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InspectAPedia ® Home HOME & BUILDING INSPECTORS & INSPECTION METHODS AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ALUMINUM WIRING HAZARDS & REPAIRS ANIMAL ENTRY POINTS in buildings ANIMAL ODORS IN buildings ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING COMPONENT ID ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN buildings ASHI American Society of Home Inspectors ASHI Certification of Home Inspectors ATTORNEYS and EXPERT WITNESSES ATTIC LEAKS, CONDENSATION & MOLD ATTIC VENTILATION BASEMENT CEILING VAPOR BARRIER BASEMENT HEAT LOSS BUILDING DAMAGE ASSESSMENT & REPAIR BUILDING SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE BUILDING SETTLEMENT CARPENTER ANTS CARPENTER BEES CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR CHINESE DRYWALL HAZARDS CRAWL SPACES CRAWL SPACE ACCESS CRAWL SPACE SAFETY ADVICE DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION DECK COLLAPSE Case Study DECK FINISHES COATINGS PRESERVATIVES DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study DEFECT CLUSTERS at HOME INSPECTIONS DIRECTORY of BUILDING INSPECTORS DISASTER BUILDING INSPECTION & REPAIR DRINKING WATER EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS EIFS & STUCCO EXTERIORS ELECTRICAL INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR Electrical Inspection Safety ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS - INSPECT, TEST, REMEDY Fiberglass hazards in buildings FIRE CLEARANCES, Single-Wall Metal Flues FIREPLACES & HEARTHS FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FLOODS IN buildings-priorities FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE FPE Stab-Lok HAZARDS & REPAIRS WEBSITE GAS PIPING, VALVES, CONTROLS GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS GLUES ADHESIVES, EXTERIOR CONSTRUCTION HEATING SYSTEMS HOME & BUILDING INSPECTORS & INSPECTION METHODS BUILDING INSPECTORS DIRECTORY Advice on Becoming a Home Inspector Checklists vs Narrative Reports Historic Homes, Home Improvement Costs, Research HOME INSPECTOR EDUCATION Home Inspector, How to Become a Home Inspector Skills, Reports Home Inspection Company Franchises Home Inspection Components Master List Home Inspection Definitions & Terms Home Inspection Ethical Codes Home Inspection, How to Get The Most Benefit From Home Inspection Publications Home Inspection Report Writing Guide HOME INSPECTION SAFETY HAZARDS HOME INSPECTION STANDARDS HOUSE DOCTOR, how-to be How Much Should You Pay For Professional Services? INSPECTION COMPONENTS MASTER LIST MOBILE HOME INSPECTION GUIDE VISUAL PERCEPTION ERRORS HOT WATER HEATERS HOUSE PARTS, DEFINITIONS INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE ICE DAM PREVENTION INSECT INFESTATION / DAMAGE INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION LEED Building Designation & IAQ LIGHT, GUIDE to FORENSIC USE LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEMS LOG HOME GUIDE MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC MOBILE HOME INSPECTION GUIDE MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS MOISTURE METER STUDY MOLD in buildings MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE MOLD RELATED ILLNESS GUIDE MOLD SAFETY WARNINGS MOLD SPRAYS, SEALANTS, PAINTS MOLD STANDARDS MOLD TESTING SERVICES MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets MVOCs & MOLDY MUSTY ODORS Nanomaterials Hazards NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE OIL TANK PIPING & PIPING DEFECTS OIL TANKS INSPECT LEAK TEST ABANDON REGS PAINT ANALYSIS, DIAGNOSTIC USES PAINT & STAIN GUIDE, EXTERIOR PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION PIPING IN buildings, Clogs Leaks Types PLASTER & BEAVERBOARD & DRYWALL PLASTER BULGES & PILLOWS PLASTER LATH, METAL PLASTER, LOOSE FALL HAZARDS PLASTER TYPE IDENTIFICATION PLUMBING SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR RAILINGS, DECK & PORCH RAILINGS, STAIRWAY Reports: Checklists vs Narrative RETAINING WALL DESIGNS, TYPES, DAMAGE ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR ROOF VENTILATION SPECIFICATIONS ROT RESISTANT LUMBER ROT, TIMBER FRAME ROT, TIMBER ASSESSMENT SAFETY HAZARDS & INSPECTIONS SAFETY: Elderly & Veterans Home Safety SAFETY for ELECTRICAL INSPECTORS SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE Safety for Septic Inspectors Sears Catalog kit homes - how to identify Septic System Safety Hazards SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR SIDING TYPES, INSTALLATION, DEFECTS SIDING, ALUMINUM SIDING, ASBESTOS FIBER CEMENT SIDING ASPHALT ROOF SHINGLES on WALLS SIDING ASPHALT SHINGLE or SHEET SIDING DAMAGE by SPLASHBACK SIDING EIFS & STUCCO SIDING, FIBER CEMENT SIDING HARDBOARD SIDING STEEL SIDING VINYL SIDING, WOOD PRODUCT CHOICES SIDING, WOOD INSTALLATION SIDING WOOD, FAILURES OVER FOAM BOARD SIDING WOOD, FLASHING DETAILS SIDING WOOD SHINGLE INSTALLATION SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS SLAB CRACK EVALUATION Splits in Structural Wood Beams SQUARE-D RECALLS STAIN & BIODETERIORATION AGENT CATALOG STAINS on & in BUILDINGS, CAUSES & CURES STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS STAIN DIAGNOSIS on ROOFS STAIN DIAGNOSIS on STONE STAINS on INDOOR SURFACES: PHOTO GUIDE STANDARDS, HOME INSPECTION STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS STAIR FALL & TRIP HAZARDS STONE CLEANING METHODS STRESS SKIN INSULATED PANELS STRUCTURAL DAMAGE PROBING TANK TYPES: WATER, OIL, EXPANSION, ALL THERMAL TRACKING Indicates Heat Loss VAPOR BARRIERS & HOUSEWRAP VAPOR CONDENSATION & BUILDING SHEATHING VENTILATION in BUILDINGS VISUAL PERCEPTION ERRORS WALL CONSTRUCTION BARRIER vs CAVITY WATER ENTRY in buildings WATER HEATERS WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE WATER PRESSURE & FLOW MEASUREMENT WATER PUMPS, TANKS, TESTS, WELLS, REPAIRS WATER PUMP REPAIR GUIDE WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS WATER TEST CHOICES & WATER TEST FEES WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT WATER TESTING ADVICE WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS WELL CLEARANCES WELL CHLORINATION SHOCKING PROCEDURE WINDOWS & DOORS Wood Burning Boilers, Furnaces Fireplaces Stoves WOOD ROOF INSPECTION GUIDE ZINSCO / SYLVANIA HAZARDS    More Information |
