I know this topic comes up every 5 years or so but the most recent thread I could find was about 5 years ago. So I thought I’d get it started again.
I’ve been inspecting for 10 years now. I only know and use Homegauge Desktop with a standalone camera. I tried their companion app (not web writer) about 5-7years ago and got so frustrated I abandoned the thought of it.
I was just about to try their Web Writer App and lo and behold - It is gone and has been replaced with Spectora. - glad I didn’t try switching earlier.
I’ve heard good things about Spectora and know a lot of inspectors that use it and they like it but don’t know any thing besides Spectora (they started with Spectora, Just like I only know Homegauge)
I know there is a lot of other inspection software out there and at the conferences they are there selling, showing, explaining etc. but they are “sales people” so I have an inherent mistrust of them.
Starting with a new software is not like trying the new menu item at your favorite restaurant where you just have a bad couple hours. A new software is going to take a few weeks/months to get up to speed, organized, bugs worked out, and everything inputted correctly before I can fully swap over. Needless to say - I don’t want to make a poor, timely, costly mistake.
What I am looking for is some good ole; in the know - boots on the ground - field tested advise.
So what do you currently use?
What have you used in the past?
What do you like about it?
What don’t you like about it?
I recommend listing what your “must haves” are. What is lacking in your current software that has you looking for a change? That will help narrow down your choices.
What have you used in the past?
3D and HIP, I actually bought HIP, was about 3 weeks into it when I decided to stay with 3D.
What do you like about it?
I can manipulate the software to make the report look the way I want.
I own it.
I pay a grand total of $149.00 a year that covers any upgrades, use of the cloud and support if needed.
What don’t you like about it?
I’ve been using it for 22+ years and for a time I was having a problem with support, that’s why I was switching over to HIP. The support issues 3D had have all been rectified years ago. Other than that, there’s nothing I don’t like about it.
I just hope they don’t sell out before I hang up my flashlight, like so many others have.
I use the same HG desktop software you do. like you i tried companion and dropped it in favor of my stand alone camera an HG desktop. like you I own the software that is a good feature All those bells and whistles the subscription software advertises are useless if you don’t have the control of owning the software (basically you’re letting someone else run your company).
Home Gauge is flexible and configureable. i have separate templates for all the different inspections i do. It has the capacity to add your own narratives and recordings, your own drawings and intro explanations. You can rearrange or exclude different systems as needed or make new ones. You can also add pre-written attachments for such things as chimney inspections recall notices or fact sheets for various upgrades or encountered devices.
Don’t forget the office function which I use minimally to send boilerplate emails for contracts and follow up. Of course I wrote my own emails with my letterhead, etc.
I’ve used Web Writer from the time it was Home Hub Zone. I also have had a long term contact with another inspector on the east coast who has used WW for the same length of time as I have. I’ll probably move to Scribeware. I’m developing a summary and layout similar to Web Writer. I’m a small volume inspector and Scribeware has a per-inspection payment option, while Spectora does not, and is more expensive than Home Gauge/Spectora. Minor consideration in the annual budget, but it’s one factor. Home Gauge Desktop is really complicated for me to understand and use. I tried a few years back when Home Hub Zone died. I got frustrated.
The inspector I talk to periodically is serious about Spectora, but just as likely might migrate to Home Gauge Desktop. HG Desktop is not going away, only Web Writer. Both Desktop and Spectora have agreement, payment, and business management components. Those are important to him. This fellow is much more computer software savvy than I am, thus he has a better grasp of the software.
Changing software is a PIA. I started with HIP, but it was hard to communicate effectively with it. I had several realtors tell me my HIP reports were “hard to review and too bulky”. HHZ and WW have a great Summary, thus solving that issue I had with HIP. Hopefully you know what you want to see in your report presentation. That’s what dictates the software you use.
I agree. How the report presents to clients and their agents is the most critical part of the software.
When I was doing research and picking a software, I chose the one that produced a report that made the most sense to me. That of course doesn’t mean it will be perfect for every client, but if it made sense to me, I was pretty sure it would make sense to most of the people in my market.
And, I get responses like the one below consistently, which tells me I made a good decision.
I agree with this, except for the online report writer part. The new version is pretty slick once you get used to it. I do probably 25% of my report work on the web writer, and it has never been better than it is now. That said, more power to those that can do it all in the app on their phone, but I just can’t. I’m not a very good typist on my phone, and as I get older, my eyes aint as good as they once were, lol. So I need the desktop to do any longer typing as well as adjust annotations in the pictures to make sure my arrows and what not actually point to the right place.
Side note: the web writer works best if you have dual monitors if you are going to be adding pics.
I have only used Spectora and loved it. Upgrades have happened and I’ve adapted. But…I am not experiencing Ryan’s good experience. The latest web editor is the buggiest and most frustrating editor I’ve experienced to date and it is costing me MUCH time and hair. I’m not happy. I currently have a few tickets into support and I’m waiting for fixes because I want to continue using Spectora, .
Let me know what issues you are having. Also, what operating system and browser you are using on your desktop.
