Roofing

How To Increase Worker Safety For Renewable Energy Contractors

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

How To Increase Worker Safety For Renewable Energy Contractors

|

Clean energy jobs grew 5% in 2022 to a total of 3.2 million. Of that total, renewable energy contributed to 515,248 jobs. As with the rest of the US economy, small businesses employ the majority of Americans. Approximately 90% of the clean energy workforce comes from businesses with less than 100 employees. With growth projected to continue until at least 2026, renewable energy contractors need comprehensive work safety programs in place.

Most people think of solar and wind when they think of renewable energy. However, biomass, hydropower, and geothermal are also part of the sector. According to the US Department of Labor’s Occupational, Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), renewable energy safety risks include:

  • Machinery Misuse
  • Falls
  • Electricity
  • Confined Spaces

While the renewable energy sector may share safety risks, the contributing factors vary. How can renewable energy contractors increase worker safety?

Machinery Misuse

Renewable energies use specialized equipment. Knowing how to install solar panels and maintain wind turbines requires training. And without proper training, employees may injure themselves or others.

Cranes install and maintain wind turbines. Only trained personnel should operate a crane. For example, it may be just a few feet to reposition a crane. However, unstable surfaces, power lines, and swing radii can create unsafe conditions. 

Back injuries are 25% of all compensation claims. And many of those come from workers failing to use the equipment correctly. For example, they may fail to use equipment to help with lifting. Individuals working with solar panels lift the panels and tools on and off trucks and onto a roof without assistance, causing unnecessary injury.

Biomass energy uses harvesting machines with sharp blades that run at high speed. Machinery can throw objects, causing injury to anyone standing too close. In addition, wind turbines have large moving parts that can injure anyone on the job site.

Ensuring equipment is maintained correctly is crucial to a safe work environment. Developing a process to let employees report equipment concerns can stop an accident before it happens. Digitizing these forms allows workers to report hazards immediately. Employees can complete a digital form as soon as they see a problem, so repairs can be addressed quickly.

Falls

Falls are the second most common workplace injury, costing $10.26 million per year. Every renewable energy contractor should have safety measures in place to prevent falls. Granted, a fall from a 300-foot wind turbine is different than one from a 12-foot ladder. However, every energy workplace should provide safety training and tools as a standard part of any program.

Wind farm employees need safety harnesses, guardrails, and training for both on and offshore turbines. Solar panels are installed on commercial buildings at dangerous heights. Even at residential locations, installers can suffer serious injuries from falls. Keeping energy workplaces free of debris can minimize the risk of a fall.

Outdoor elements can contribute to slips, trips, and falls. Leaves become slippery when wet. Sticks and tree limbs can make for unsure footing. Conduct job site safety analyses to identify all hazards. This simple step can minimize the risk of falls. Providing a digital safety form that employees can complete before work starts to make the paperwork convenient. But it also helps to keep the renewable energy construction site safe.

Electricity

Electricity can cause thermal burns, shock, and electrocution. Electrical current runs through wind farms, solar panels, and hydropower stations. Workers can suffer serious injury without proper safety processes in place. Perform a job safety analysis before work begins. In addition, provide protective equipment. And most importantly, cut power to the location.

The International Hydropower Association (IHA) reports that electrocution is a common hydropower safety hazard. Minimize risk by considering safety in the design of power stations. The IHA recommends written processes to ensure that equipment is maintained, training is completed, and procedures are followed.

Train everyone involved in clean energy construction and maintenance on the basics of electrical safety. Employees should be trained on how to avoid contact with electrical currents and what to do in case of an emergency. 

Confined Spaces

OSHA indicates that working in confined spaces presents a safety hazard, especially in wind turbines. The safety organization notes that confined spaces inside wind turbines can cause asphyxiation, due to low oxygen levels. Job safety analysis should be performed before employees enter confined spaces in the energy workplace.

Employers must screen workers to prevent those with claustrophobia or similar conditions from working in confined spaces. Panic attacks can create unsafe working conditions. 

Wind turbines can also generate harmful gases and vapors. Dust particles are in the air circulating in and around a turbine. Clean energy employers must ensure that employees have protective equipment, such as respirators, to reduce the inhalation of possible contaminants. 

Biomass energy also presents respiratory hazards from crops, fungi, and mold. Employees should have protection to limit inhaling particles that could damage the lungs or trigger allergies.

Increased Worker Safety

The 2022 Safety Index shows that nonfatal workplace injuries cost US businesses $49.18 billion in 2022, or about $1 billion per week. These are direct costs for the top 10 causes of injuries. It does not include the indirect costs that many businesses overlook.

A recent OSHA article highlighted the added cost of workplace injury in areas such as labor shortages and psychosocial risks. When an injury occurs, it impacts the entire team. Employees who take on more work to cover for an injured employee become more stressed, as they are already working long hours because of labor shortages.

Business cultures may suffer when an employee is injured. The remaining employees may feel less secure and express concerns that can lead to disgruntled staff. Disengaged employees are less productive and prone to errors.

A work-related injury costs a business more than direct compensation. It can damage morale and lower productivity. Renewable energy contractors can avoid unnecessary injuries by implementing a comprehensive safety program that encourages communication.

Digitize Your Safety Plan to Protect Renewable Energy Contractors

Letting employees communicate their concerns and observations through digital forms demonstrates a willingness to work together to create a safe work environment. When those forms can be delivered to a mobile device, it encourages employees to participate in reporting issues to improve worker safety. GoCanvas allows businesses to create customized digital forms that can be incorporated into a comprehensive safety program. Contact GoCanvas today to see how we can help you digitize your safety plan.

Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

Three people in hard hats looking at a tablet.

