TOPIC: How do you do your summary with the client?

Steve,

I'm spending some more time reviewing your reports tonight and I had a couple followup questions:

You entered this thread with a question about things you could leave off your report in order to shorten your reporting time. What are the areas of your reporting you are willing to modify, compromise, reduce or eliminate altogether in order to speed up your reporting? I figure there are some methods of reporting you are not married to and I'm just wondering what those are.

Second, do you use the drop-down lists very much? As I look through your reports I can't tell what percentage of your notes may use that feature in their creation. Would you say 50% of your comments have a drop-down? 80%? 20%?

Third, do you ever use damage panels(the bottom panels on a typical tab) for material, location, limitation or descriptive statements? Basically, if I see the word "Observations", does that mean those comments come from a damage panel instead of a selection panel?

And lastly, what percentage of your comments are pre-written for each report and customized for each report?

Even just rough guesses on these will help me understand your reporting process. Thanks.

Steven, there are many tutorials on HIP. Speeding things up comes from how you take advantage of them. A few simple questions. Please answer in order and I ask David to do the same.

1. Do you batch add photos, or add 1 at a time?

2. Do you use the Notes feature?

3. Do you use the common captions feature?

4. What version of HIP are you using? Check under About->About.

5. Are you using Mobile HIP?

6. Are you using drop down boxes within narratives?

7. Have you taken the time to reorganize your template so the most popular narratives are at the top of each section?

8. Do you enter any data on the job site?

9. How do you take notes on site?

10. Is your TV on while you're writing your report?

11. Do you have kids that are home while you do your report?

12. Do you report room by room or system by system?

Just a few things to get you started!

Steve- everybody has their own way.  Dominic's list is excellent.  It's not chest-puffing - anybody can do it! I learned to write reports when calling on the automotive industry - and nobody requires more detail than Ford, GM, or Chrysler.  I don't use the Mobile app - I use a tablet PC, and I know my template well.
I have a mental 5 second rule - If it takes me longer than 5 seconds to find a comment for any give issue, I insert the word DEFECTIVE or NOTE...which gives me a mental note that when I go home a comment needs to by typed, created, or moved up in my list.

I'll have   Torn - Screen  Torn sceen  ....and then add on site backdoor- lower left. Don't worry about being sued because of torn screen- if that happens, just give your client $20.00, and he'll be happy.

I am always optimizing my comments - Don't let someone tell you that you miss things if your done in 2.5 hrs.  You can focus too hard on every detail and miss the forest thru the trees.

For 20 years I was an "optimization & silimuation" specialist with fortune 500 companies.  Anybody can building a "complicated" mouse trap.  The skill is building a "simple" trap that works just as well - if not better.  The same holds true with how you inspect.

Always surround yourself with people you can learn from, not those who say "it can't be done".

Dan I am sure you are a great guy and all but had a good chuckle when you said
"no chest puffing here" then went on to state you think of yourself as more qualified
because of your past employment.

Does more qualified mean learning to look at doing a less detailed report ,missing items and then paying off the client?

Sorry but a average home inspection takes at least 3 hours around here if not more and I actually go to local
NACHI Chicago  meetings and speak in person with other Inspectors where we share real information in person.
Here on the internet it is easy to make ones self look great because you are not looking someone in the face.

Average for most guys around here is 3-4 hours.

Part of an inspection (Good ones) is taking the time to show clients the issues and give them tips on how to maintain the home
but perhaps you have the skill set to type staring at your screen and look at a client simultaneously.

To say a 3-4 hour inspection can be 2.5 hours is totally false if it is being said the mobile input speeds up onsite time.
Perhaps it includes a certain Doctors phone booth ?

Again with my Full time home inspection experience of not missing details I've found that looking at the details is what finds the big items.
Going in and only looking at big ticket items will get you in trouble one day.

Lost count of how many times my detailed inspections have found bigger issues such as pulling out a stove and finding
brass flex (on recall) or seeing holes behind appliance showing actual extension cords being used for electrical conductors
in branch wiring.

Being a Home Inspector is like being a Detective and not an efficiency expert on trying to rush through a report so you can do 3-4 jobs a day.

Personally I have pride in what I do and will never produce an inferior product for a couple bucks at the expense of my clients.
In this for the long haul.

Sorry if brutal here but you were chest puffing and I certainly never said report time could not be decreased..

You amuse me Bob...and I'm sure you do a fine job:)..."chest puffing" are your words..not mine.

Yes...my past experience has greatly contributed to my sucess.

I've had inspection's as long 2 days - and a simple condo last 2 hrs. The subject is how "efficently" you can write a report. Stick to the subject- we aren't talk about Nachi mettings, networking, or how thorough you are...don't get side tracked.

Maybe that's why you and other's have difficulty accomplish a task timely. Derailing the subject doesn't help anyone with pointers of "writing" a report in a timely manner. If you feel better about yourself wasting time, and feel that makes you more "accomplished"- then God Bless you. I've read some of your chopping sounding post ( I hope you do a better job proof reading your report's than you do your post)- maybe that's taking extra time; Maybe you think sounding like a load-mouth makes you feel more skilled too.  Just did a nice inspection on Oketo - isn't that your area; that's 40 miles from me.

Dan I am sure you are a great guy and all but had a good chuckle when you said "no chest puffing here" then went on to state you think of yourself as more qualified because of your past employment.

I didn't read that statement anywhere in Dan's post, Bob.

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Anyway, Steve, I spent a couple hours looking through your full house report and I have some info to share with you. Do you want me to post it here or just email you?  Some of it would be beneficial to anyone using HIP.