TOPIC: How do you document deficiencies???

How do you document deficiencies in your reports? I see many of us have different thoughts on this.

I use to call out everything in RED. The problem I found with this was some reports would have 2 pages of summary findings.

Now I have switched it up a bit using Red only, for MAJOR deficiencies, Blue for all other deficiencies which need attention and then put general comments in black.

It seems to be better all-round this way. Generally it’s only the big or major deficiencies that tend to get negotiated. This way they are easy to identify.  I also feel clients will be more apt to get the urgency of fixing a major deficiency if it is identified singly or perhaps with 2 or 3 others,  rather than being lumped in with all the missing cover plates, stained carpets and walls with nail holes.

Any thoughts?

Most guys include all safety issues and anything that has an estimate over $xxx. Of course that value is up to you!

Ask your client.

Do they want you to report paint chips?

If so, charge about $900...

Most RE Contracts and disclosure laws for your state lays down what is expected out of a resale home.

If it's broke, it doesn't work
If it doesn't operate as intended by the Mfg.
If it is a safety issue.

Call it.

If it is a building code issue and is not in one of the above, make it black.

Just what I do. You do as you feel is right.

In my book, a defect is a defect.  They go red and I have had up to a 10 page summary or more, numerous times.  The client gets to decide what is important and what isn't important.  Part of the discussion on expectations with the client is regarding this exact thing.  Most if not all of them like the idea to print the summary out as their "to do list" and tape it to the inside of a kitchen cabinet door.  Much easier than trying to read through the whole report again and again to find something that you don't feel is "important".

There are defects and then there are recommendations.

There are defects which have been in the house since its initial construction of hundred years ago and have not affected the operation or condition of the property in that time.

There are defects that are serious safety concerns that need to be tended to immediately.

Don't you have a lot of stuff in your inspection report that really isn't all that important but you do want to advise your client of its existence?

Aren't there a lot of issues that may be important to one family and not another?

Not that I want to pander to real estate agents, I just want to make their life a little easier. So I like to keep things that I know they are concerned with in the summary and the other less important issues out of it.

If you have a gutter downspout problem and it is discharging water against the foundation, but there's no structural damage or water intrusion at the time of inspection, is it something that must be fixed immediately or something that should just be monitored?

My state home inspection law says I'm supposed to list all items in the report as:
requiring repair
requiring monitoring and further observation
requiring further investigation by a specialist

A defect is not just a defect according to them.

I guess if you write a report that only has "significant deficiencies" (as described by the standards of practice for most home inspections) everything could be in red. I just see that most home inspectors put more stuff in their report that doesn't necessarily need to be red.

Everybody can write their reports as they see fit and in accordance with their inspection style. This is going to be a gray area as to what is and is not important to the home inspector, client and real estate agent.

To prevent conflict, some sort of standardization for deficiency classification might be in order.

There is stuff that I have got to report on in every report (required by the state). I change its color and indicate that anything in that color is a state reporting requirement. They can blast right through the report without worrying about any of those legal necessities.

The new version of home inspector Pro allows changing the color of defects. This will allow you to easily classify the importance of the deficiencies, if that's what you want to do.

RE: Dave

I agree, one client differs from another and that does have an impact on how the report is put together. It’s part of the feeling out process for sure.

I guess my point earlier was I feel putting absolutely every little thing in red really lessens the desired effect of the report.  We need to let the client know what we find but a hole in the roof is just not the same as a missing bedroom door handle, if you get my drift. After reading 2 1/2 pages of red about the outside, people start skimming!

I love the fact that we can change colors now. I believe you can put together a more meaningful report if you use it sparingly. Originally I went with Red and Blue for defects but am changing it to Red and Amber. On my summary page explanation I am going to put a picture of a stop light and liken the defects to that. RED ? STOP, Immediate Attention Required    AMBER ? PROCEED WITH CAUTION - Needs Attention or however you want to word it.

The way I look at it there is this,  no one in the position to purchase a home would not understand this and it really is our job, NOT just to tell them the condition "at the time of the inspection" but what may be the condition if something goes uncorrected.
Just my opinion.