Smarter, Faster, Safer: Improving Safety Compliance with Mobile Technology

Compliance, there are many ways we talk about it. A necessary evil, a chore, a struggle, or a critically important part of business. We all know how crucial it is, helping save…

Read the eBook
Woman reviewing information on a tablet.

Your Guide to Waiver Forms — Examples and Templates

Waiver forms are a type of legal protection used by businesses to reduce their liability and risk. This type of agreement between a business and its customers is used…

Read the Blog
Closeup of a handshake.

Duotank Transforms Business Processes with GoCanvas

Duotank is a bag-in-tank alternative to the traditional keg beer system. The aseptic tank environment enables breweries to maintain the quality of their beer after it leaves…

Read their Story

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

Create the Best Checklist App with GoCanvas

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

Create the Best Checklist App with GoCanvas

Create the Best Checklist App with GoCanvas

Checklist apps are growing in popularity because they offer an efficient solution for task management and workflows. Mobile checklists are even more efficient with their dynamic features and the elimination of hassles associated with paperwork, such as lost or damaged forms, illegible handwriting, and incorrect information. By using a checklist app, businesses can ensure that tasks are completed correctly and on time.

GoCanvas provides companies the ability to create their own checklist app to enhance business solutions. Our easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface makes it simple to get started without any coding required. With GoCanvas, you can quickly create mobile forms and checklists for your business needs without any headaches.

Businesses Who Can Benefit From a Customizable Checklist App

There are many types of businesses that can benefit from their very own customizable checklist app such as businesses in the construction industry, the service industry, the petroleum industry, the transportation sector, and the energy sector. Here’s what our customers have utilized their checklist apps for:

  • Inspections
  • Work Orders
  • Timecards
  • Daily-Weekly Reports

Now that you know how a GoCanvas checklist app can benefit your business’s project management, here are the quick and easy steps to creating your own checklist app using GoCanvas.

Choose a Customizable Template for Your Checklist App

Making a customized application is easy when you partner with GoCanvas. The GoCanvas system has thousands of pre-built checklist templates – many of which were created for specific industries – for users to access. Each of these checklists is completely customizable to your business and its process preferences. Some of the most popular industry-specific checklist templates offered by GoCanvas include:

Each of these templates can be edited using GoCanvas’ simple “drag and drop” app builder tool. You can even add your company’s logo, name, and other branding information. To view the full range of GoCanvas template offerings, browse the GoCanvas Application Store today.  

Add Checklist App Features for Android and IOS Mobile Devices

GoCanvas offers a variety of features that make it the perfect platform for creating a checklist app. Our platform is fully customizable, so you can tailor your app to fit your specific business needs. We also offer a wide range of integrations, so you can connect your checklist app with the other tools you use. These features may include:

  • Data Capture: Helps you capture data such as signatures in real-time.
  • Photo/Video Capture Allows you to take pictures or videos and add them to the report.
  • GPS/Location Services: Enables you to track the location where the inspection or cleaning took place.
  • Offline Data Collection: Lets you collect data even when there is no internet connection.
  • Push Notifications: Allow you to send notifications to your team members in real-time.
  • Integrations (such as subtasks and shortcuts): Helps you automate your checklist processes.

With GoCanvas, you have the flexibility to add as many features as you need to create the perfect checklist app for your business.

Publish Your Checklist App to Your GoCanvas Mobile Devices

Once you have created your checklist app, it’s time to put it into action. With GoCanvas, you and your team can easily access the checklist from your smartphone or tablet. Mobile apps make it easy for you to take your checklist processes with you wherever you go. Ultimately, mobile checklists provide enhanced convenience while helping you save both time and money on your checklist processes.

How Businesses Can Utilize Checklist Apps to Increase Productivity

Business owners can utilize customizable checklists for multiple functionality purposes such as:

Delegating Tasks: Daily tasks for work orders, timecards, and safety reports can be assigned to specific team members as “to dos” via the checklist app.

Tracking Results: Checklists provide an efficient way to monitor and track results in real time. This is especially helpful for quality control purposes.

Analyzing Data: By collecting data via checklists, you can generate insightful analytics that helps you improve your business processes.

Time Tracking: Time management for inspections can be tricky, but checklists can help keep everyone on track by providing a clear outline of what needs to be done.

Prioritizing Customer Service: By using checklists, you can ensure that every customer receives the same level of service. This is especially important for businesses that rely heavily on repeat customers.

Decreasing Paper Waste and Saving Money: Paper waste reduction is not only environmentally-friendly, but it can also help businesses save money by reducing pricing for businesses on printing and paper costs.

Start Customizing Your Digital Checklist Today with GoCanvas

Are you ready to start creating your own mobile checklists using GoCanvas? The knowledgeable GoCanvas experts are available to guide you along the way as you convert your paper processes to mobile. If you have a paper checklist that you use regularly, send it to GoCanvas and our professionals will convert it to a mobile form for you. Try GoCanvas for free to start building your checklist apps today!

Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

business people discussing project

Gown Your Business with GoCanvas Partner Program

Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.

Learn more
Forte Supply Chain Solutions Partner Video

Partner Snapshot: Forte Supply Chain Solutions

Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.

Watch VIDEO
Closeup of a handshake.

GoCanvas Integrations: Streamline your Workflow

Integrate with over 1,000 software applications. Enhance your GoCanvas experience by syncing real-time data to one or all of your business tools.

View integrations

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

Ultimate Guide to Roof Inspection Report Templates

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

Ultimate Guide to Roof Inspection Report Templates

| |

As a roofing contractor, your business has a long list of forms that need to be completed on the job. This includes things like routine inspections, roof reports for clients, safety forms for employees, and a multitude of other related forms like work orders and estimates. 

Instead of relying on paper forms, contractors are converting these processes into digital forms to help simplify workflows for everyone involved. This article covers an overview on roof inspection reports and links to the digital templates you can find provided by GoCanvas. Using our roof inspection report software, contractors can easily manage and share documents all from one centralized platform.