About the only issue I have is annotating pics can get a bit laggy if you have lots of them to do. I mostly attribute that to my “not great” internet service (rural, best I can get). But, I’ve found that clearing the Spectora site cache once a week helps tremendously with the lag.
Been using HomeGauge (desktop) since 2003, after 3-part carbonless “ITA Matrix” hand written reports (laughable in hindsight).
I used the HG companion briefly when it first came out, found it to be clumsy and too time consuming. Years later when they announced the next big thing, Web Writer, I looked at it, didn’t like it, and now it’s gone anyway.
Like you said, changing software is a giant PIA, but there are times I wish I used something else, even though I can use the software blindfolded now.
I wouldn’t be surprised if HG desktop silently dies off in phases (no new sales; only existing users, then no support after next year; then…etc. etc.). Just a WAG.
Since report software requires a considerable amount of effort to customize, over a long period of time, it isn’t like a new flashlight or ladder that you “get used to” quickly.
Mostly for that reason, I have kept my reporting platform the same, while keeping an eye on new developments.
The reason this fades and only resurfaces every five years or so is because it rapidly devolves into a ford/chevy/dodge debate.
I personally use Home Gauge.with companion. Been using companion since it ran on a Mio. Wouldn’t do it any other way. I also use the online delivery of the reports.
None of the other programs offer enough improvement for me to justify the time and expense to make the change.
That being said we are also a small general contracting company and frankly the risk/reward ratio is much better in that business than it is in the inspection business. So the inspection work is becoming less important to us.
All of the offerings have there pluses and minuses.
Just my two cents worth and worth exactly what you paid for it.
I use Carson dunlop Horizon. Economical, easy on the eye, client ok and understands it. I have created my own templates for different era properties and so forth. Sometimes I would wish to change but the montly prices compared to how many inspections can be performed in my area delegates who I use. Been in inspection business since 1989, the amount of inspections that i do delegates how much i pay per month, Horizon is simple and I can create my own inspection format and reporting style.
Like others…Using the HG desktop. Saw the Video from Support about all of the cool things about Spectora, and just really not thrilled about potential cost or the swap. I will probably fight it all and use the HG desktop as long as I can go, or until the shut it down. There are some inherent things I do not like about reports I have seen from others with Spectora, but that is a personal opinion…We shall see what is pushed down our throats over time to see how this all rolls out.
Fortunately, I also thought the HG Web Writer was a sloppy and clunky POS that did not work well. So glad I never trained myself up on that. Tried it 2 times on my own house and was just not impressed
It’s Spectora widespread, not platform, browser, or data speed. My speeds are fast. Most times there’s already a ticket and I’m just tagged on it. Latest one of the got fixed was location tags doubling when transferred from mobile to web. I like to use voice-to-text on my Mac to cut down on typing and that no longer works on the new editor. Photos uploaded on web take a few seconds to load and can’t immediately work with them. I no longer have control over font size on my recommendations or I can’t change them to my preferred font.
My favorite one to date was having to pull down my sample reports a couple weeks ago because Spectora has a glitch that allows other Spectora users to access my client’s client portal when looking at my sample reports and vice versa. There are more but I’m kinda sick and tired of dealing with this so that’s all I have to say for now
Are these the “actual location tags” or the photo annotation location tags (the ones you can select when annotating a photo)? I don’t use the real “location tag” feature, but I do use the photo annotation location tags and haven’t had this issue, so I’m guessing you mean the other ones.
I don’t use voice-to-text on web editor, so can’t help you on that. But, I like the idea. I might have to try that out. Will need a mic.
That’s the one issue I do have as well. Try clearing your Spectora site cache (if that’s a thing in Mac). You don’t have to clear your whole browser cache, should be able to do it just for Spectora. That has helped a great deal for me.
I haven’t had any issues with changing font size on my end. I have never seen a place where we can change the actual font style, other than size, bold, italic, or underline. Have you been able to choose different fonts in the past (not just size, but actual font style)?
That’s an interesting one I haven’t heard before. How did you find that out, and how were they doing it? I just checked a couple fellow users sample reports and I’m not seeing how I can access their client dashboard.
I used to clear my cache often to solve issues but it hasn’t helped with this new editor. I will try it for the photo issue though…
Sorry, I was saying the same thing in two different ways because I have two different font issues but I only meant size, not style.
I don’t want to give away the other inspector so lets just say I went to their website to view their sample report(s) and noticed when I clicked the link on their website, it did not open the report, it took me to the ACTUAL CLIENT’S CLIENT PORTAL for that inspection! I was able to view their inspection agreement, address, their invoice, how they paid, when they paid, etc.
I figured they uploaded their sample report wrong so I DM’d them and told them about it which concerned them greatly. They got back to me with an email and said when they open the reports, they can’t see anything wrong, but they went to my sample reports and they were in MY ACTUAL CLIENT’S CLIENT PORTAL! We confirmed by articulating each other’s clients, and we both recognized the names, addresses, etc. Needless to say, I flipped out and immediately raised hell with support. They’re aware of it and taking it seriously but it sounds like some deep coding or something so they have to do some testing and it’s gonna take a little while.
BTW…its not fixed yet, I just checked the same inspector site and I can still get into their client portal for the inspections posted as a sample report.
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