Please note that  NO LONGER hosts websites (inexpensive websites
now are available from www.1and1.com).

Free! Get 2 CDs with movies that explain the e-report system -
(much better image quality than the Google Videos linked on this page)
just send an email request to joiereavis@yahoo.com

Simple alternative to e-report CDs - User-Friendly Home
CDs:

You can buy our UFH CDs with only a few folders and files, 
including the book:

The autorun.bat file merely opens an instance of Windows Explorer,
allowing your customer to double-click on the folder of interest. You
can burn your inspection report onto the disk too, along with any videos
that you want your customer to have (no need to print a paper report).
As always, you can request deletion of any folder/file when we burn the
CDs for you. We also can replace our logo with your image when we
print the CD face, and your business information can replace the date
(be sure to give us the exact wording). Buy UFH CDs here.

For first-time users of Homexam's e-report system: 

1. Mail us your photo (either a print or 35mm negative or transparency) of 
your face (or digitized - at least 400x400 pixels) and tell us how to use it by 
filling out our form. If you merely wish to replace the logo and the date with
your photo and business information, you can skip the blanks on the form
that specify such information. Print the form and sign it before mailing it with
a CD to which you have burned these files:

2. The above-mentioned form; your photo and/or logo, if you have a digitized 
version; 

3. Mail the printed form and the CD containing the form, your report, etc., to
our address, along with your check for $180 (for 16 CDs, $11.25 each).
When using your CDs, you'll burn your reports to the CDs - see movie
(Dial-up connection? Download here by right-clicking and choosing
"save link as," then watch from your hard disk). 

When your customers place their e-report CD into their computer, a brief movie will
explain how to get the most from the CD; you can watch it below, or download here.

and your report and the homeowner's
manual both will open automatically. They'll also see the files and folders
included on the CD, including the installation files for Adobe Acrobat, Open
Office (which includes a Word-like word processor so that they can read any
reports created in the .doc format), and a movie player that will play most
movie types, including those that you may have burned onto their disk.

Pretty spiffy, huh? If you send a request to joiereavis@yahoo.com, we'll
mail you 2 CDs that explain everything, including all the
instructional movies mentioned herein.

Interested in a free DVD burner? check out
http://www.nch.com.au/burn/plus.html?gclid=CK6Ij_zNnpsCFQ6jagodzRnPoQ
Homexam hasn't used it, but it has received good reviews.

Watch our 12-min. anti-liability movie (dial-up connection?
download here and then watch from your hard disk) -
"Inspectors, Lawsuits, and Watermarks."

 

Getting started: First, register an unused website name. To do that, go to 1and1
and choose a short name. .

Editing your website: You could do that with the tools provided by 1and1.com,
but you could do it with Nvu - go to www.nvu.com and download their free editor 
(it's great). 

You can watch a streaming  instructional video for Nvu here (remember, Homexam
no longer hosts websites).

After you edit your web pages, save them to your hard disk before publishing to
the web with Nvu. 

Filezilla: Instead of publishing your work to your you website with Nvu or the
1and1 Control Panel, you could transfer the files (including graphic files, movie files,
etc.) to your website with Filezilla (click to download), a free file-transfer
program. You also can use Filezilla to create a subdirectory under the public_html
directory that should be named "images." Use Filezilla to put all .jpg images there.

As instructed in the google movie or the YouTube movie . .  

Image editor: If you want to create a new button, add text to the blank button 
templates that you downloaded above (or here), use VicMan's Photo Editor -
download the free version from www.photo-editor.net. When you add text,
use Arial or Arial Bold font, 14 pt. size. Usually it's best to save image files 
in the .JPG format. If you wish to create a new button that is the same size
as those created for you by Homexam, the dimensions should be 80 pixels
high by 150 pixels wide. Watch the instructional movie here. Keep in mind
this info is for those who create their own webpages - you'll use other procedures
if you use 1and1's free software.

You also could install Google's free Picassa2. It will straighten pictures so
that buildings stand vertically instead of tilted, etc., and do other neat tricks.