What is a roof report?

A roof report is a document that records the current condition of the structures and features of a roof. For example, a residential roof report would document the condition of a sloped roof or a flat roof for a homeowner, whereas a commercial roofing report would be created for the building owner of a commercial space.

In general, a roof report is designed to document findings from the inspection process that looks for any sort of structural damage, decay, or deterioration. The report summarizes everything the client or owner needs to know about the roof at that given point in time, so they can make appropriate repairs or plan for them in the future. 

How do I write a roof inspection report?

With many different types of building structures and purposes, there are naturally many different types of roof reports. What to include in your roof inspection report will depend on many factors like the type of building, type of roof, client information, and more. 

Rather than starting from scratch when writing a roof report, contractors can leverage pre-built templates and simply customize the form with any additional fields needed. Here is one example of the types of information that can be included when writing a basic roof report:

  • Basic information – Includes things like the client name, location, report #, date of the report
  • Roof notes – Includes things like estimated roof age and life expectancy, general roof condition, photos captured, and general roof condition notes
  • Roof diagram – Documents the roof type, slopes, and other important elements or parts of the roof
  • Signatures – Sign off with the roof inspector’s signature is included to make it official

What is included in a roof inspection?

The roof report sent to the owner or client is often a summary of key findings from the roof inspection. So what is included in a full roof inspection form? According to InterNACHI standards, a roof inspection should cover:

  • The roof-covering materials;
  • The gutters;
  • The downspouts;
  • The vents, flashing, skylights, chimney, and other roof penetrations; and 
  • The general structure of the roof from the readily accessible panels, doors or stairs.

The roof inspection standards from InterNACHI also note that the inspector should describe 

the type of roof-covering materials and should report as in need of correction, such as observed indications of active roof leaks. Other standards note that the inspector is not required to:

  • Walk on any roof surface.
  • Predict the service life expectancy. 
  • Inspect underground downspout diverter drainage pipes. 
  • Remove snow, ice, debris or other conditions that prohibit the observation of the roof surfaces.
  • Move insulation. 
  • Inspect antennae, satellite dishes, lightning arresters, de-icing equipment, or similar attachments.
  • Walk on any roof areas that appear, in the inspector’s opinion, to be unsafe.
  • Walk on any roof areas if doing so might, in the inspector’s opinion, cause damage. 
  • Perform a water test.
  • Warrant or certify the roof.
  • Confirm proper fastening or installation of any roof-covering material.

Roof Inspection Report Examples and Templates

With digital roofing report templates, employees in the field can fill out forms on a mobile device or tablet and have the information automatically sync back to the office for reporting. Roofers and roofing inspection companies can use roofing inspection management software from GoCanvas to help speed up the inspection and maintenance process. Here are some examples of roofing forms for contractors:

  • Roof Inspection Checklist – As part of any building inspection, use this detailed checklist template provided in this mobile app to inspect and detail the condition of the roof and lead to early detection of any roof problem or damage (roof leaks).
  • Roof Inspection Report – Provides a simple way for roof inspectors to track the results of their work and note any issues found during the inspection services. Once the roof inspection form template is complete, the roofing contractor can sign off on the results and have the homeowner or building owner sign off as well.
  • Roofing Certificate of Completion – Use this app as a contractor when documenting successful completion of roofing for a building. Workers in the roofing industry can use this roof installation and repair form to generate new work completion forms once a job has been completed without having to return to the roofing company office.

Additional Forms for Roofing Contractors

Beyond roof inspections and reports, there are many other related roofing forms that can be used on the job site. Here are some other examples of how roofing contractors are using GoCanvas to streamline their operations:

  • Work orders – Managing work is simplified when using software for generating work orders, dispatching the right workers, and tracking the status of work in progress. GoCanvas helps provide the tools to improve workflows between the field and office, with easy-to-use software for managing roofing work orders.
  • Estimates and Invoices –  Another opportunity to streamline work is by digitizing your roofing estimates and client invoices. GoCanvas enables you to provide a digital customer experience with PDF reports for estimates, and digital invoices that allow you to get paid faster. You can even sync GoCanvas with your accounting system to automate processes and you can also use our software to manage employee timesheets to track hours worked on client sites.
  • Safety and Meetings – Roofing work requires working at heights and contractors need to ensure property safety protocols are followed on the job. GoCanvas can also function as a safety management system, with forms specifically designed for roofing safety. Use GoCanvas to provide fall prevention safety meetings, ensure proper PPE with checklists, and enable employees on the job to perform self inspections with checklists for fall protection equipment.

Get started with a free trial of GoCanvas to see all of the roofing contractor forms we have to offer. To learn more about the benefits of digital forms for the roofing industry, hear from Texas State Builders in the video below to see how they leverage work process software.

Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

Three inspection workers on job site.

The Ultimate Guide to Quality Control Inspections

Managing a construction project is a complex and stressful process. Among other things, you have to coordinate project team members, materials, and equipment and ensure that contractors are not afflicted by the potential risks and hazards present at the construction site. That said, quality means different things to different people which is why you should…

Read the blog
A man using GoCanvas for the digital transformation of his workflow.

Constructions Digital Transformation

Your competition is finding faster ways to capture data and get critical insights from the field into their existing systems. In short, they’re not going bigger, they’re getting smarter. In this 15-minute broadcast on the construction industry’s digital transformation, find out why the trend is to modernize workflows – and how you can stay ahead of the curve…

see for yourself
A electrician inspecting equipment.

