Quick Start Guide

Quickly learn the basics of Home Inspection Fast and how intuitively the app is designed to function.

Create an inspection:

  • Select Create New Inspection Report from the home screen.
  • Create an Inspection Name.
  • Create an Inspection Number.
  • Enter the property address.
  • Select the desired checklist.
  • The first time you use the app, you will be asked to allow the app to use your camera and photos. Once permission to access your camera and photos is granted, this prompt will not appear again.

Customize the section/room/system list based on the home being inspected:

  • Open the inspection you would like to add the section to by touching the inspection name.
  • Select Edit in the upper right corner.
  • Toggle between Active or Inactive for any section/room/system you’d like to add or delete from the inspection.
  • Copy any section/room/system to duplicate and modify. Adjust the names or rename any section/room/system as desired.
  • Select Active, and the renamed section/room/system will populate in your report.
  • Adjust the order of the sections by dragging a section when touching the bars to the right of the section/room/system name.

Identify a defect:

  • Select the applicable Section/Room/System from the main screen. For example: While inspecting the windows in the Living Room, you discover that a counterbalance mechanism is not working properly on one of the windows. Select Living Room.
  • Select the appropriate component. A list of defects typical for the component will appear. Example: Select Windows.
  • Select the appropriate defect. Pre-populated defects are alphabetized.  Once a defect is selected, the Satisfactory box will automatically uncheck. Example: Select Counterbalance mechanism(s) damaged/not working properly.
  • Select either the singular or plural comment, as applicable. Example: Is this condition applicable to one window or multiple windows?  A comment for a window (singular) and a comment for windows (plural) will be displayed.
  • The selected comment will display in blue text with a check mark. To use this comment, touch Select on the top right. To cancel without using the comment, touch Cancel.
  • The app will ask you if you’d like to take a photo. Select Yes or No.
  • Select the source of the photo, either new (from camera) or existing (from camera roll).
  • Take or select the photo for use. A caption for the photo using the location of the photo will generate automatically, without typing. The caption can be modified by touching the photo, if desired.  Example: “There is a window with a damaged/detached counterbalance mechanism in the Living Room” is the photo caption that will automatically display for this defect. The name of the section/room/system will vary depending on location of the defect without typing.
  • Add photo markups if desired, by touching the photo.
  • A photo can be added for each defect, and when a comment is selected, the caption for the photo will auto-generate.
  • To add multiple photos for a particular defect, after taking the first photo, unselect the defect, then select again for another photo prompt. Each photo will display an auto-generated caption. An update, coming soon, will allow the user to take multiple photos without unselecting the defect box and reselecting it.
  • Photos can be reordered as needed by selecting Reorder Photos in the Photo section of any room, component, or system.
  • A “base” photo or video of the room, component, or system can be added by touching either the camera or video icon in the menu bar for each section. This feature can be used for pictures of electrical service entries, water heaters, etc.  The room, section, or component name will auto-populate as the photo caption.
    • Note: in order to auto-generate a full caption for photos of water heaters, main and sub electrical panel board enclosures, etc., name the location prior to taking the picture. Example: For Electric Water Heater in the Garage to auto-generate as a photo’s caption, select plumbing from the main inspection screen and electric water heater (located as the second sub-section at the bottom of the screen).  If not all sub-sections are showing on a small screen, such as a mini-tablet or phone, turn the orientation of the device to reveal additional sub-sections.  Select Edit in the menu bar while on the screen for the Electric Water Heater sub-section.  Type the location of the water heater to complete the caption before taking a photo.  This action also allows comments related to this component to state the location of the component/system when comments are auto-generated.
  • Most common defects are pre-populated. Additional defects can be added upon request from users.  Requests to add defects for specific rooms, components, or systems can be submitted to homeinspectionfastapp@gmail.com.  The pre-populated defect lists and the comment library will grow over time based on user requests.  Please note that not all suggestions may be added to the master checklist.  Any comment desired by a user can be added to a privately used checklist.

Identify multiple defects within a component or system in one comment:

  • Select the applicable Section/Room/System from the main screen. For example: While inspecting a crawlspace, you observe broken joists, insulation hanging down, and missing/deteriorated vapor barrier. Select Crawlspace. 
  • Select Status/Recommendation. Not all the sections have a status/recommendation, but sections like crawlspace, attic, and various HVAC sections do.
  • Select Multiple defects are present. This selection will generate a comment that allows for multiple defects without typing each defect.  Example: The Crawlspace and associated components have the following conditions, including, but not limited to:
  • When selecting comments for the relevant defects, select the comments that appear to be sentence fragments (mini-comments) rather than complete sentences. Example: there is a broken floor joist.
  • Take defect photo and repeat as necessary for all applicable defects, selecting additional mini-comments.
  • When all defects and mini-comments have been selected, return to the Status/Recommendation drop-down menu.
  • Select the appropriate contractor for evaluation and repair.
  • Review the auto-generated comment and revise if necessary.

