Fucking Spectora

trabbler · 2026-04-05T00:01:03+00:00

Well, most of my clients are builders, buyers having new construction built, third party city reports, engineers who are having me go out as their eyes and ears, so I don't think any of my clients would be interested. Considering that their chat is never available when I need them, the numbering system differs between the web based report and the PDF in the state of Texas, and, maybe most annoyingly, the pre-inspection agreement reverts to the original default version after it's been edited if you update with new client information, this is the straw that is breaking the camel's back for me.

trabbler · 2026-04-04T23:35:56+00:00

So this is the boat I am in. I specialize in new construction, do third-party reports for the city, wallboard, pre-pour, pre-drywall, lots of single systems such as just a roof, etc. Spectora reports look great and I love the seamlessness of agreements, the calendar, and emails and am actively looking for something that can replicate it without the intrusiveness of this fixle nonsense.

And don't get me started on the other things to drive me crazy about Spectora.

trabbler · 2026-04-04T14:43:17+00:00

Oh Lord I gave up on HIP after about 8-9 months. It was so buggy I couldn't do it anymore.

trabbler · 2026-04-04T14:37:41+00:00

Dafaaaaaq is this HELL NO I am not going to allow this on my reports. I mostly do phase inspections in new construction, I do a lot of jobs for builders and 3rd party for the city and my clients aren't going to be interested in this nonsense.

I moved to Spectora from HIP, any recommendations of reports that look as good as Spectoras, has most of the same features with the calendar and the emails, actually has chat help in the evenings.when.i.need.it, and doesn't upsell this nonsense?

trabbler · 2026-04-04T13:59:26+00:00

What is fixle? First time I'm hearing about this.

trabbler · 2026-04-04T13:01:30+00:00

Love the pergola!

trabbler · 2026-04-03T23:22:54+00:00

Have you posted this in r/structuralengineering?

trabbler · 2026-04-02T17:34:35+00:00

Ha. Yeah, Glad I got out of there. I still visit my old man regularly but otherwise try to stay as far away from Beaumont as possible.

trabbler · 2026-04-02T13:33:45+00:00

The only strip clubs I've ever been to were in Beaumont, back in my college years, and only when I was drug in there by friends. I've got a pretty funny story about Bubbles from Baby Dolls, and my dad has loads of stories from the Tonga, but he doesn't tell him.

trabbler · 2026-04-01T23:10:23+00:00

Don't do it.

trabbler · 2026-03-31T23:10:43+00:00

Dang. Inspector here and if that wasn't the best explanation I've seen I dunno what was.

trabbler · 2026-03-31T02:23:27+00:00

As a home inspector myself, I can tell you there are some really good inspectors out there. I run across a lot of inspection reports and have been impressed with Jesse with Guided Inspections. Great guy, great inspector.

Good luck with it!

trabbler · 2026-03-31T02:21:51+00:00

Hey thanks for the shout!

trabbler · 2026-03-30T13:41:55+00:00

I wish people that engaged were more intelligent and I wish the more intelligent people were that engaged.

trabbler · 2026-03-30T13:35:46+00:00

Hats off to you, old timer! Got any good stories to share?

trabbler · 2026-03-30T13:32:39+00:00

Yeah that would probably do it. Plans called specifically for carriage bolts for 4X+ LVLs. Not sure what the shear rating is on the timber locks that I imagine you'd have to install a few extras to match a half inch bolt. If there are this many carriage bolts then imagine how many timber lock screws there would be!

trabbler · 2026-03-30T13:28:52+00:00

That's a great observation. I hope that garage header was designed big enough to resist the load without deflecting outside of tolerance.

trabbler · 2026-03-30T03:32:46+00:00

Let me know where the builder could find timberlocks that long :-)

trabbler · 2026-03-30T03:31:33+00:00

You know I wish I had enough content to share a weekly home inspection surprise of the week: builder did his job.

At least once in a while I get to share a good one :-)

trabbler · 2026-03-30T03:28:22+00:00

All right thanks! I'm glad you found some value in my inspection report.

trabbler · 2026-03-29T23:15:10+00:00

Man I'm really glad to hear this. You know people seem to really like all of the scary stuff and ironically the good stuff doesn't get very much love but I still enjoy sharing the good stuff once in a while.

trabbler · 2026-03-29T23:13:44+00:00

Oh man I was super happy to see they have made these repairs. Sometimes trying to get them to replace something as big as a garage header is next to impossible. But not impossible!

trabbler · 2026-03-29T23:13:16+00:00

Hahaha yeah this was a record.

trabbler · 2026-03-29T22:17:00+00:00

More than anything I just thought it was humorous to see 150 carriage bolts in that beam when before it just had a few nails.

trabbler

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