See how VIP Lighting optimized efficiency with GoCanvas

VIP Lighting is a retail lighting and electrical maintenance business that services over 10,000 retail locations all over Australia and New Zealand. Before GoCanvas, VIP Lighting had two separate systems that were impossible to integrate, leading to inefficiencies. GoCanvas made it easy to integrate their systems into single, centralized platform…

read their story

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

5 Ways Mobile Inspection Apps Ensure Better Compliance

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

5 Ways Mobile Inspection Apps Ensure Better Compliance

| |

The whole point of inspections is to ensure compliance. They help you ensure your work is up to code and your employees are safe. But paper inspections come with a host of issues, many of which could be leaving you at risk. Here are five ways mobile inspection apps ensure better compliance:

1. Apps ensure information is accessible

Perhaps it got lost on the way to your office. Maybe you go to look up a form later on and just can’t find it. Either way, you’re missing a report. It happens to many businesses. In fact, up to 11% of documents are misfiled or lost. That’s 11% of your time wasted. Worse, lost inspections create a massive liability risk. 

Going mobile ensures you receive every inspection. Every finished safety inspection is stored securely in the cloud. There, you can access each and every form as a PDF, or download them for your own databases in various form types. GoCanvas also makes it easy in case OSHA audits you. 

With all safety inspections stored in your GoCanvas account, you can quickly retrieve your safety inspections to prove your continued dedication to a culture of safety. A mobile app ensures your business has all the safety inspection records you need to stay in compliance and give you an accurate bigger picture.

2. Apps help you avoid errors and misspellings 

Reading handwriting can be an art. You can have amazing inspectors, but if you can’t read their writing, they might as well have written the information in Greek! Mobile apps allow you to gather that information in a clear and easy-to-understand way. 

Every inspection has typed text. Easily read it at your computer, or even on the go on a smartphone or tablet. You’ll spend less time trying to translate and more time getting work done.

3. Apps create clear documentation

A safety inspection done on paper can be hard to verify. How can you be sure that it occurred at the appropriate time and place? 

Some companies have tried to game the system: New York is taking up a case against a business that hired unqualified people to pose as licensed site safety managers. These bad eggs, however, can put additional pressure on other businesses to prove that their work sites are safe. 

Going mobile can provide additional information to protect and validate your inspections. Automatic date and time stamps prove when an inspection took place. With one click, you can have GPS capture your location, proving that the inspection occurred at the right location. You can also take photos, providing visual information to back up your inspection. Need a signature? Just sign with a finger or a stylus. 

All of these features provide additional proof that paper forms can’t provide. They create external validation, protecting your business even further. Mobile apps keep your business safe and help you gather more information than ever before.

4. Apps eliminate paperwork and associated issues

It’s a dangerous world out there. Grease, dirt, heck even a cup of water can ruin a paper form! All it takes is a stumble for you to tear up an inspection and lose an hour of hard work. 

Sure, smartphones and tablets can break. But you can easily protect these devices in a way that was never possible with paper. You can put a paper inspection in a folder, but to use it, you have to write directly on it. 

On the other hand, with smartphones and tablets you have choices of different ruggedized devices and protective cases. Not only can you gather information, but you can also ensure that a cup of coffee won’t ruin your hard work.

5. Apps help to minimize rework and manual processes

It doesn’t matter how many asterisks or underlines you use; sometimes forms come back incomplete. With forms taking hours or days to come to your office, it’s often too late to go back and get good information. 

A mobile inspection removes this headache. With one click, you can make fields required. Even if an employee skips a section, they won’t be able to submit their inspection until they fill out the required fields. No more chasing down employees days later, just easy-to-read and complete inspections at your fingertips. 

Creating accurate reports relies on having the best data possible. Mobile technology reduces human error and allows you to gather more information in real time. Say goodbye to illegible handwriting, missing paperwork, and other holes in your information. Say hello to more accurate information in real time each and every time.

For more information about GoCanvas inspection apps, contact our team to start a conversation or sign up for a free trial to learn more.

Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

Three people in hard hats looking at a tablet.

Smarter, Faster, Safer: Improving Safety Compliance with Mobile Technology

Compliance, there are many ways we talk about it. A necessary evil, a chore, a struggle, or a critically important part of business. We all know how crucial it is, helping save…

Read the eBook
Woman reviewing information on a tablet.

Your Guide to Waiver Forms — Examples and Templates

Waiver forms are a type of legal protection used by businesses to reduce their liability and risk. This type of agreement between a business and its customers is used…

Read the Blog
Closeup of a handshake.

Duotank Transforms Business Processes with GoCanvas

Duotank is a bag-in-tank alternative to the traditional keg beer system. The aseptic tank environment enables breweries to maintain the quality of their beer after it leaves…

Read their Story

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

Ultimate Guide to Home Inspection Checklists [+Templates]

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

Ultimate Guide to Home Inspection Checklists [+Templates]

When you are buying a new or previously owned home, one of the final steps in the home buying process is to have a qualified home inspector perform a home inspection.

These inspections are designed to help potential buyers identify any problems that they would consider to be a deal-breaker. If there’s an inspection contingency in place, homebuyers can walk away from a real estate purchase if a problem is found during the inspection.

An important part of the process for home inspectors is to use a home inspection checklist to help them standardize the data collected and to accelerate the inspection process.

Inspection apps have grown in popularity because they allow the inspectors to capture data and generate reports that help to streamline the home inspection process. Continue reading to learn about the home inspection process, what’s included in a home inspection report, and how you can start to automate the processes for home inspection reports.

What is a home inspection?

The American Society of Home Inspectors defines a home inspection as a visual examination and assessment of the house’s physical structure and systems. Home inspections cover everything from the foundation in the basement to the shingles on the roof.

Home inspections are designed to protect home buyers by ensuring that the home they are purchasing meets their expectations. Inspections also help verify that homeowners’ disclosure statements in the real estate contract are accurate.

