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Inspection software is constantly evolving in order to keep up with the competition, and the cost of constantly evolving has to somehow be passed on to consumers (inspectors). If not, that software company goes out of business.
All Inspection software companies are confronted with similar problems regarding their business models.
Historically (typically), first they sold for a set fee, next they offered updates for a fee, then they required a fee, then they offered subscriptions, then they offered a variety of subscriptions… and that’s just a rough description from being around for a while and not doing any research.
It’s a competitive business and the fee options you see reflect efforts to stay profitable in an industry that has to evolve with technology.
When a company becomes less responsive to its users and the periods between its updates become longer… that’s a bad sign.

Thanks Kenton.

Thanks Alexandra, we don’t want to become a super giant either! I wish everyone getting into the game the best of luck and I remember being exactly in Jeff’s shoes. We have a few years head start, he’ll get there :wink:

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I knew it! Or I very highly suspected react native. Happy I came across this.

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Yep. Good stuff.

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