Comprehensive Guide to Building Inspection App Usage

Management
Facility Management
Published on:
April 4, 2024
Read Time:
8
min

Are you still using a paper-based or an ERP system that is a burden, error-prone, and not tailored to your specific audit requirements? In the modern age of efficiency and customization, depending on traditional inspection methods might be limiting.

The fact that severe faults are detected in over 60% of homes demonstrates how important the role of a building inspector is in the home sales and construction industry. 

In light of this, companies are compelled to search for new and innovative methods to handle their building inspection procedures. One approach to do that is through the use of robust Building Inspection applications.

In this post, we'll look at how using a mobile inspection solution can save you money and help you get the job done correctly regarding property management.

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Available on iOS, Android and Web
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What is a Building Inspection App?

Gone are the days of manually filling out paper forms and checklists and putting all of the data onto reports following what building inspectors look for.

Building Inspection applications make it simple to transition from these time-consuming techniques to a more error-free and efficient digital workflow.

The pandemic has led to an increase in remote inspections via video calls. Building inspection apps play a critical role in overcoming these issues, emphasizing their versatility, convenience, and benefits for uninterrupted workflows. 

These apps do more than simply save time; they also enable real-time visibility into regulatory compliance like HVAC, increasing team productivity and collaboration both inside and between departments. 

They also play an important role in helping companies achieve their sustainability goals by reducing waste and optimizing procedures.

Desktop vs. Mobile Building Inspection Solutions - What to Choose?

Regular and thorough building inspections are necessary to identify common deterioration or critical building damage such as defective concrete, spalling or lose plaster, water penetration from pipes or cement walls, and structural cracks internally in external walls.

The choice between a mobile and desktop Building Inspection solution is entirely dependent on your inspection methods, requirements, and workflow.

Use-Case For Mobile Inspection Solution

For a Large-Scale Construction Project 

Challenge

A construction company manages a large operation with several locations that require regular inspections to maintain quality and safety compliance.

These inspections are conducted by a redundant paper-based approach that is inefficient and error-prone. Furthermore, given the project's fast speed, this approach does not allow for timely contractual modifications.

Mobile Inspection App Usage

The Comprehensive Guide to Property Inspection App Functionality

The construction firm has adopted a mobile building inspection solution that can be utilized on-site since it encompasses the majority of the workers in the field and gathers various photos, audio notes, and data straight into the app via a mobile device.

This type of approach can help with inspections that are only confined to the site, eliminating the need to operate from a workstation to capture data and sync. This will improve productivity and prevent manual translators from misreporting what was collected on-site.

Key Benefits

  • Real-time Data Entry: Data can be put quickly by the inspector(s), avoiding the need to write and then transpose into the computer system, perhaps leading to fewer mistakes.
  • Immediate Reporting: The mobile app enables the inspector to write and distribute full reports instantly, potentially leading to quicker decision-making and remedial actions.
  • Media Integration: The app includes a built-in camera and voice recorder to capture additional inspection evidence and data, which can then be included in reports. This feature will allow for a more complete and comprehensive inspection.
  • Remote Collaboration: Inspectors may collaborate in real-time with project managers and subject matter experts to guarantee that issues are handled swiftly, even if they are not physically present at the site.

Result

The mobile building inspection solution streamlines the inspection process, accelerates decision-making, and increases overall project management efficiency, all of which contribute to the construction project's success and timeliness.

Use-Case For Desktop Inspection Solution

Compliance Audits for a Manufacturing Facility

Challenge 

Manufacturing facility must meet stringent regulatory standards, which include frequent inspections and audits to ensure compliance.

Given the vast amount of data that must be collected, thorough analysis and reporting are required to ensure compliance.

Desktop Inspection Implementation 

A desktop inspection system has been set up in the manufacturing facility for regulatory compliance checks.

Inspectors are supplied with desktop software that allows them to enter inspection results in detail and use advanced analysis tools to capitalize on the inspection findings and prepare the regulatory authority's necessary reports.

Key Benefits

  • Robust Analysis Tools: The desktop offering includes the most advanced data analysis tools available in the market. The findings are remarkably accurate, allowing you to properly comprehend the trends, patterns, and any compliance concerns that may be discovered using our powerful statistical analysis tools, among other things.
  • Centralized Data Storage: All of your inspection data will be kept in a single, safe, regulated location, giving a unified solution with all of your historical records and audit trails in one place. 
  • Document Management: Easier, more efficient management of documents, including but not limited to regulatory compliance documentation, allowing you to simply access and reference the information you require when you need it. 
  • Integrations: Through integration with other systems, the desktop solution can enhance data accuracy and streamline workflows within existing enterprise systems. Tools Work with Document Management Systems or ERP.

Result

The Desktop Building Inspection solution is vital for maintaining regulatory compliance because it provides comprehensive analytical capabilities, centralized data storage, and easy connectivity with other systems. Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, eliminating risks, and demonstrating a commitment to quality and safety.