The inspection process must be performed by a professional home inspector. After the inspection is complete, homeowners selling their property may have the opportunity to correct certain problem areas. Homeowners may also reduce the sale price so the buyer can address problem areas themselves or the buyer can have the option to walk away from the contract.

Lenders also rely on home inspections to protect their interests. In many cases, lenders will require a home to pass a professional home inspection before loaning money for buyers to purchase the home.

What do home inspectors do?

For average-sized homes in reasonable condition, home inspectors spend between two and four hours checking the state of the following items:

  • Heating and central air conditioning systems (HVAC) and ductwork
  • Interior plumbing systems and water heaters
  • Electrical systems including electrical outlets, electrical panels, and light switches
  • The roof, including shingles, flashing, vents, etc.
  • Attics and visible insulation
  • Walls, ceilings, floors, windows, and doors
  • Kitchen and bathroom fixtures and appliances such as faucets, toilets, countertops, garbage disposals, and exhaust fans
  • The foundation, typically looking for cracks in the foundation, leaks, or water damage
  • The basement area, typically looking for standing water or rotted wood
  • Crawl spaces and storage areas
  • Structural components
  • Chimneys and flues
  • Exterior components like downspouts, window exteriors, gutters, patios/decks, facades, stucco, landscaping, etc.
  • Septic tanks and sewer system connections

Home inspections are critical to ensuring a home buyer acquires a house that is in good condition. These inspections are vital for older homes that may have potential problems such as asbestos, older plumbing, frayed wiring, damaged systems, and more.

Real estate agents should refer clients to certified home inspectors who have passed the National Home Inspector Exam and have current and up-to-date state licensing. Home inspectors who are ASHI members (the American Society of Home Inspectors) or InterNACHI members (the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) are often safe choices. Members of these professional organizations have access to excellent training and can obtain advanced certifications through those organizations.

What is in a home inspection report?

Home inspection reports are detailed documents that cover general information about a home. This includes information about:

  • The house’s exterior and interior
  • Checks of all major systems
  • Sewer checks
  • Radon testing results
  • Whether or not asbestos is present
  • Signs of termites

A professional home inspection report has a combination of checklists, images, recommendations, and descriptive text discussing why inspectors may not have inspected certain items.

For example, InterNACHI and ASHI guidelines do not call for the testing of smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, so home buyers are directed to having these devices properly tested or purchased for a home.

Reports typically have a summary at the front that highlights any significant issues. The report then goes into greater detail in each section by highlighting specific problems, recommendations, and potential fixes.

Home inspectors should include some key information on a report like:

  • Their name and the company they work for
  • License numbers and contact information
  • A report ID or report number

A home inspection report should also include some general information like:

  • Client & Site Information: Key information includes the inspection date, the address of the inspection, whether anybody is occupying the home, and whether anyone was present at the time of inspection
  • Building Characteristics: These characteristics include the building’s age and what type of home it is (e.g., detached single-family, townhome, etc.)
  • Climatic or Environmental Conditions: The weather and other conditions such as temperature can impact the outcome of the report
  • Utility Service Information: This information includes the water source (public/city or well), sewage disposal (septic or city sewer)
  • Payment Information: Knowing who paid for an inspection can be vital in settling disputes later

Inspection reports should also have a key or legend that explains what acronyms mean. For example:

  • SER means “Appears Serviceable”
  • MM means “Marginal/Maintenance”
  • RR means “Replace or Repair”
  • SAF means an item is a “Safety Concern”
  • NI means an item was not inspected

Automating home inspection reports

Home inspections are labor-intensive, requiring an inspector to visit a home to review all the inspection components thoroughly.

Home inspectors arrive at a home with a clipboard, inspection forms, and a digital camera to photograph different property elements and identify where there are problems. After several hours on-site, the real work begins. Inspectors return to their office to compile the information, associate images with specific report items, and assemble the forms into a cohesive report that can be dozens of pages in length, if not longer.

But mobile apps for home inspections can help to streamline this process for inspectors. A well-designed home inspection checklist app can significantly improve the home inspection process. Companies have started using mobile apps so that inspectors can deliver a completed home inspection report to clients or homebuyers in a matter of minutes after completing the home inspection process.

Digital inspection forms eliminate paper processes and rely on mobile device capabilities to collect data for the report. Here are some of the key features in a home inspection mobile app:

  • Create a scalable inspection with countless items included as new line items are added to various rooms or areas.
  • Associate any images that the inspector took with the mobile device that the home inspection checklist app is on with the actual line items they refer to.
  • Leverage native features of mobile devices such as GPS to verify the location of a home inspection.
  • Use conditional logic within the app to create a customized inspection that prompts users to fill out certain information if needed (e.g., checking that there is no basement can remove pages that have inspection items related to the basement).
  • Leverage voice-to-text capabilities on a mobile device to rapidly generate longer descriptions of inspection items and provide more valuable information to clients.

Home inspectors that use these apps can deliver a completed home inspection report to clients or homebuyers in a matter of minutes after completing the home inspection. They can immediately send the inspection report as a PDF that includes all the images taken, descriptions of problem areas, and detailed information about all home inspection checklist items.

Companies embracing this technology will see a boost in their productivity, as inspectors will be able to produce more inspections each day because they are spending less time preparing reports. Mobile apps can also help companies reduce errors. Since the report is being generated in real-time, inspectors do not have to go back later to match content after the inspection or recreate details based on potentially incomplete notes.

Mobile apps are a great solution for companies looking to modernize the home inspection process with technology that is designed to streamline processes, reduce errors, and eliminate time-consuming work for inspectors.

Why You Should Consider GoCanvas for Home Inspection Checklists

Paper forms become difficult to manage for home inspectors and home builders in the construction industry. A leading residential inspection company, US Inspect, found that their paper-intensive processes hindered their efficiency. 