Rooms Without Defects:

While not essential to include rooms without defects, providing a base photo of each room provides a report that demonstrates each room was inspected and no room was overlooked.  Further, it provides information to the client about the components in the room, such as ceiling fan(s), door(s), and window(s).  It is recommended that all rooms/areas in a home are represented in the report.

Add, change, or delete checkboxes and change the functions of the checkbox:

  • Select the desired room, component or section.
  • Expand the desired drop-down menu by touching the arrow to the left of each menu name.
  • Select Edit at the top right of the screen.
  • Edit the text within any checkbox as desired.
  • Touch the red circle with line for additional checkbox editing options:
    • Remove highlight.
  • Change type by selecting from checkbox, text field, text area, or comment.
      • Determine whether the checkbox will ask if you want to use a photo.
      • Determine if the checkbox is informational only and does not “uncheck” the satisfactory checkbox.
  • Select Done in the upper right corner when finished.

Copy or Delete a sub-section of a room, component, or system:

  • Select the desired room, component or section with the sub-section you want to delete.
  • Touch and hold the name of the sub-section you want to copy or delete.
  • You will be asked to confirm your desired action if deleting a sub-section.
  • After deleting a sub-section, a black bar will appear to allow you to un-do the deletion. This bar will disappear after 5 seconds.  If you select un-do, the sub-section will be restored.  Once the black bar disappears, the section has been deleted.

Re-order sub-sections:

  • From a section that contains sub-sections, touch the three bars on the lower right screen.
  • Re-order sub-sections by dragging the sub-section name while touching the three bars to the right of the sub-section name.

Set up business name, inspector information, and company logo:

  • Add name of business, address, email, phone number, and company logo in the Company Information section from the Administration tab on the main menu.
  • Add name of inspector, address, email, phone number, and inspector signature in the Inspector Information section from the Administration tab on the main menu. 

Add a street view photo of the property inspected for the cover page of the report:

  • Select the desired inspection.
  • Select Inspection Details at the top of the page.
  • Select the photo icon.
  • Take a new photo or choose an existing photo when prompted.

Add client and agent information:

  • Select the desired inspection.
  • Select Inspection Details at the top of the page.
  • Select client or agent.

Add or change the summary or overview:

  • To modify for all inspections, select Administration from the main menu.
  • To modify for one inspection only, select the desired inspection and select summary or overview, as desired.

Sync a Report to the cloud/and create a report:

  • Reports can be completed on Apple or Android devices. Reports can be completed via Mac or PC via the web-based platform.
  • Connect to Wi-Fi to generate a large report, a report with lots of photos, or to send a report to another device. Wi-Fi connection is recommended to sync an inspection and generate a report, but it is not always required.  If Wi-Fi is not available, wireless internet through a cell phone service provider may be used to sync and create a report.
  • Sync the inspection report for the property inspected. This saves the report to the cloud, protecting it in case of an unrelated problem with a particular device.  Syncing prior to leaving an inspection site is highly recommended.
    • To sync, go to Existing Inspections.
    • Next to the inspection you want to sync, touch the cloud icon immediately underneath the menu bar on the right.
    • The app will display the last time the inspection was synced to the cloud.
    • Touch Sync Now. Allow the app to send information to the cloud (this will take a few seconds).
  • When finished syncing, touch the inspection name to open it.
  • Select the square icon with a pencil inside it.
  • Generate the document desired by selecting from the following:
    • Inspection Report
    • Pre-Inspection Agreement
    • Invoice
    • View Summary
  • Select Done.
  • Select or unselect any additional documents you want included in the report.
  • Read the warning to make sure you have synced your inspection since the last change to the inspection was made. You can either go back (if you need to sync) or create report (if already synced since last change).
  • Report generation generally takes several seconds. Report generation can take longer for extremely large files or when a Wi-Fi or cell phone (wireless data) signal is weak or slow.
  • Once created, the report can be emailed via a link or viewed.

Access a Report Completed on Another Device

  • Ensure the report has been synced to the server.
  • Log in to the app on another device.
  • Sync the inspection from the cloud on the new device by using the circular arrow icon located to the far right of the appropriate inspection you would like to fetch from the server.
  • Once the report is pulled down from the server, you can access and edit the report from the new device.
  • Once changes are made to a report on the new device, it must be synced back to the server to create an updated version of the report.

