Home inspection report is a deliverable product, or outcome, of examining process, what the client is actually buying. Inspection report must make a meaningful difference, must make the process worthwhile. This will help the client make a decision about completing the transaction, about the so-called fix-out defect, about adjusting the sales price. The report should also be informative and, in the long run, serve as a guide for the property. This article discusses how an inspection report to build a reputation, what format would look like, and how it should be regulated.

Obtain a sample inspection report from each inspector under consideration. Comparing their reports is the best way to differentiate among them. Some inspectors issue nothing more than a glorified checklist without accompanying narrative or photographs. This fails to provide adequate perspective, to place defects within the context of a bigger picture or to show how they may interact. There are inspectors who provide a printed report on-site. They may have done a complete inspection, but their report likely reflects insufficient detail and personalization. Go with someone who, after the home inspection, takes time to think about and research issues, if necessary, before producing a comprehensive report with clear explanations, photographic evidence, supporting documentation, and references for finding more information. Don’t neglect to look at sample reports before hiring.

Take a look at the report format. See if there is a summary highlighting major concerns as well as a body with complete documentation. Each item should present a finding, an implication, and a recommendation. In other words, the item should identify a specific defect, explain what it means or what it could cause, and recommend one or more actions to fix it. By providing such a clear snapshot of the house condition at the time of inspection, this format enables the client to plan how to proceed. It also makes it easy for him to refer to the baseline assessment as conditions change and defects are corrected.

Also check out how the inspection report is organized. The clearer and more readily searchable for content it is, the more useful it will be as a long-term homeowner guide. Evaluate how easy it is to scan for kinds of defects, location, or system. Has the information been grouped into sections? Is there a legend of symbols or graphical icons used to represent level of concern? For instance, my reports show different icons to symbolize each of the following determinations: safety, major defect, repair-and-replace, repair-and-maintain, minor defect or safety, maintain, evaluate, monitor, serviceable, comment, infestation, insect damage, and conducive conditions.

By scrutinizing sample reports for style, format, and organization, you should be able to identify a home inspector who cares about customer service and providing deliverables that truly make a difference.