Before finding GoCanvas, US Inspect managed all information through Excel spreadsheets and email. These processes hindered the company’s growth and sparked their search for a data collection solution. As the company grew, JB Haller, CEO at US Inspect, realized that they needed a solution to give them a more efficient way to organize and analyze their data.

us inspect customer story for inspection templates

GoCanvas helps companies like US Inspect to streamline their home inspections by eliminating paperwork and automatically generating digital reports. When deploying GoCanvas for home inspections, US Inspect was able to see an immediate return on their investment into the platform. Here are some of the results in action:

  • Recovered +9,900 Hours of Productivity Annually
  • Over 53,000 Digital Reports Produced Annually
  • Annual Dollar Savings of Over $720,000+

Read the US Inspect customer story here to learn more about their experience using GoCanvas for home inspection checklists. 

Get Started for Free with Home Inspection Checklists

Ready to see how mobile home inspections work? Check out the GoCanvas home inspection checklist template that can be customized to fit your business needs. This home inspection template is designed to be completed on a mobile device or tablet by inspectors in the field. This template is very comprehensive for home inspectors, covering all aspects of a home to cover during real estate closings.

Home Inspection Checklist Template

home inspection checklist template
  • Leverage the dispatch feature to send the right person out for the job
  • Simplify the process for collecting data
  • Automatically generate PDF reports to share with key stakeholders
  • Use the digital signatures feature to get sign-off on documents
Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

Two people in an office looking at a tablet.

Improving Your Operations with Field Service Management Software

Whether you have two or 200 employees, your business’ success depends on their hard work. Passionate, motivated team players are the difference between…

Read the Blog
Two people in hard hats looking off camera.

Should You Connect Field Service Management Software with QuickBooks?

Field service management software has shown to increase productivity both for employees in the field and operations teams in the office. You may be wondering how field service…

Read the Blog
Person in safety vest smiling.

How the Best Field Services Businesses Use Mobile Apps

Mobility and field service: the talk has been happening forever. The idea that real-time information improves customer service and boosts technician productivity is changing…

Read the eBook

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

Free Template for Roofing Certificate of Completion

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

Free Template for Roofing Certificate of Completion

| |

What is a contractor certificate of completion?

A certificate of completion is used in roof installations once a job has been completed. The certificate is an agreement between the contractor and the client that the work has been successfully completed. It creates a record that the client is completely satisfied with the roofing work done.

Using a certificate of completion is a best practice for roofing contracting businesses. It ensures that there is a documented agreement and the certificate is signed by both parties involved. In case a dispute arises, there is a clear record that the roofing work was completed and met the quality standards agreed to by the client.

Clients and homeowners also benefit from having a certificate of completion. This document can be submitted to insurance companies when processing claims and used in real estate transactions to certify work that has been performed on a property.

Benefits of Using Digital Apps for Roofing

With a distributed workforce in the field and on job sites, it has become increasingly popular for contractors to use roofing apps for the certificate of completion. Paper forms can also be used to document a certificate of completion, however paper forms are not the most reliable for businesses. Some of the common pitfalls with paper forms include:

  • Incomplete or illegible data
  • Lost or misplaced documents
  • Inefficient workflows that require manual work

Instead of using paper forms, digital certificates of completion can be created using mobile apps and forms that streamline the process for everyone involved. While paper forms are prone to issues, digital certificates can be backed up in the cloud to ensure that they are always accessible for roofing contractors and their clients.

Key features of a digital certificate of completion for roofing

Mobile forms and apps are making it easier for roofing businesses to manage their processes for certificates of completion. Here are some of the top features of mobile forms and apps that help to make the process as easy as possible:

  • Mobile forms. With workers that are located across job sites and different geographic locations, mobile forms and apps ensure that workers can submit data from the convenience of their mobile phones.
  • Standard data. Templates can be created to ensure that data collected from the field is consistent, accurate, and complete. Required form fields ensure that data isn’t missing or left off by mistake.
  • Digital experience. Streamline the process and modernize how data is collected by using simple forms that make it easy to collect digital signatures, generate PDF reports, and automatically send the documents to anyone else that needs them.
  • Integrated ecosystem. Mobile apps are also designed to help contractors with many operational tasks, including work orders, inspections, contracts, and much more. Integrate mobile technology with the other cloud services your business uses today to create a modern and connected digital experience.

GoCanvas for Roofing Certificates of Completion and Mobile Forms

GoCanvas provides an app for contractors to document the successful completion of roofing for a building. This mobile form can be used as a template with many of the fields needed for documenting work completed in roofing repairs. One of the advantages of using the GoCanvas platform is that all of our templates are easy to customize to fit the exact needs of any roofing business. Using our no-code platform, anyone can customize the mobile forms and apps without needing advanced technical knowledge or help from an IT resource. Simply drag and drop to customize our roofing apps to suit your business needs. Organizations have found that going digital instead of paper forms has saved their staff time, created a better customer experience, and created a competitive advantage for the business. 

roofing certificate of completion example

Here’s what you can expect to find with the GoCanvas app:

  • Roofing installation and repair app capture all the most important details of completed roof replacements, general roof repair jobs, and installation of roofing solutions.
  • Simply enter the details of the residential and commercial roofing company job into the roofing completion form app, including roofing materials used, roof inspections, and more. Use the electronic signature capture feature to get customer approval.
  • Once the roofing installation and repair template has been completed, the commercial roofing app automatically saves the data in an electronic format for your records.
Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

Man inputting digital work order into a tablet from a work site.

How Digital Work Orders Impact Your Key Business Outcomes

Is your company still using paper sheets to manage work orders? The drawbacks of using paper forms are often hidden, making it difficult to understand the true impact of paper forms on a business…

Read the Blog
Woman reviewing data via her mobile phone.

