Report Writing and Communications for Home Inspectors

November 23, 2019

Report Writing and Communication for Home Inspectors          

Instructor: Terry Carson RHI, CET, BSSO

Date: November 23, 2019 

Time: 8 AM to 5 PM

Location: New OAHI Training Center, 3901 Hyw 7, Suite 100 Vaughan, ON L4L 8L5

CEUs: 8

Report writing is probably the most challenging part of the home inspector’s job. Use the wrong words and arrows will be launched in your direction. This workshop will help you summarize, prioritize and simplify your report findings and recommendations to better address your client’s questions and concerns. Participants are expected to have basic technical fluency in home inspection issues and basic writing proficiency in English. The focus will be on practicing delivery of verbal and written comments for common home inspection situations, as well as examining changing home inspection reporting requirements.

Learning Objective

 After completing this one day interactive workshop program, participants will be better able to report common deficiencies clearly, concisely and accurately to assist the client’s decision making and to reduce the home inspector’s liability exposure. 

Performance Gaps of home inspectors that are addressed by this program:

 Not communicating essential information for client’s decision making;

1. Not able to write independently of the reporting system;
2. Not able to summarize, prioritize and simplify findings and recommendations;
3. Written communication does not mirror verbal communication;
4. Ambiguous descriptions, recommendations and soft pedaling;
5. Recommendations are not understood by the client and other stakeholders;
6. Incorrect terminology for descriptions, deficiencies, and recommendations;
7. Not anticipating what can go wrong, and how contractors or clients will react;
8. Prioritizing standards of practice reporting requirements, rather than client’s needs;
9. Misuse of photos, measurements, codes, technical details and boiler plate text; and
10. Creating unnecessary liability exposure by inappropriate reporting.

Content

1. Assessing the client’s information needs in a conditional offer, pre-offer, pre-list and new home inspection.
2. Standard of Care, National Occupational Standards and Standards of Practice reporting requirements, including the CSA A770.
3. What does the client, real estate agent, judge and OAHI report verifier expect.
4. Why communication misunderstandings happen in a home inspection. Lessons from court decisions.
5. How to summarize, speak and write in sound bites (20 words or less)
6. The power of words- which ones to use and avoid.
7. How to effectively use various report components including: check list, narrative, boilerplate text, photos, and technical standards /other references.
8. Administration issues: report transmission, retention, photos and notes.
9. Answering the client’s difficult and beyond scope questions.
10. Specific report communication challenges illustrated by cases and photos.

Oct 2016 V2.1

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