Key Features of a Mobile Inspection App For Buildings

These features modify the old inflexible procedures to dynamic, flexible workflows. Let’s look at each unique feature of mobile inspection applications and examine  What do building inspectors look for.

  1. Report-Generation

The use of mobile inspection software allows inspectors to generate detailed reports while on-site. Real-time reporting functionality speeds up decision-making by providing all parties involved with access to critical information while studying a scenario. 

  1. Multi-Media Integration 

This function primarily allows users to upload multimedia, such as images, documents, and files. Once the inspector has developed a cloud storage function, it decreases the danger of data loss, ensuring that all of your multimedia is safe and secure in the cloud you have made. This functionality also enables users to view, collaborate on, and save all multimedia assets, lowering the expense of having the client send themselves an item.

  1. Customization 

The app's unique feature allows users to specify their inspection settings, making it adaptable. The app offers a function that allows you to set the particular specifications that your product must satisfy.

  1. Edit Inspection Plans 

Edit inspection plans dynamically, and keep a comprehensive version history log. This capability enables continual development and enhancement of inspection plans, with clear visibility into when and where improvements were made.

  1. Real-Time Statistics 

The instant compilation of statistics and analytics based on field inspection data allows for data-driven decision-making, detection of trends and concerns, and preemptive identification of potential future problems.

  1. Event Calendar Scheduling  

Inspections can be easily scheduled due to the event calendar. This is significant because it allows for planned inspection audits which guarantees that no two inspections take place at the same time, eliminating the need for an inspector to pick which one to visit. It will also help the inspector to work as efficiently as possible.

  1. Offline Operations 

Inspectors can finish an inspection despite irregular or no network access. Inspections can be performed in basements, isolated locations, or regions with poor network coverage.

  1. User-Interface 

Mobile Device Optimization improves the software's user interface for mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. This enhancement improves the user experience and helps field inspectors to work more efficiently.

On-Site Inspection Technology - How Does Xenia Help Inspectors?

Facilities Maintenance Management Software

Xenia is transforming the way inspectors conduct daily safety inspections, inspection management, and compliance tracking.

The inspection app’s mobile inspection process is designed specifically for iOS and Android platforms in mind. The easy-to-use interface ensures the best user experience. 

Once you've launched the app on your mobile device, owing to the amazing UI / UX experience, you can navigate through all the necessary menu items without breaking a sweat.

Inspections, work orders, operations, SOPs, checklists, and so on are all part of the industry-standard suite.

A customized AI-powered SOP-generating module allows customers to design standard operating procedures for a variety of business segments, not only construction. From building management to food and beverage company safety inspections, Xenia's user-friendly system is designed to adapt to a wide range of sectors.

With effective coordination of this mobile inspection app, inspectors can easily arrange and perform safety inspections.

Moreover, the built-in checklist will allow you to develop customized checklists as needed. It allows for real-time results tracking and instant report generation.

  • Safety Inspections: With a few clicks, you can create, assign, and track safety inspections for all of your construction projects. Stay up to current in real-time, connect with your team, and analyze safety outcomes to enhance your safety with an easy-to-use Management System.
  • Compliance Tracking: Set tasks, develop timelines, and ensure safe work. Increase understanding by including visual aids to maintain a high degree of safety.
  • Corrective Actions: Corrective measures can be improved by assigning quick assignments in response to safety infractions. Inspection reports provide corrective action data that can be easily audited and accountable.
  • Asset Management: Monitor asset health over time, noticing patterns and forecasting future requirements.
  • SOPs and Document Management: Use Xenia's AI-powered SOP writer to freely create new SOPs and safety regulations. Catalog policies by storing photographs, or files in cloud data.
  • Analytics and Reporting: Create completely customizable reports using several graphs, charts, and tables to dive down into various project characteristics. Analyze job history and performance levels to obtain all relevant information for your operations.

Building Inspection App- FAQs

  1. What do building inspectors look for, and how can an app assist in this process?

Building inspectors generally aim to ensure structural integrity, safety compliance, and adherence to building codes. A building inspection app is software that allows building inspectors to do building inspections, site surveys, property evaluations, and technical reports.

  1. How can a building inspection app help with compliance tracking and reporting?

Features such as compliance tracking in building inspection apps like Xenia automate job assignments, schedule rechecks, and assist in guaranteeing that nothing slips through the cracks. Commanding open and closed action items exposes logical groups of maintenance activities. Tailored preventive maintenance programs track periodic tasks and give a thorough audit trail of compliance. 

  1. What role does Artificial Intelligence play in building inspection apps, and how does it help users?

Some Building Inspection Apps use AI to aid with duties such as standard operating procedure creation. AI improves productivity by automating key operations and guaranteeing uniformity between inspections.

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