All home inspection software and the inspection reports they create are unique, and all have their strengths and weaknesses. There is high-end (often meaning over priced) software packed with bells and whistles that you'll never actually use but will be charged extra for anyway (not us), right on down to the lower-end, lower priced software that is quite often nothing more than a computerized checklist (also not us) and not worth whatever you're asked to spend for it. There is software that is well-designed by home inspectors with the home inspector in mind (that's us), and there is poorly designed software that was created by programmers who have never performed an inspection before in their lives.

If this is the first time you've gone shopping on the internet for home inspection software, hopefully you've been fortunate enough to arrive here before having thrown your money away on expensive software. If this is the case, this is where we'd like to help you understand the difference between InspectMaster — which is moderately priced, well designed inspection software with all the tools and features you need to get the job done quickly and efficiently — and all the other stuff out there.

Ease of Use

As with all software, the most important thing you need to consider is ease-of-use. That is, how easy is the software to use when you are actually out there 'in the field' trying to create an inspection report that will be well received by your clients and their agents? Do you have to jump around the screen, opening and closing windows all the time? Does the program not even allow you to use the entire screen? If so, this is poorly designed software and a waste of your precious, often limited, time. And we all know time is more valuable than money.

You need to be on the lookout for features that make the inspection and reporting process easier (less typing falls under this category). Features like drop-down text boxes will greatly reduce the amount of time you spend typing.

Another important consideration is the learning curve. Some programs (especially some of the 'high-end' ones) can take months to figure out, but they never get any easier. Not InspectMaster.

How easy is the software to use if you are using a laptop with a touchscreen? How easy is the print to read in bright sunlight or on a small screen, like those you find on a UMPC (ultra-mobile PC)? Can you increase the font size on the computer screen? By the way, as a side note, we don't think you should waste your time with programs that run on those little pocket PC's and a watered-down version of Windows. They are notoriously problematic and the technology is obsolete. If you are a Windows user and are in the market for handheld hardware, we recommend that you look closely as UMPC's.

Flexibility

Each inspector has his or her own ideas on what an inspection report should look like. You may want to create a very detailed report with lengthy narratives that includes a lot of photos and documents. Or you may prefer to keep the verbiage at a minimum and the report short and sweet so the agents keep using you. Either way, a flexible inspection program like InspectMaster will allow you to create the type of narrative library and report that you want.

InspectMaster allows you to create unlimited narratives, adjust font sizes (both on the screen and in the report), insert images, and to create other documents that you may want to include, such as an Inspection Agreement or a Standards of Practice. And so much more.

At some point down the road, you may decide that you want to try your hand at commercial inspections, so InspectMaster has made it so that you can produce inspection reports for both residential and commercial inspections without having to buy more software. Some companies require that you purchase additional forms or 'plug-in's' from third-party vendors, or charge extra for a separate commercial program. Certainly something to keep in mind when shopping around and making comparisons.

Price and Compare

If you'd like to know how other inspection software compares with InspectMaster, we encourage you to download the demo's provided by the other home inspection software companies, and then check for yourself to see which ones are the easiest to use and provide you with the features that you need. However, after all is said and done, we're confident that after you have test-driven these other programs you will quickly discover that InspectMaster meets or surpasses all of your inspection reporting software needs, and that it will offer you the most bang for your buck.

Hoping to see you as a happy and satisfied customer very soon,

Martin Hewitt
InspectMaster LLC
martin@inspectmaster.com
www.inspectmaster.com