PRACTICAL GUIDE
A useful inspection observation helps the reader locate the issue, understand what was observed and identify the next step. This guide provides a simple structure and practical examples for turning short site notes into clear report descriptions.
Illustrative interface. Any priority shown is an example, not a recommendation for the condition pictured. The inspector must assess each finding.
Location → observed condition → significance, when supported → recommended action.
Record only details established during the inspection. If the cause, extent or significance is uncertain, state that limitation and recommend an appropriate further check.
These examples illustrate wording, not findings to copy. Expanded details must have been observed or verified; do not add them merely to make a note sound more technical. Priorities require the inspector’s assessment, not automatic assignment.
Record visible evidence first and keep interpretation clearly separate. Ceiling staining describes a visible condition; it does not establish a leak, its source or whether moisture is active. State what was not established and recommend further investigation.
Use a small, fixed set of priority levels and apply them the same way every time. Clients lose confidence quickly when two similar findings carry different priorities without explanation.
On site, capture a short factual note while you are standing in front of the defect. Refining wording later — on your own or with optional AI assistance — is far quicker than trying to write final report prose in the field. The technical judgement, and the final wording, stay yours.
Dictate a note using your phone’s microphone, then review the transcribed text before continuing.
AI can help with wording. It should not add unverified causes, measurements, diagnoses or compliance claims. The inspector reviews and controls the final description.