Inspection Order

[Frank Vetter]

Does anyone have a particular inspection order that works more efficiently? Interior first, Exterior last....attic befor roof? Thanks!

[Dominic Maricic]

I've talked to many guys over the year and I've heard every order mentioned as their favorite. I'd have to say though that the majority of guys I talk to get the exterior done first, then move to the interior. The first reason being for later inspections, you have limited light. The second reason being is that going on the roof usually gives you some time to look around and get a feel for the place without someone right on top of you asking lots of questions. Plus if you see problems on the roof you know where to look inside for the associated issue (i.e. broken tile causing leaking in a particular spot).

[John Adrian Sopher]

I try and do exterior and roof first thing.  I've thought about making HVAC my third choice, just because sometimes it take a little while to get it checked out then up and running for proper temp readings.  I'm a newbie tho, I'm still wearing diapers in the inspection world.  lol

[Jay Markanich]

Frank - I try to follow my report format, so that when the inspection is finished my notes are somewhat aligned with what I see on the computer screen.  No inspection follows the report format perfectly however and my notes can end up all over the place.

I go outside first looking at the foundation, exterior structure and associated exterior and then the roof.  When I come inside I turn on the HVAC, W/D and dishwasher and let them run while we gallivant around the house.  We start downstairs, work up toward the attic and end in the kitchen, bathrooms throughout as we come to them.  The idea is efficiency.  I stay in control of the visit.

I have my notes from the exterior, so I can look for the things inside that had tell tale signs outside.  While I am in my computer, going from section to section (my report format follows*) I am crossing off my notes.  It is crucial to make notes as you see things as sometimes you can get involved with explaining something or answering questions and then the item doesn't make it into the notes or report.  My notes, and therefore report, make specific comments about specific things - where the leak(s) are, or damage to the hardwood flooring, or noise in a pipe.  I have a little pad in my shirt pocket and use a shorthand in my notes.  It is discreet - and quick.  Half way through inspections sometimes people ask me if they should be taking notes of all I am saying.  They didn't notice me doing it!

I sometimes kid people at the end and say that they were probably expecting something in writing and, oh, here it is - then I hand them my notes.  I'll take it back and say, "Sorry, I forgot to sign it..."  They would need a Rosetta Stone to figure out my notes!  By that point I have teased and kidded them so much during the inspection they expect a little humor at the end.

When they see the report they are impressed by how comprehensive and thorough it is.  Every item cross references right to the page in my book that discusses it.

I have added a lot of phraseology to my program so I just have to click on an item to highlight it and add or subtract verbiage as necessary.  The report is then personalized to the house and buyer.  It typically takes me 20 minutes to churn out a report on site.  They leave the inspection with book and report in hand.  I tell them to please call me with any questions, at any time.

I know some guys go home and do the report at night.  But, that is hard for me as I have more than one every day (four today - pre-drywall at 7, the rest to follow)  and if I had to come home to do the report I would mix stuff up house to house.  I'm not smart enough to do them all later.  Often, on site, I have a question and can run to the spot in the house for the thing I can't remember - age of the water heater, size of the leak spot, etc.  No mix ups!

* My report format is as follows - Foundation, Exterior, Roof, Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC, Interior, Kitchen, Bath, Utility, Appliances, Insulation and Ventilation.  It prints a Summary of everything, Part I, which is the Analysis of the House, and a Part II which itemizes the Systems and Components of the house.  See a sample report in my website if you want the format - that is a real report, by the way.

Hope this helps!  You create the efficiency by controlling the inspection...

[Frank Vetter]

As a new inspector, I'm struggeling to find the right balance of creating a thorough template that's not too lengthy, doing a complete and comprehensive inspection for my customers, answer their questions during the inspection, and finishing the report all in a "reasonable" time frame. I also use my states guidelines on what is "required to inspect" and "not required to inspect" and I really don't go beyound that. Thanks again for the suggestions!

Frank

[Jay Markanich]

We've all been there.  You will work out something that is comfortable for you and a great resource for your clients.  Keep it up!

[Julian Benton]

I too will start outside, move inside and then finish with the attic then the crawlspace.  I would like to be able to finish the report onsite, but it still takes me a bit of time so I have been doing them in the evening.  Fortunately (unfortunately) I have not been having more than 1 inspection a day so I have been able to keep things straight.

[Gregory Scheer]

Like some I have one a day, and John sometimes, despite my earlier post this evening, I have had one per week.  I too follow my HIP software and begin inside with bathrooms.  I am a creature of habit and I don't like to break my routine.  I've done a number of inspections the last couple of months and I like the way I do it; inside, attic, outside and roof, crawl space, and gone.  Report at home. I like the inside first because I'm clean, my clothes are clean and my shoes, if I wear them inside are clean.  Attic because now I'm going to get a little sweatie.  Outside next so I can cool off a bit.  Drink more water and onto the roof for a better view and refreshing air before I dive the crawl space and get absolutely nasty.  Enen though I use an old flight suit, I come out with spider webs on me and I am ready for the sower.  It's easy then for me to pack up the rest of my wreckage (ladders, etc..) and beat feet to KFC for a drive-through ice cream and head on home--mostly it's head directly home.  Hope this helps!

[Dominic Maricic]

Hmm KFC and Ice Cream, how the heck do you look like a stick?

[Jay Markanich]

Go to bed Dominic...

Don't eat KFC and/or ice cream before you do though!

[Dominic Maricic]

Hmm, should have read that before I did go to sleep. That ice cream at 3am gave me a stomach ache. Good thing KFC isn't 24 hours.