See How Centurion Got Amazing ROI from GoCanvas

Centurion is the largest heavy haulage provider in Australia. They deliver national supply chain solutions to the resources, energy, construction & retail sectors throughout Western Australia, Queensland & the Northern Territory…

Read their Story
A man reviewing data on tablet collected by GoCanvas solutions.

5 Tips to Improve How Your Business Collects Data

Companies rely on collecting data in order to operate. In a fast-changing world, companies that focus on streamlining and improving their data collection processes will be able to do more. The good news is that it’s become easier than ever for businesses of all… 

Discover the 5 Tips

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

Form Builders and Templates – What You Need to Know

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

Form Builders and Templates – What You Need to Know

| |

Forms can be complex and many times they can be more nuanced than you might expect. But with properly designed layouts, you can improve workflows, facilitate automation, and enable your business to customize and enhance its data collection practices. Continue reading this blog post for:

  • Information about forms
  • A summary of different types of forms on the market today
  • Examples of industry use cases for forms

What is a form?

A form is a tool that has fields where individuals can write text or select from various options. The end use of forms can vary significantly, but most often they function to register for something, fill out a statement, create a request, or submit an order.

Forms may also be multi-purpose by design, and they can even lead end-users to different outcomes based on how they respond to the form fields.  While most forms are provided blank, some form designers may also leverage placeholder content in digital forms that can prompt users to provide certain types of data.

Forms can also have advanced features like dynamically populating content using data that is being referenced from a database, often referred to as reference data. Reference data can help pre-populate form fields, simplifying the process for people filling out the form by leveraging data that is already known.

The benefit of using forms to collect data is that they help to make data consistent and uniform for storing, processing, and analyzing the data. One common example of using forms is when businesses need to collect data from their customers to store inside a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.

Integrating the form with the CRM database allows a business to dynamically populate the form fields based on the data they already have from the customer. It then allows them to collect a standard set of data fields from customers, ensuring that they are bringing in consistent and standard data that can be used when creating reports and performing analysis.

What are the different form builders on the market, and how are they used?

There are different types of form builders available to the market today. Some of these form-building tools have more niche-specific uses, while others have a broad set of use cases. Here’s a quick overview of some of the different form builders on the market today:

Mobile App Forms

Mobile app forms are specialized forms that function as mobile apps. GoCanvas is a leading firm in developing mobile app forms for data collection and sharing. Users can access the form builder to create custom apps that can be used on tablets and smartphones or through a desktop app available on Windows and Apple computers. 

The data from these forms is stored in the cloud and it can help businesses reduce their paper usage. The functional capabilities of GoCanvas apps include GPS location capture, photos, custom form fields, signature capture, and reference data, among others. Users can share form submissions through a .csv file or a PDF report. 

GoCanvas also integrates with a wide range of platforms, including Quickbooks, Salesforce, Dropbox, Google Drive, PulseM, Netsuite, Zendesk, and much more. Through Zapier, GoCanvas can integrate with over 3,000 apps to automate workflows and increase workplace productivity.

WordPress Plugins

There are countless WordPress plugins available that form writers can use to develop and deploy forms accessible from websites. Some of the most popular ones include Gravity Forms, Formidable Forms, WPForms, Jetpack Forms, and others. These form builders are drag-and-drop plugins that are dynamic in their applications. It is relatively easy to embed these forms directly into websites designed on the WordPress CMS. 

Most often, people use these types of forms as a contact form, registration form, or marketing form to collect information for email marketing campaigns. These forms can also function as a submission tool for file uploads or a payment authorization tool that can integrate with PayPal or Stripe systems.

Form data collected through these plugins are typically accessible in various formats, including an online dashboard or exportable format through .csv or XML format. Users can customize these forms by using more advanced CSS or HTML code to define specific looks and functionality.

Email Marketing Forms

Most email marketing campaigns will use lead capture systems and CRMs for marketing and sales purposes. Some of the most well-known email marketing providers include Hubspot, Mailchimp, and Constant Contact – all of which have forms that can integrate with various types of websites, mobile apps, or through stand-alone systems.

In general, these forms are somewhat limited in their capabilities, although it is possible to automate workflows based on inputs and conditional logic. Most commonly, these types of forms are meant to collect basic information that can inform marketing and sales teams about interested customers or prospective customers.

Survey Tools

Google Forms and SurveyMonkey are two popular tools for sending out free or low-cost surveys.  These types of forms can be built with conditional logic, automation, and other capabilities to collect data from groups of all sizes.

Reporting dashboards are also available in these platforms so that users can generate actionable and insightful data from results. Google Forms integrates directly with Google Sheets so that these forms can quickly aggregate data into a cloud-based Google Sheet.

Use cases for different form builders

Given the various types of form builders available to the market, it may be helpful to compare the different uses for each form builders we’ve covered in this article. Here’s a quick summary:

  • Mobile App Forms are helpful tools for businesses that require checklists, reports, data collection tools, evaluations, guidelines, and other tools for recording, reporting, or sharing information.
  • WordPress Plugins can be used in various use cases but are often deployed for contact capture purposes, as registration forms, contact forms, and other somewhat simplistic use cases. 
  • Email Marketing Forms are niche purpose forms, mostly related to capturing contact information for users. 
  • Survey tools are great for collecting responses from respondents and aggregating data into easy-to-understand insights such as charts and graphics. 

