report writing

[chicago]

Ha Ha

I

Rest my case.

[hausdok]

Hi,

Well, in the time it would take me to insert that picture and get the arrow, the circle and the text inserted into the photo, I could have typed:

Inoperative cooktop burner: The right front burner on the cooktop is inoperative and needs to be repaired. This cooktop is probably nearly as old as I am, which makes it well beyond the end of its originally expected service life. Electrical devices don't last forever; if one burner is inoperative, it's likely that before long there are liable to be others that don't work. I think the prudent thing to do is to replace the cooktop.

Why use a photo for obvious things that don't require a photograph to bring clarity to a statement in the narrative? It's a stove cooktop. How many of them could there be in a house? Even if there were two kitchens it's simple to add the words 'in the basement kitchen' to the comment. If there's an inoperative ceiling fixture in a room do you take a photo of the ceiling fixture and then caption it inoperative ceiling fixture? It seems to me like it's simpler to write:

Inoperative fixture: The ceiling fixture in the northeast bedroom doesn't work. I checked it; there's voltage flowing to it and the bulb is fine, so it obviously needs to be repaired or replaced.

A 4-word note on my pad and I'm moving onto the next thing. So far, with the exception of the slinky-style dryer duct, which most consumers don't seem to know about, you've shown me pictures of issues that the customer could easily have found without your assistance and where the photo would seem to be nothing but window dressing.

Sorry, but that's the way I see it.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[kurt]

Mike, you're blocking......open up, feel the flow, ommmmm, ommmm......

This is an agree to disagree moment, although I have to say, I never use photos for stuff like appliances.

It's an appliance; the right front burner doesn't work; fix it or get a new appliance. The mere fact you note the defect says you were looking, and you found something. Save the photos for real concerns.

Personally, I wouldn't even look @, or report on, appliances if I wasn't forced to by customer expectations and SOP's.

[Chris Bernhardt]

Mike, how do we upload a sample report for comment? How big a PDF file can we load? The best I can do is get one shrunk down to under 750K with all of the pics in it.

Chris, Oregon

[hausdok]

Originally posted by kurt

It's an appliance; the right front burner doesn't work; fix it or get a new appliance. The mere fact you note the defect says you were looking, and you found something. Save the photos for real concerns.

Exactly the point that I was failing so miserably to make.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[chicago]

Mike I understand what you are saying and it works for you.

There are different methods of acheiving the same goal.

If this forum consisted of us sending JPEG's all day it would never accomplish much.

Different clients have different needs.

In Chicago English is becoming the second language.I have no desire to delve that deeply into learning how to write in other (languages).

What some people need are lots of diagrams and pics.Even lawyers do not understand much of our insector speak.

A normal person could care less if I forget the period at end of sentance, so long as I convey the information they need to make a decision on a potential purchase

Notice this reply has no pics.

It is about venue and audience.Presentation is important or we would not even bother with report samples.

The people whom call me do so because they like what they saw.Same with you ,and everyone else on the board.

[chicago]

I need my bat.ROFLMAO

Photos take a long time to load and comment on.Spell check does not work on pics.

One thing you are not getting is that they are a suppliment inserted into a written report and not a substitute.

Now if I spent that much time dissecting every symbol it would never get done.

[hausdok]

Originally posted by Chicago

Mike I understand what you are saying and it works for you.

There are different methods of achieving the same goal. If this forum consisted of us sending JPEG's all day it would never accomplish much. Different clients have different needs. In Chicago English is becoming the second language.I have no desire to delve that deeply into learning how to write in other (languages). What some people need are lots of diagrams and pics.Even lawyers do not understand much of our inspector speak.

A normal person could care less if I forget the period at end of sentence, so long as I convey the information they need to make a decision on a potential purchase

Notice this reply has no pics.

It is about venue and audience.Presentation is important or we would not even bother with report samples.

The people whom call me do so because they like what they saw.Same with you ,and everyone else on the board.

Hi Bob,

After half a dozen of my tomes yesterday, did you really think I was going to come around? Remember, you did ask, and when I avoided answering because I didn't want folks to think I was intentionally trying to be mean, you goaded me into saying something.

Your's, Kurt's, and Chris's messages haven't been lost on me; I just happen to disagree. The explanation that there are a lot of folks who don't read English in your market doesn't hold water with me. I've already pointed out here that at least half of my clients are from overseas and speak other languages. When I lived in Germany and Korea, I didn't expect folks there to change their way of doing things just to accommodate me. I figured it out. The folks buying these homes have more complicated things than our reports to figure out; mortgages, insurance policies, interest rates, appraisals, etc., and, if I understood one of Kurt's posts correctly, you folks have lawyers that are intimately involved in the purchase transaction in your area, whereas lawyers are not involved in the transaction here unless the buyer goes out and pulls one into it. Last time I looked, lawyers had to know how to read, write, and comprehend English at better than a 6th grade level in this country.

We have a dummying down of America going on. I don't like it, and I don't care to contribute to it. I especially don't like the idea that folks in this thing I do are trying to dummy-down what we do with cute colors and pictures.

But, to coin one of Walter's phrases, maybe it's just me.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Les]

Mike, it isn't you. I have stayed away from this. I don't think I could convey my opinion via photos or written word.

I am not a word person.(ha ha) I like word people. I like to read. I use pictures when I can't use words. I am an expert at face to face explainations during an inspection. If I think my client does not understand or will not understand - I quit. I am not out to save this or any other world.

Drift - Most inspectors can't explain anything to another inspector. Now, if they respect each other, then they can really engage in a learning process.

[chicago]

I am Still here Les.