Retrieve Inspection, Client, and Agent Information from the Inspection Support Network (ISN):

  • On the home screen, select settings.
  • Select Setup ISN.
  • Select continue if you are already a user of the Inspection Support Network.
  • Look up your ISN domain (the ISN help desk can assist) to enter.
  • Enter your ISN Company Key, ISN Username, and ISN password.
  • Once you have created at least one test inspection on the device, you can pull any existing new inspections for that day from the ISN.
  • In existing inspections, there is an ISN icon on the upper right portion of the screen.
  • Touch this icon, and the app will ask if you want to pull down upcoming inspections from the cloud.
  • Select Yes, and if any inspections have been scheduled for that day, they will auto-load onto the device.
  • After the new inspections download from the ISN, select the desired inspection.
  • Touch the circle/arrow icon (located on the upper left portion of the screen) to use the current Master Checklist. NOTE: If you fail to select the master checklist, the inspection will be blank except for the base inspection details, overview, and summary sections.
  • Once the script for the inspection is changed to the Master Checklist, you can complete the inspection.

Home Inspection Fast strives to be technically correct while producing reports that use language that is appropriate for, and familiar to, the intended audience.

  • This philosophy avoids jargon and uses more common verbiage, familiar to most people who speak English. Example: Electrical receptacles are called electrical outlets in pre-populated checkboxes and comments.

Home Inspection Fast’s summary page includes:

  • Summary – an overview statement and a recommendation to review the entire report. This overview is required by the Standards of Practice for some states.
  • Further Evaluation Items – items that require a more invasive or comprehensive evaluation by a specialist to fully determine the scope of a problem and the recommended course of action.
  • Components/Systems Not Operating or Requiring Service – items that are not operating as designed, such as a window counterbalance, or a leaking faucet.
  • Safety Concerns – defects that could potentially be a risk to health or safety, such as no carbon monoxide detector in the home, improperly spaced or missing balusters or railings, etc.
  • Items to Monitor – includes base statements regarding moisture stains, areas of noticeable repair, and cracks. By calling attention to problems that may worsen over time, liability is limited. You can also put other monitor items in this area of the report.
  • Limited Access Areas and Items Not Evaluated – all items that were not fully visible, able to be tested, inaccessible, etc. are listed here. Tip: Being specific provides credibility and reduces liability.  For example, the electrical outlets in the garage were not tested due to stored household goods.
  • The Summary Page(s) is not a restatement of the entire report and is not automatically generated, allowing maximum control and selectivity for inspectors to craft a summary page for their particular client.

Partially visible/not visible checkboxes:

  • These checkboxes are contained in numerous sections and sub-sections to limit liability for rooms/systems/components that could not be fully seen. If an item, component, or system was not fully evaluated, not visible, only partially visible, or not tested, there may be defects present that were not identified.

Components/Systems Visible on the Exterior:

  • To limit scrolling, this section was divided into two sections. The first Components/Systems Visible on the Exterior section contains:
    • Foundation Walls (crawlspace home) Tip: Delete this sub-section if home is a slab. Rename the section if home is on a basement.
    • Concrete Slab and Foundation Walls. This sub-section is applicable for either slab-on-grade or floating/raised slab with foundation walls. Tip: Delete this sub-section if home is on a crawlspace or basement.
    • Wall Structure on Exterior.
    • Wall Cladding/Trim/Soffit-Eaves/Fascia-Rake. These components are grouped to allow for easier auto-generation of comments when defects are present in many or all of these related components.
    • Flashing on Exterior.
    • Caulking on Exterior.
    • Exterior Windows & Doors. Tip: While operation of the windows is tested from the interior, wood deterioration on the exterior is reported in this section.
    • Exterior Vents. This includes all exterior vents except the laundry room dryer vent.
    • Exterior Electrical. This section includes exterior outlets, switches, ceiling fans, and lighting.
  • The second Components/Systems Visible on the Exterior section contains:
    • Grading/Landscaping.
    • Service Walks.
    • Stoop(s).
    • Patio(s).
    • Front Porch.
    • Rear Porch.
    • Hose Faucet(s).
    • Retaining Wall(s).

Numbering Reports with Unique Identifiers:

  • While many inspectors develop a system that works for them, one possible means of numbering is to create a code to avoid creating sequential numbering, as that can make it difficult to “find” reports. Example: 22-07-22-09-4 is comprised of the following…
    • Two digit year
    • Two digit month
    • Two digit day
    • Time of the inspection
    • Inspector Number or Initials (applicable for multi-inspector firms)