Home inspectors are licensed and trained individuals who are responsible for inspecting the structural soundness of houses. These houses include new constructions, homes that are a potential concern for their inhabitants, and homes that are for sale. Inspectors are responsible for learning and enforcing building codes and zoning laws, as well as creating and printing reports on each property. To complete this job more easily and effectively, inspectors often rely on home inspector software.
Home inspector software allows professionals in the field to better gauge a home's safety and livability. Generally, the inspector enters all information into the home inspector software, and receives verification through the computer on a home's areas that need to be repaired or altered. In most cases, the software can be customized with local codes and laws.
Another convenient reason for using home inspector software is that it makes printing hard copy reports much easier to do. Before the creation of this technology, inspectors were forced to enter all information into a computer manually. With most home inspector software programs, inspectors can streamline the process using predesigned templates.
Although software packages differ, most of them on the market contain some basic elements inspectors can use to grade a property. These include house inspection checklists and form templates used for printing out reports. Many software systems also offer clickable icons next to each category which allow the inspector to make notes on key areas that need improvements.
The use of home inspector software helps reduce the amount of paperwork that inspectors and homeowners have to deal with. Formerly, hard copy checklists and notes were made, followed by the printing of a report. Since this specialized software does not require hard copy lists and tables, only the house report needs to be printed. In some cases, a home's report may only need to be emailed at the request of the home owner. This makes the life of the inspector easier to manage, since each home report can be stored in special computer files for safe keeping instead of in physical folders.
Prices for home inspector software vary. Some basic versions may only include a checklist and a single report template with little customization available. These can run from a few hundred US Dollars (USD) and up. More advanced software will generally have a much higher price tag at $500 USD. The extra up front costs may be worth it, though, due to the vast amount of time and energy that will be saved by not having to do things manually. Having more time allows home inspectors to inspect more houses and increase their incomes.