Someone needs to shake things up on occasion or it becomes like the Academy Awards.

(gee your great) (no your the best)kiss kiss.

[hausdok]

Originally posted by chicago

I am Still here Les.

Someone needs to shake things up on occasion or it becomes like the Academy Awards.

(gee your great) (no your the best)kiss kiss.

Hmmm,

Can't say that's ever been the pattern here. I can think of one message board where it's epidemic, though.

Not ragging on you; I've heard everything that you guys have said. We probably should move onto something else, before folks' feelings get hurt. There seem to be too many fragile egos in the home inspection business. [:-eyebrow

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Les]

nu ide lik u!

[chicago]

Before we end it which makes no difference as you guys make anyone tough as steel

Let me have a side bar in that your last comment reminds of something I read.

Did you Konw taht you cam mix ltetrs aynawy you lkie as lnog as you keep the frist and lsat the smae.Azamnig ins't it.

So much for worry about spelling.

[Michael Brown]

Originally posted by Chris Bernhardt

Mike, how do we upload a sample report for comment? How big a PDF file can we load? The best I can do is get one shrunk down to under 750K with all of the pics in it.

Chris, Oregon

Upload them to the file manager. There is a directory called Reports/Sample Reports. As long as they are under 5.0 MB they should upload fine. You could always link to one on your own site as well. I think there are only a few brave enough!

This an interesting yet touchy topic. [:-wiltel]

Here are a couple of our samples.

All three are the same report done in a different way.

With Linked Photo Page

With Inline Photos

With Wrapped Photos

All use colors (not a good idea if your printing $).

Footnotes are also used for things like GFCI explanations.

I can't claim I wrote the text... only formatted. Now this may take a long time to do manually but with good software it's very fast.

Michael Brown

DevWave Software Inc.

[Chris Bernhardt]

Ok, a sacrificial lamb has arrived. I finally got one of my recent reports uploaded to the file manager in the sample reports section.

Now you can beat me up.

Chris, Oregon

[Chris Bernhardt]

Oops, Mike can you delete that file. And I will replace it with one without the some information thats not suppose to be there.

Built the dam thing wrong, crap!

Chris, Oregon

[Michael Brown]

Originally posted by Chris Bernhardt

Oops, Mike can you delete that file. And I will replace it with one without the some information thats not suppose to be there.

Built the dam thing wrong, crap!

Chris, Oregon

Deleted, we have to approve the files before they become visible.

Just shoot me a PM or email when you have it up.

Any other brave souls out there?

Michael Brown

DevWave Software Inc.

[chicago]

Looking forward to it as I have just switched to a new report software and am undecided how it should look.

I was going to do everything on Open Office using impress slide programs to PDF in combination with Sparten Multi clip but the software guy made so many improvements that I went with the software.

Now lets have fun!

[Chris Bernhardt]

Ok, Mike. Thanks for deleting that.

I reuploaded the file.

I guess you guys can have at me when it appears.

Chris, Oregon

[Michael Brown]

Next Victim!

Chris Bernhardt Sample Report

[chicago]

779 kb say they load to a blank screen.

Ok, now its in.

[chicago]

Hi Chris ,I will leave critical comments on wordage to later as the wordsmiths will take care of that part.

Here is my list of defects.

1)Why all the exterior shots on the second page?

2)Table of contents belongs at the beginning and not page 13

3)I would like to see the pictures mixed in to the proper sections of the report so you do not need to scroll up and down.

4)your web site link does not work even though it is in blue indicating it is a link.

I do like your comments on the pics though.

I also relise that some software does not allow control of placement,which may be the case here I suspect.

This is the soft review.Have fun with the rest.lol

[allspec33351]

Your report is very confusing. You have picture numbers and item numbers and they don't match. They should be posted in a logical manner. Like start with number one and go from there. And item numbers should match picture numbers.

The body of the report is hard to read and understand.

I'll stop now.

Captain

[Michael Brown]

Originally posted by chicago

779 kb say they load to a blank screen.

Ok, now its in.

Bob,

Your file didn't go up?

Submit Reports Here

Load them to the file manager (under the sample reports category).

Michael Brown

DevWave Software Inc.

[Chris Bernhardt]

Table of contents belongs at the beginning and not page 13

The table of contents that you refer to just covers all the disclaimer crap I wish I could jettison.

Never really ever had a table of contents for the report. Seems silly. It's not a book. You don't use them either when you are writing engineering papers. All mine clients seem care about is the findings and the pics so thats why, Kapow, they're right after the cover page.

Explain to me why I should have a table of contents for such a small document? Do you think clients go looking for the TOC when then get the report? Do people read instructions before they start putting the christmas toys together?

Why all the exterior shots on the second page

Your right. it would be nice if the pics followed in order of the findings instead of the order I shot them in. It would be less confusing. I have thought about that but just haven't had the time to write a macro to put things in order. Jim K. gave high marks for PictureDrop. I have just not had the time to play with it.

Your report is very confusing. You have picture numbers and item numbers and they don't match. They should be posted in a logical manner. Like start with number one and go from there. And item numbers should match picture numbers.

The body of the report is hard to read and understand.

I need a way to reference from the findings to the pics and vice a versa. What do you suggest? Right now its goto pic 4 on page 5. And if you happened to start with the picture pages the caption kinda indicates the item in the finding section. Do you think instead of repeating pics 1 - 8 that I should number them 1 thru X so that the findings reference would say see pic 27 instead of pic 4 on page 5?

Also can you be more specific as to what body you refer to? Are you refering to the findings or the disclaimer section cause the disclaimer section is really just baggage. The heart of the report is the findings and the pics.

Chris, Oregon