Photos are a powerful part of home inspection reports. They help clients understand the home. Let’s look at how to use them effectively, keeping in mind that you can have too much of a good thing.

What others do

In the Horizon community, the average number of photos in a report is 84. The average number of report entries is 160, and the average number of recommendations is 31. Less is often more!

Reports don’t get read

Let’s focus on the purpose of a home inspection – to help clients make an informed buying decision. Many home inspectors provide a lot of valuable reference information for clients. This is noble and typical of the quality and integrity of home inspectors in our Horizon community. Our experience is that clients are often overwhelmed by the transaction process and do not absorb or use the information. Many inspection reports do not get read, and very few are digested completely.

Clear communication

So, how do we communicate clearly and quickly? I always say a photo is worth 1000 words. Here’s my ideal list of what photos should be in a report – approximately 40-70 photos:

• Title page photo – 1
• Photo of each condition – ~31 to 62 (assuming 31 conditions and 2 photos of some)
• Helpful description photos – things clients may not see or understand
• Roof – 2
• Attic – 2
• Furnace with cover on and off – 2
• Electrical panel(s) with cover on and off – 2
• Concealed gas, water or electrical shutoffs – 1

Best way to take photos

We believe Horizon Mobile is the most effective way to take pictures as quickly and seamlessly as possible. In a single click you can instantly add an item to a report and open the camera on your device. Take the photo, and the item is added to your report with the photo in the right place. No need to transfer photos from another device into your computer, then into Horizon, then sort out where each photo goes.

One photo is enough

If there are ten damaged roof shingles, do not take ten photos. The Location can be Various. If there are several rotted windows, one photo is enough. Multiple photos risk creating the impression that you’ve captured every instance of a problem. You may get into trouble if you miss some. “For example” is your friend!

Photo format

In most cases, we prefer landscape photos over portrait. They look great and two photos fit neatly side-by-side on a Horizon report page. Portrait photos may be best for tall, skinny subjects.

Macro and micro

Two photos side-by-side can tell a story. The first photo can be of the component and the second can zoom in on the issue. There are some examples below. The first picture provides the client the frame of reference while the second focuses on the issue.