[William R. DeVries]

start outside do the exterior, move to the roof when clients pull up, this way if you slip and fall they can dial 911 for you, if there not there DO NOT WALK A ROOF ALONE, then move to kitcjen setup base, fill in roof defects, do the kitchen cuz your there, take your first left find three defects and back to laptop, next room on left 3 defects and continue, next left room and so on till you are back in the kitchen. 2 storey, then it's inspect stairs and take first left, 3 defects back to laptop, and continue till you hit the top of the stairs.
out to get your ladder get the attic done.
into basement and you guessed it start to your left and work around to the stairs.
fill in the defects 3 at a time, this way there freash in your mind and you can recall them clearly.
once completed, slap in that sd card download pics, massage report, print and bada bing bada bang check in hand and report in clients, grab ladder, laptop and woohoo to van.
load it and off to next inspection to do.... see top of [page]

[Jay Markanich]

Wow, I'm exhausted just reading it!

(Like the "woohoo...")

[Dominic Maricic]

lol

[Dale M Duffy]

Does anyone have a particular inspection order that works more efficiently? Interior first, Exterior last....attic befor roof? Thanks!

I begin when I arrive at the property turning the A/C down as low as they will go, then after looking under the sink to make sure the dishwasher is installed correctly I turn it on to the rinse cycle, there is not enough time for me to wait for a complete wash cycle during the course of a normal home inspection.

I do my inspection the way my software is set up for the report.

I inspect the exterior of the house. After the exterior is completed I inspect the interior in a clockwise direction.

After asking anyone who may be at the inspection if they are cold from the A/C running I take a couple pictures of my IR Thermometer aimed at two different registers which gives me a couple photos of my Thermometer with 50ish readings to put in the A/C section of the report, that way nobody can say after the inspection the A/C was not working that day.

Then I turn the Thermometer in the house to the heating mode if there are gas forced air furnace(s) and go into the attic where they are usually located here, look over the furnaces, burners, air handlers, drip pans under the unit(s), condensation drainage pipes, etc. and measure insulation, look at the roof framing, etc; and get my a$$ out of the hot Arizona attic ASAP-:))

Then of course I ask anyone who is there if they are hot from the furnace(s) operating, take pictures of my IR Thermometer aimed at least two registers showing the supply temperature "110+ degrees" to put in my report.

By this time the dishwasher has usually completed the rinse cycle, I take pictures of no leaks in the sink base cabinet, picture at the base of the dishwasher with no leaks present TODAY, and a picture of the inside of the appliance dripping wet but drained.

For some reason I get more people calling about Dishwashers than any other thing in a house, I disclaim the hell out of them and explain by AZ Law I am not even required to inspect them in the first place, so I am simply doing them a favor by running them through a rinse cycle to begin with...!!

Then I ask anyone at the end of the inspection if they have any concerns, go over my findings, leave the property and go to the next inspection, or to the office to do the report while everything is fresh in my head.

I don't take many notes, I only take pictures of things which need repair and I can remember why I took the pictures.

When I return back to do the report I put all the pictures in the report and type in the picture what the concern is, this way it makes the report idiot proof, then I add the comments throughout the report to finish it up.

Hope everyone is busy....its a rather slow market, but things will get better, hang in there...!!!

[John Adrian Sopher]

Hey Dale, how long does your inspection usually take?

[Dale M Duffy]

Hey Dale, how long does your inspection usually take?

Hi John,

I can inspect a 2000 sq ft. house with the usual issues found in Arizona in about an hour and a half, if there are people present during the inspection add another 30 minutes generally.

I use HomeGauge software, I love Dom's software but I have been using the other for so many years I can almost do a report with my eyes closed, I have not had time to practice using Dom's is the only reason I don't use it sometimes, but the report usually takes me an hour, I do not use "Inspector Speak", I type most of the report, I'm a fast typer so it faster for me to simply type than search for auto-comments.

There is nothing I hate more than seeing a report with "Inspector Speak" making the report look like a robot wrote it...simply terrible...I think the fact I do not use auto-comments very often gets me a LOT more inspections because the reports look like I am talking to the person who wanted the inspection, rather than a robot talking to them.

[John Adrian Sopher]

Good deal, I'm still new to inspections so things still take me longer.  I take tons of notes so I wont forget anything but I'm finding that if I take tons of pics I can remember almost everything else.  And when I need to look at my notes I have them.  I have a blank HIP report that I use for my notes.  That way I don't leave anything out.

[Dale M Duffy]

Good deal, I'm still new to inspections so things still take me longer.  I take tons of notes so I wont forget anything but I'm finding that if I take tons of pics I can remember almost everything else.  And when I need to look at my notes I have them.  I have a blank HIP report that I use for my notes.  That way I don't leave anything out.

That is what I did years ago John, print a blank report and add notes as needed, it worked very well.

[David Macy]

I create a diagram of the property when I first start performing the exterior inspection.

I note on the exterior diagram negative grading, cracks, utility's, location of subsurface drainage and any other related items.

I do exterior, roof, garage.

On the the inside I start with kitchen, interior, baths. Then the attic.

Laundry depending on what floor it is on.

Utilities are done as I go and I usually do furnace last. I crank up the heat when I go by the thermostat and turn it up high so people complain about how hot it is. I do the same for AC when the seasons allow.

I do basement last. I use my diagram I created on outside to mark any limited/covered areas. I can also use to pinpoint moisture from any item I found on exterior. It also makes it easier to find main panel.

I add the diagram I created to my HIP report.