ASHI data indicates that one of the most common sources of dispute and subsequent litigation is the "skimpy" un annotated "checklist" report, particularly when used by inexperienced inspectors. But wait: some checklist reports are quite effective. Further, some narrative reports are ineffective, particularly if their length is consumed with disclaimer and obfuscation at the expense of content. This article, which defends checklist reports, would suggest that a properly annotated and detailed report might be effective in checklist form, that such a report might be easier to read and thus might communicate better than a narrative, and that both forms have strengths and weaknesses. Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman. Rick Grant Over the years, there has been controversy as to what is the best type of home inspection report: narrative or checklist. Certainly each well-seasoned professional inspector has his or her opinion on the subject. Each type of report has its strengths. Each also has its weaknesses. When you say "checklist" most inspectors think of a bland, watered down style of report which, above all, lacks detail. If you consider the idea that inspection reports should be both accurate and concise, a conflict develops for the inspector. The inspector's client should be fully informed of the condition of the property in an effective manner and in easily understood terms. If the client's attention is lost through an endless series of pages or with foreign terms, the inspector falls short of the goal of efficient and effective report writing. On the other hand, not providing enough detail leaves the client with a lack of adequate information and simultaneously exposes the inspector to potential litigation. Finding the "middle of the road" often takes years of experience in report writing, unless you have the benefit of using one of the well designed reports available on the market today and unless you know how to use such a report properly. Let's review some of the facets of both the narrative and the checklist reports: Comments on Narrative Home Inspection ReportsThe narrative report requires more words to communicate both good and bad parts of the property. The reason more words are needed is due to the phraseology required to complete full sentences in order to make the reading material flow in a professional manner. (The whole sentence needs to be read to fully understand the condition.) Obviously more words means longer reports. Longer reports promotes a drop in concentration on the client's part. In addition to this, the narrative style makes it harder for the reader to scan the report to get a "feel" for the property and it's condition. Comments on Checklist type Home Inspection ReportsAlthough inspection reports have come a long way in recent years, many checklist reports are still too brief in the description of the items, components and materials of a property and their condition. Many times they also don't describe the gray areas of inspection conditions. The gray areas are those conditions which are not black or white or cut and dry and therefore need more extensive and detailed description. This can present the inspector with a dilemma. If standard phraseology can be used to describe a property's defects (and good conditions as well), without the inspector writing every single word, then we would accomplish our task: a short, efficient, easily read and yet meticulous report. It seems to me that the best reports combine the narrative and the checklist together to create the "best of both worlds". If a checklist report permits both succinct problem identification and sufficient description of what the problem means to the buyer, then it can be very effective. For example: Roof:Curling / buckling / broken / missing shingles Shingles are worn and will need replacing soon Low spots in the roofing - brace / replace roof Gutters & Downspouts:Missing sections need replacing Bent / Damaged sections need repairs Downspout extensions should be added as we discussed
In this example, words with slashes between them allow the inspector to circle the proper choice, followed by checking the box to complete the statement of condition. ConclusionThe next time someone says "checklist" report, don't automatically assume it's not effective and efficient due to a lack of detail and when you hear the term narrative report, don't assume it can't be less than 30 pages to be accurate and to the point. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)... Ask a Question or Search InspectApediaUse the search box below to ask a question or to search the InspectApedia.com website. Ask a Question or Enter Search Terms in the InspectApedia search box just below. Technical Reviewers & ReferencesRelated Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
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Narrative vs Annotated-Checklist Home Inspection Reports
Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd.,
The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes