Inspection checklist/software and insurance - getting started

[Stephen Stanczyk]

Anti Tip brackets.....  homes older than 10 years old, rarely.  Newer homes most of the time.  New homes almost always unless the builder hasn't installed yet.  Usually in a kitchen drawer with the manual.

Microwave tests bags....  http://www.nachi.org/tribbles.htm

Microwave leak detectors.....  http://www.nachi.org/microwaveovenleakdetectors2006.htm

[Joe Keresztury]

Casey, Most of the time they are there. I do alot of new homes, so it seems there is more of an awareness lately for the need for it especially since the lawsuits, like against Sears. I have more missing high loop drains than missing anti tips, but on pre owned not really on new homes.

[David Macy]

Anti tip brackets and dishwasher loop seem to go on most reports. It is like an open grounded outlet. Most common repeated issues for my reports.

[Greg Spraggins]

Joe and Stephen, thank you for the links to the high loop drain question I had and the free testers.  With the microwave leak detector, does it come with instructions or how does it work?  I see microwave leak testers on the market that look like something you move around the frame of the door while it's running, but the clear engraved NACHI piece looks like some kind of award.

[Dominic Maricic]

Greg, I believe it lights up when the radiation hits it.

[Cameron Anderson]

David Macy

Anti tip brackets and dishwasher loop seem to go on most reports. It is like an open grounded outlet. Most common repeated issues for my reports.

Same here on the high loop for the dishwasher, also I see exposed Romex and missing wire clamps at the disposal on 7-8 out of 10 homes.

[Bob Elliott]

They are often missing which is a write up.
Cameron is being silly about the TV because it is not staying but the appliances often are.
Many Inspectors also take serial numbers to check for recall.

I check all appliances and use a microwave radiation tester which NACHI sells but is given out free all the time if you are a member.

Clients want to know if the appliances are functioning and hooked up correctly.I am expert on that so would feel stupid not to check them.You want to make sure they are safe and done right.
I take good res pictures because why would I not. I can't begin to count the number of times zooming in on a background saved my butt.
Storage is cheap so why be frugal with megapixels? That makes zero sense to me.

I try to be the most detailed and the best because there is no such thing as to much information "only those to lazy to provide it".

[Casey Patten]

Bob, good to hear from you again...and great points...attention to details often makes us different from our competition...I've seen that a couple times around here. 

Some may say picky, I say I'm doing my job!

[Bob Elliott]

Now that I am through ranting Casey (picky is good)....never left....if you feel comfortable using a phone for pictures for instance such as Cameron does then there is nothing wrong with that however I like to hedge my bets as I am not smart enough to feel secure that my text is enough to protect me from having missed anything on site.

So many times have I noticed an issue that was overlooked on site.
Example was 2 days ago.
I looked up at a high set of skylights and saw nothing but a settlement crack in the taping seams but at home thanks to my 4.5 MP image I added Gamma correct on PhotoFiltre and saw what appeared to be water stains and possible bubbling.

Often times I take a fast video (2-3 minutes) walking through the home and calling out materials which twice now has saved me when a seller tried to claim I damaged something .
I always take a shot of the thermostat showing it is back to normal also.

In short taking many shots has protected me and made me more detailed in the report.

[Casey Patten]

Couldn't agree more...I take, on average, 300-400 5 MP pictures for each inspection.  Take my time going through them, normally even zooming in on most to look for things in the background. 

It's not totally time efficient, but it's worked for me to this point...quit laughing Dom...

[Dominic Maricic]

Who said I'm laughing   

[Bob Elliott]

Not sure why anyone would frown on superior methods.
There are two thoughts here.
One is get in on site, collect the check, and move on.
Great if you can do this and get away with it.

My business model is dictated on fostering a reputation for taking the time to do it well.
Just completed a Inspection this weekend for a Fire Department code inspector and he was refered by another Fire Department code Inspector that had used me previously.

With these kind of clients I better do a good job.

[Cameron Anderson]

if you feel comfortable using a phone for pictures for instance such as Cameron does then there is nothing wrong with that

I have so many responses, I don't think I can pick just one...    So I won't.

And just to clear up any misconceptions still out there, the iPhone 4 is 5.0MP and the new iPhone is 8.0MP.  I'm not a math major but I believe that is larger than bob's 4.5 and on par with Casey's 5.0.  (yeah yeah yeah, I know it doesn't have an optical zoom.) 

Wow Casey! 300-400 photos. Are a lot of them reference photos of the different rooms?  I just recently got a panorama app for taking my reference photos. It cut down the number of photos I had to take enormously. Plus the panoramas make remembering the house layout really easy. I do use the HD video on the iPhone to get difficult shots(kudos to Bob for that idea).


Wow Casey! 300-400 photos!

[Casey Patten]

Cameron, yes, most of those pictures are reference.  My reports are probably 40-60 pages on average.  I seem to get a lot of first time home buyers, and they like extra pictures for their own reference. 

[Cameron Anderson]

I currently don't give the reference photos out. I had a lawyer once tell me not to. I figured it was so they couldn't be used against you later in a "fishing" lawsuit. I'm not sure if I have a well formed opinion on that yet.

[Casey Patten]

I've thought of that too, and think that as long as you zoom right in on what you're talking about (i.e., main water shut off, gas shut-offs) and limit what else can be seen in the photo, it should be alright.

But I totally understand what you're saying...I make sure to be specific on what I mention the picture is, normally including a nice yellow arrow or circle to show it.

[Joe Keresztury]

Casey, on preowned home inspections, I'll usually do 200-350 photos. Not really that many reference shots. Just like to be able to have a choice of pic used for items, so I'll due multi pics and angles for items. Up to a hundred pics are used for report on preowned.
Less pics needed usually on new homes and alot less on construction phase inspections.
The older the house the more pics usually. The older the house, more of a charge also.

[Cameron Anderson]

I do the same Joe, taking multiple shots and such. But then I thin them out to usually just one prior to doing the report. I suppose I am doing about 150-200 for an average house if I look at it that way.  Maybe I shouldn't be deleting the extras.  I do delete the ones which just don't come out with the right lighting or focus.

Just curious, what is your price change based on a home's age?

[Jeffrey R. Jonas]

Casey...

I almost never find the anti-tip installed, new or pre-owned. Heck, most people never even heard of one before. Tip: if you ever can't find the anti-tip bracket, check in the cabinet next to the stove. Sometimes you get lucky.

I always take multiple pic's of most all defects, from different angles, and up-close to a short distance. Sometimes you just need an overview pic for better understanding of the situation.

I average 400 pic's on a average "Minnesota" home.

[Bruce Ramsey]

I average about 100-150 photos for a home less than 10 yrs old.  Another 50 for up to 20 yrs.  More than 20 yrs and may get up to 300 photos.  Old homes have more defects so more pics.  Reports probably get as few as 20 but my ideal is one photo for every defect.  The rest are documentation photos for my records. 

Serious defects I may take 2-3 pics to show from different angles in case the lighting or focus is off.  Most piddly defects get on photo.  Part of taking photos is doing most of the editing when you take  the shot.  Zoom in and get the light behind you.  Take the picture just as you want it to appear in the report.  If  you need to take a wider angle shot to show location, thats fine.  Try to make your photos useful, not just general shots.  It takes time (and therefore profit) to wade through all those photos and more time and profit to edit them.  Become a better photographer.  It will save you time in editing and increase your profit.