• Welcome to the new and improved Building Code Forum. We appreciate you being here and hope that you are getting the information that you need concerning all codes of the building trades. This is a free forum to the public due to the generosity of the Sawhorses, Corporate Supporters and Supporters who have upgraded their accounts. If you would like to have improved access to the forum please upgrade to Sawhorse by first logging in then clicking here: Upgrades

inspection record/written correction notice

C

codeworks

Gold Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
579
Location
South Texas
what do you all use for inspection reports. we're using.... 2 sheets w/ carbon paper. i'm an inspector, not a policy maker, but there has to be a better way, more efficient, less"cumbersome"
 
Works for me, ours are fill in the top, where you are at , why

And than lines to write violations

Some do it on computer and either email to business or print it once back to office and mail or deliver

So what are the concerns with the paper form
 
For construction I use a two page NCR form, top copy stays on the job and the other for our file.

For existing buildings just a 'fieldsheet' which I use to complete a computer program report and invoice. (the fee is 1.5 cents per square foot)
 
carbon copy form here too...one stays on job site, one goes back to office until reinspection is scheduled. seems to work okay. we tried to do an automated excel/pdf form for our tough books, but that didn't work too well. in the vehicle printers we bought use that paper that fades in sunlight. that was a fail.

system works okay and most of us fill the top parts out before we leave the office in the morning, so not too much of a hassle. if we run out of room, we either use another form and write continued, or write a comment about how inspections are not to be used as a punch list and re-inspection fees will be assessed.
 
individual sheets with carbon paper just seems antiquated to me. an ncc form would be more efficient, imho. i don't know. just curious how the rest of the world does it.
 
Actual carbon paper IS antiquated.

The "carbon-less" NCR forms are what we use. It's a triplicate form with an office, job site, and inspector copy.

Any custom print shop should be able to set you up with what you need. If you want a PDF of what I have, send me a PM
 
Sorry did not see "carbon""

Do you actually use a piece of carbon between the sheets?????
 
We use carbonless forms here. Fill them in, some check boxes for type of inspeciton and "approved", "approved with conditions", "Partial approval", "denied", and "not performed".

I got one of our inspectors set up with a lap top and am working to develop a printable inspection report that we would have saved on the computer. One issue I am running in to is that I would like to have the inspection report as a form that direcly populates our permitting software. Our trouble is that in our jurisdiciton, we have a large portion (close to half the jurisdiction) that does not have cellular/wireless coverage, so trying to workaround that technical challenge.

I am trying to replace the handwritten forms though because some of the penmanship of the inspectors leaves a lot to be desired. Typing will encourage more details as well as legiblity.
 
2 sheet form , no carbon paper. I write a helluva lot faster than i can type and it is readable. beating down the techno monster with a big stick till retirement and then the new guy can go techie.
 
Typing will encourage more details as well as legiblity
Click to expand...
Or make them print

Carbonless form

Have laptops with portable printers but the printers do not work so well in the cold weather.

Always looking at other options.
 
Here, we are similar to what "mjesse" has stated above. Triplicate

copies of carbonless forms. Easier for everyone involved, ...the

contractors seem to be okay with this method (for now), and

the extra copies HAVE been very useful when trying to locate

the inspection report that has been temporarily misplaced. :)

.
 
codeworks said:
oh yeah! 1965 style
Click to expand...
Ouch!!! Thought we were In the dark aged by not using a iPad for inspections

Yes please come out of the 50's and go to at least carbon less inspection forms

Have you priced them???
 
We are fully automated. When I synch the computer in the morning it puts all of the inspections on a "to do" list. I have all of the inspection history including engineer's reports on the computer where I can look it up if necessary. We have blue tooth mini printers that print the inspection receipt as well as old inspection tickets. When I get back to the office I dock the computer and push the magic button and viola.... The computer dumps all of my inspection results and notes onto the permitting system/ permanent record. It is a pretty sweet set up but $$$.
 
The nice part is that I have the history. If I have a framing inspection today but the electric was turned down last week I can look at what it was turned down for. I may be able to clear that up while I am there and not have to go back tomorrow. I can also look and see what inspections are scheduled tomorrow. If another inspector has car trouble and needs help I can pull up his inspections on my computer including the history and go do them. We have county wireless at all libraries and fire stations so I can also go there and check email or add inspections or do my timecard. I believe it is a very valuable tool. The only problem we have is that the computers do not like the hot truck. You cannot leave them in there too long or they go jello.
 
Daddy-O, what software package are you using? I've got a 4-5 year plan to go automated, and have been looking for a good system.

mj
 
sound like the iworqs system. i heard about systems like that at the code enforcement school i attended on arlington a while ago.we were "going to get that system", then suddenly no budget. i'm only 1 yr into this gig, don't have much swaying power with the powers to be. just seems so out of date. a separate sheet for each trade, so if we're doing a "rough frame" (frame/m/e/p) i get 4 requests, it's insane. anyway, i appreciate all the input. we're using incode, which, i don't think is very user friendly, and often inconsistent. sometimes it will print corrections on a reinspect request, most times it wont, so you have to go in and look up corrections, and ask program to print them ( so theres another piece of paper to add to the clipboard)
 
Our software was developed by a company in Denver I think. It was not a store bought product. Computronix is the developer. After that it goes over my head pretty quick..
 
We use inspectrack software and print out on wireless printer.

We also send results from the field direct to mainframe via wireless internet connection.
 
As a contractor,

1.I want my inspection form to be relevant to my trade.

2. I want code references if there is a question

3. I want a readable form

4. If the electronic form is up to date, I, and my customer, should be able to access that file from my computer. there should be a way to track anyone who views the file.

As to the budget problem. Contact some of the better contractors, explain the benefit of the software to all concerned, inspectors, contractors and the property owner. The customer is the one who pays the bill, not the b/o, not the contractor. Figure the cost/benefit ratio. Figure the cost per job of the new tools. Will the new tool increase productivity? Will the new tool decrease the cost of inspection, not just the dollar cost, but the time on the job. How many jobs will it take to pay for the new tool? At least that is what I do when I think a new tool will increase my productivity and profit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top