How different industries can use forms effectively

Nearly every industry today uses forms to improve its business processes and outcomes. Here are some of the innovative ways that companies are using mobile forms to streamline their operations:

  • Work orders for companies in the construction, repair, and improvement industry may be generated through a form builder to integrate with systems such as Quickbooks so that accounting departments can approve expenditures or authorize work quickly. 
  • Building inspection forms can utilize conditional logic and automation to rapidly dispatch the correct maintenance personnel depending on the nature of an issue during the inspection.
  • Estimate sheets can be used to help businesses to bid effectively on projects, using calculations that can be performed automatically through the form.
  • Time tracking can be automated for staff when companies may leverage GPS capabilities integrated into forms to ensure that inspectors are at the correct job site at the right time
  • Field service reports can streamline communications between workers and their offices, ultimately minimizing miscommunications and improving service outcomes. Field service technicians can use technical service orders to automatically request specialized service types while including pertinent details such as images of problem areas, GPS coordinates of where a problem is, and much more.
  • Forms for Human Resources departments to effectively track employees’ time, ensure proper training sessions are attended, or even authorize vacation and time-off requests with ease.
  • Compliance and safety management for organizations that need to comply with OSHA requirements. These companies use forms for inspection checklists to maintain employee health and safety by ensuring that facilities are in compliance and that proper safety inspections are occurring regularly.

Mobile apps and forms can make an impact on businesses of all types and sizes. If you are looking for other types of forms to use for your business, GoCanvas has done the work for you already – we have over 20,000 mobile app forms that are pre-built for many different industries and use cases to help you get started for free.

Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

business people discussing project

Gown Your Business with GoCanvas Partner Program

Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.

Learn more
Forte Supply Chain Solutions Partner Video

Partner Snapshot: Forte Supply Chain Solutions

Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.

Watch VIDEO
Closeup of a handshake.

GoCanvas Integrations: Streamline your Workflow

Integrate with over 1,000 software applications. Enhance your GoCanvas experience by syncing real-time data to one or all of your business tools.

View integrations

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

How to Create a Roof Inspection Checklist

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

How to Create a Roof Inspection Checklist

|

4 Simple Steps to Creating a Roof Inspection Checklist

The GoCanvas system can be used to optimize nearly every element of a building inspection, including the roof inspection process. The process of completing an attentive roof inspection is both incredibly tedious and immensely important. Here is a quick look at how you can create a digital roof inspection checklist that can help you streamline this process while improving accuracy and efficiency!

Mobile Checklist Creation

 Getting your roof inspection checklist started is simple when you have an advanced app creation system like GoCanvas. First, make sure that you have your GoCanvas account set up. Accessible from both a computer desktop and the GoCanvas mobile app, you can create and access your roof inspection checklist from almost anywhere. Once you have your GoCanvas account ready to go, you can access a wide variety of templates within the GoCanvas Application Store, which will help you create your perfect roof inspection checklist app!

Roof Inspection Checklist Pre-Built Templates

To create your roof inspection checklist, you can start from scratch by creating a completely custom app or skip a few steps by using the Roof Inspection Checklist pre-built template. This app includes advanced features like Signature Capture, the ability to upload databases (like material lists), Workflow, and Dispatch. With the GoCanvas Roof Inspection Checklist template, you will find that necessary form fields and inspection elements are already included within the desired format. This app template can help you save time with the roof inspection process.

Customize your Checklist

Next, you can customize your checklist to accommodate your company’s unique roof inspection process. Add, delete, or edit the desired checklist fields until your complete process is accounted for. You can make the roof inspection checklist as detailed or as brief as you prefer, with no included limitations on the number of form fields you can add. You can then include your company’s name, logo, and other branding elements to make the checklist unique to your business. 

Final Steps

Once you finish personalizing your Roof Inspection Checklist, your app will be ready for immediate use. You can share this app with your entire team to get everyone on the same page. Enhance your company’s productivity by providing your employees with tools that encourage their best possible performance. 

This advanced inspection checklist app can also provide clarity to your customers and other third parties. Send this checklist to insurance companies for claims, or use this app to create invoices and sales orders for roof replacements and repairs. If any element of your roof inspection process changes over time, you can effortlessly revisit and edit your app to reflect your new inspection process.

Roof Inspection Apps

Similar Roofing Inspection Apps

If you are in need of a specialized roofing checklist, here are some other templates that may be able to help:

  • Roof Inspection Report Mobile App
  • Roofing Contractors Estimate Sheet Mobile App
  • Roof Inspection Checklist (Australia) Mobile App
  • Roofing Certificate of Work Completion Mobile App

As with each of these templates, you can add and edit form fields for easy customization and advanced personalization. If you currently have a paper checklist that you use for your roof inspection process, send it to GoCanvas and we will create a mobile version for you for free!

Get GoCanvas

Create your ideal roof inspection checklist using the GoCanvas system today! If you need further assistance customizing your checklist app, take advantage of GoCanvas’s personalized customer support! For all of your checklist apps, mobile forms, and digital processes across industries, the GoCanvas system is designed to help! Get started for free today! 

Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

A person sits at a desk holding their phone showing a graph, while their laptop sits on the desk showing more charts and graphs.

How TE3CO Leverages Data Analytics to Unlock Business Potential

TE3CO provides mission-critical pressure relief technology and services to customers across the oil and gas industry. They employ a highly trained and capable workforce of field technicians and engineers. Before working with GoCanvas, TE3CO relied on spreadsheets and emails to manage their ticketing process but found the system time-consuming and difficult to track.

Read their story
Two men in hard hats look onto a tablet.

VIP Lighting Gains Business Efficiencies with GoCanvas

VIP Lighting is a retail lighting and electrical maintenance company that services retail chains across Australia and New Zealand. The business has been operating for 25 years and now services 10,000 retail sites across both countries. Prior to joining GoCanvas in 2018, the business had multiple systems running different aspects of their technician and contractor network.

Read their story
Man in a hard hat inspecting HVAC vents.

Three HVAC Maintenance Checklists that will Reduce Errors and Grow Your Bottom Line

For HVAC technicians, so many errors within their daily tasks come from using outdated paper forms while completing a job. Using these HVAC inspection checklists will prevent issues before they happen, so your technicians can collect comprehensive and consistent data at every job.

View checklists

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together
>