How Inspectors Can Grow Their Business With Built

Before Built, Dotson Inspections was forced to settle for inconsistent technology and manual inspection processes established by the lenders it was working with. When called upon to inspect projects, details were tracked using spreadsheets, and the software was unreliable. After partnering with a lender that used Built, Dotson experienced the simplicity and efficiency of a revitalized inspection process—with Built, the time saved by digitally implementing data allowed Dotson to grow their business from five inspections a week to 60. Now, inspections happen seamlessly, and Built’s reliability delivers peace of mind. Inspectors leverage digital tools to grow faster and deliver the streamlined experience their customers deserve.

Dotson founder, Jan Dotson, discusses her experience using the platform and shares why she and her team grew their business as a result of leveraging Built.

• What was your process for managing inspections before you were introduced to Built?

  We started with a very manual process. In the beginning, we would take the pictures with a 35-millimeter camera. Then, we’d just transfer our pictures to our computer, then transfer them to an Excel spreadsheet that my husband developed from building houses. And we would print that as a PDF and send that along with the pictures. We were doing that with every inspection. Sixty inspections. But them, we started working with a bank that switched to Built. I can’t imagine doing that now that we’ve come to Built.

• What was your initial introduction to Built like? How was the onboarding process?

  Change is always hard, but the customer success team at Built made it seamless; it was such a fantastic process. The team at Built assured could not have been more welcoming and made sure to explain how it would benefit us. We were able to get up and running soon after that

• Tell us a little bit about your experience with the Built Inspect app.

  It’s very user-friendly. If you know how to use your phone, then you can work it. It’s very simple. When I hire new inspectors, I say, “You got to know how to use your phone.” If you can use your phone, you can do this. It’s a super easy process and very self-explanatory.

• Do you have a favorite feature within the app?

  With our previous technology partner, if you didn’t have service, you lost your inspection. We could be in the middle–or worse– at the end of an inspection, walk into a room, and we’d lose service and lose the entire thing. I think that that’s probably the biggest thing for us is the reliability of the application itself. Built’s mobile app enables us to submit no matter where they are or how spotty the service is.

• How has Built played a role in helping you achieve business goals?

  I think definitely expanding our team has been amazing. All of our inspections are together in Built. It’s so easy for me to analyze the areas in which our inspections take place and assign them based on the location of our inspector network. Built gives me that visibility. My inspectors live in their areas now, whereas before, my inspectors were driving all day every day to their assignments. Those were very long days; winters were horrible. But now, my inspectors for the most part live in their areas. And I think Built helped streamline the process, and in turn, helped us grow.

• Would you recommend Built to other inspectors or to lenders who are looking for better progress inspections?

  Absolutely. I think it just streamlines the process. It’s especially for inspectors, you have everything right there. You have all the data accessible. Beforehand, we didn’t have that information. When I got an email for a request, it was just an address. And if I needed a gate code, I’d have to call someone and pray that someone picked up the phone. I have all that access now and can eliminate a lot of trouble by just having all of the information right there in front of me. And, the fact inspections are submitted as soon as you were done with them gives you peace of mind. Plus, I don’t have to invoice for it? Score.

Ready to learn more?

For more information about getting started with Built’s Inspections Technology and Services, or how you can join our network of Verified Inspectors, please visit https://getbuilt.com/inspection-services/.