Inspection done, report still not sent
A managing agent asks for a roof condition report on a block before budgeting next year's works. Your surveyor goes up, looks at each slope and flat area, the gutters, the flashings, the chimneys, and takes photos. The inspection takes a morning. The report takes an evening, pasting photos into a document, writing up each defect and working out a rough order of works.
The agent wants it by Friday. There are three more like it this month.
Why reports eat so much time
The inspection is the skilled part. The report is assembly: matching photos to notes, writing clear descriptions, putting defects in a sensible order, formatting it the way the client likes. Done by hand, it takes longer than the inspection.
- Photos are sorted and pasted into a document one by one.
- Notes are written in shorthand and expanded later.
- Each client wants a different layout.
- Recommended works are priced separately from the report.
- Old reports for the same building are hard to find and compare.
What the time costs
Surveyor evenings, which is not sustainable. Reports that go out late, which matters because managing agents often need them for budgets and consultations with leaseholders. And recommended works that never become quotes, because by the time the report is written, the moment has passed.
Managing agents also compare. The contractor whose reports arrive quickly, look consistent and make it easy to budget is the one they call first next year, and the one they recommend to other agents. Late, uneven reports quietly move you down that list.
The condition report builder we build
- A site form organised by roof area, such as main slopes, flat roofs, valleys, chimneys, rainwater goods and parapets, following your own inspection checklist.
- For each area, the surveyor records a condition rating on your scale, defects found, photos and recommended works with a priority.
- An AI step turns shorthand notes into clear descriptions in plain English, which the surveyor reviews and edits.
- The report is assembled with photos placed against each finding, a summary and a schedule of recommended works, in the layout each client prefers.
- Recommended works can be priced from your rates to produce a budget estimate or quote alongside the report.
- Reports are stored against the building, and the previous report's findings are shown on the next inspection so changes are visible.
- The report is sent to the client from the system, and follow-up on the quote is scheduled.
| Report section | Comes from |
|---|---|
| Summary | Drafted from findings, edited by surveyor |
| Findings by area | Site form with photos |
| Condition ratings | Surveyor, on your scale |
| Recommended works | Surveyor, with priority |
| Budget estimate | Your rates applied to recommended works |
The findings and recommendations are your surveyor's. We build the assembly around their inspection.
Where it leaves your surveyors
The report is mostly written by the time the surveyor leaves the building. Clients receive reports promptly in the format they want. Recommended works turn into priced quotes, which is how inspection work leads to roofing work. And repeat inspections show how a building has changed.
For the business, inspection work stops being a favour that eats evenings and becomes a steady route into repair and re-roofing jobs, with a report on file that explains why each one is needed.
Do you write reports like this?
- Condition reports are typed up after hours.
- Photos are pasted into documents one by one.
- Recommended works are not always quoted.
- Each client wants a different layout.
- Past reports on the same building are hard to find.