Technology

Sure there we are number one for many reasons, the experience level, our customer service, our list of services, but there is more to Welch Engineering than just experience and friendly service, here at Welch Engineering we have the technology, best in the market, and our technology gives us just one more edge in our lead in front of all the competition!

Home Inspections with Automation

Early in 2004, Welch Engineering, LLC made the transition from paper work inspections to a high-tech, cutting edge, data collection/entry system with a portable, inferred linked, color printing system. Here is how the process went.

Selection Criteria

During the “systems” evaluation period, the following “wish list” was used:

• Totally portable system
• Cutting edge technology
• Windows operating system
• Hand held computer that did not require a laptop or desktop
• A reporting system that was complete at the end of the inspection
• The report could be transmitted to a color printer without cables or wires
• Full menu of inspection templates
• System could handle an unlimited number of digital pictures
• Free technical assistance
• Free software upgrades
• Numbered summaries generated with inspection report
• Report could be saved and emailed if required
• Spell check
• Notes and arrows included with each picture in the report
• Rugged hardware that could stand rain and crawl spaces
• Entire reporting system could be carried on belt loops

System Selection

After evaluating all the inspection systems on the market, it was found that there were only two systems that met most of the criteria and only one inspection system that met all requirements. The system chosen was Palm-Tech.

The total system at the time of purchase was $1800.00, which included a model 2210 Hewlett-Packard iPAQ handheld computer, a model 450 HP inferred linked portable color printer, leather carrying case, inspection and photo album software plus needed accessories.

In addition, I purchased a new digital Cannon S410 camera and a Garmin cf que 1620 GPS locating system that plugs into the CF card slot of the HP handheld computer. These items added another $650.00 for a total of $2,450.00 for the complete inspection system. The GPS system is very compact and is used for travel directions to the inspection address. The GPS is unplugged from the handheld HP handheld computer system at arrival to the job site and the inspection process begins, using the HP handheld computer and Palm-Tech software for the data collection and reporting.

This picture shows the HP 450 portable printer, the Cannon S410 digital camera, the HP 2210 handheld computer in its cradle and the Garmin 1620 GPS system plugged into the CF card slot on top of the HP2210.

System Functionality

The original goal was to have an entire inspection system that could be carried on my belt loops along with my Stinger flashlight. After a year of using the system, I can say that the belt loop goal was met from day one and the equipment has proven to be rugged and reliable.

The Palm-Tech software is as versatile as any software system currently on the market with 28 inspection templates from Condo, Residential & Duplex through Commercial. Defective item comments from the inspection report can be transferred to the supporting photographs, where arrows, elicpeses and magnification can be added to each picture to highlight the defects. Clients and Real Estate Agents really like this feature along with the numbered summaries at the end of the report.

System Transition

It was a little scary to make the high-tech leap, but the free technical assistance from Palm-Tech made the transition uneventful. The technical folks at Palm-Tech will stay on the phone until you and your system are up and running again.

I started with a condo inspection to keep it as simple as possible on my first inspection and never looked back. From that Condo forward, I have not done another written inspection report, although I do keep a blank printed Palm-Tech report in the truck just in case.

“Geeky”

My wife thinks I look a little “geeky” with the “nerd stuff” hanging on my belt loops, but she likes the extra time I get to spend with the family. Under the old manual reporting system, inspection reports were worked on well into the evening.

Actually, the look reminds me of my slide rule days during US Naval Nuclear Power School and then engineering school where I carried a HP 35 calculator on by belt loops. Aha, the good old days!

Inspection Process

My inspection process starts before leaving the office. I enter the client information in the hand held computer along with all the contact information. Once in the truck, I enter the inspection address into the GPS system and then drive to the job. The lady in the GPS machine tells me every turn to make and warns me in plenty of time when to turn.

Palm-Tech supplies a rugged waterproof case for your handheld computer, which allows you to ware it on your wrist. This is really handy when it is raining or when you are crawling and need both hands. My computer goes everywhere I go on the inspection and it is really easy to use in total darkness.

After completing the inspection template for the type of building I am inspecting, I run spell check to clean up the report. I then remove the CF card from the digital camera and plug it into the handheld HP computer (the same slot that I use for my GPS) and complete the picture album with supporting pictures. Each picture is viewed on the hand held computer and wording form the inspection report is pasted under each picture. Defective items, along with arrows, ellipses & magnification, show the client exactly where the problems are.

Printing the Report

With paper loaded in the portable printer, you simply point the HP hand held computer at the printer, until the inferred link connects and then the report starts printing. Next the cover page, which has a picture of the house, is printed along with the supporting photographs using the same inferred link (no cables).

If the client is present, I place the completed inspection report along with pictures in a booklet and the job is finished. I have found that the client is present only about 10% of the time. This means that most of the time, I plug my hand held computer in it synchronization/charging cradle when I get to the office, download and then email the report to the client/real estate agent.

The inspection reports are saved on the desk top hard drive, saved to an external drive and burned into a CD for security.

On new construction inspections, many times, I just print a copy of the summaries to give to the builder or sales office. They are generally only concerned with the items that they may have to fix. I then email the entire report when I get back to the office.

Summary

Sooner or later “paper work” type inspections will go the way of the typewriter. Your competition will be eating your lunch with time and technology. This high-tech society wants and expects reports using cutting edge technology. Every one of my customers has an email address and they want the report the same day as the inspection, if not sooner.

How professional does your inspection business look? Believe or not, your inspection reporting capabilities are a direct reflection of how professional your inspection abilities are.

Dr. Glenn C. Welch, PE
Welch Engineering, LLC
Master Plumber
Electrical Contractor
Conditioned Air Contractor
Registered Engineer

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