Step-by-Step Instructions - our recommendations

1. Organize your hard disk: Install EZguide,

2. Click the new directory: Click the "Homexam" icon on your desktop,
then create a subdirectory entitled "Reports," (click File > 

You may want to create yet another directory under "Reports" for each inspection.
That way, all related files - movies, pictures, reports, etc. - will be easy to find in
one place. If you name the directory beginning with the date - such as
2009-01-31-BobSmith - then all the directories will appear in chronological order
when you view them in Windows Explorer.

3. Create reports on site, review the draft report with your customer (making
any necessary changes), and save it with the filename exactly as shown on the
face of the CD (be sure not to change case - don't use caps unless the face shows
caps) to your directory and then immediately again save as "report-draft.doc."
If you use exactly that filename, then the report will open automatically when
your customers put their e-report CDs into their computers.

4. Close that report-draft.doc file and burn it to your e-report CD - you
won't be able to burn an open Word file. If you don't use Word to create your
reports, you'll need to edit the autorun.bat file in Notepad so that instead of
saying "start report-draft.doc" it says "start report-draft.???" and substitute your
filename extension for the "???." You can start Notepad by clicking

Start>Programs>Accessories>Notepad

Now when you burn your CD, burn the new autorun.bat file along with your
report. Better yet, send us a new autorun.bat file before we create your
e-report CDs so that it will have the correct filename extension already burned
onto the CD.

5. Review your report within 48 hours, add a watermark (see below) so
that it will appear on each page, add your digitized signature to the last
page, and save it as a .pdf file with Open Office or Win2pdf (see below).
The watermark and signature make it difficult for unauthorized persons to alter 
your file. Upload the .pdf file to your website using FTP software, such as Filezilla.
It's best to use a password-protected directory on the web so that Google users
and other search-engine users won't be able to see those files. 

6. Notify your customer by email that the final version of the report is on the
web, and remind him or her of the password - if you created a .PDF file that
requires a password or if the directory is password-protected (see the anti-liabililty
movie - above).

---------------------

Watermarks: You can create a watermark in Word by clicking View>Headers
and Footers. Then click Insert>Picture>From File and place it on the page
between the header and the footer. Click it to open the picture menu and choose
the text-wrap option that places the image behind the text. Press the PgDn key
a couple of times to see if it appears on the other pages. If not, go back to the
picture, click it once and press Ctrl C to copy it, then PgDn to the next page and
press Ctrl V to paste it. Then it should appear on all pages of your report. Our 
anti-liability movie, above, shows this process.

Signature for the last page: You can write your signature in an image editing
program or in Open Office's Word-equivalent with your mouse or a pen, but it's
simpler to photograph it with a digital camera after writing it on a white sheet
with a felt-tip pen. If you put your signature behind some of the text, and upload
the report to the web in .pdf format, it will be almost impossible for someone to
extract your signature from the text and cheat with it.

Speaking of cheating, you also might want to password-protect the .pdf file. You
can't do that with the free version of Win2pdf, but you can pay a few bucks and
do it. Then you won't have to worry that unauthorized persons will read the report. 

Questions and Answers:

Q: I recently received a newsletter from a trainer of inspectors who
argues against using a reporting system that includes references to
codes or a book. He says each such a reference is making a
"recommendation as directive" and results in problems when going to
court, or when specialists, code enforcement officers, etc., have other
opinions. Is it really a good idea to give reports that include references
to a book, such as The User-Friendly Home?
There are two conflicting business models to be found in the home-inspection
industry. One model argues that inspectors should keep it simple, for any
complications - such as "excessive" written material, or the use of moisture
meters, electrical testers, etc., "just give the opposing attorney ammunition with
which to shoot you in court." Decisions in this business model are intended to
avoid getting into disputes with others professionals (real estate agents,
tradespersons, code officers, etc.) and - above all - to win cases in court. We
could call this the defensive model.

The other major model argues that we should serve our customers to the best of
our ability, even if doing so sometimes results in conflict with others. In this
model, the inspector clearly expresses his or her concerns rather than referring
to problems as "conditions," gives an outline of possible repairs, and information
on tempting - but ineffective - alternatives that don't work. Inspectors who follow
this model use moisture meters, electrical testers, and any other tools that help
them tell their customers as much as possible about the house given the time
limitations imposed by the customer's chosen level of thoroughness/cost. This
could be called the service model.

Homexam chose this model because we feel a moral obligation to provide our
customers with the best possible information. For example, some years ago a
person was electrocuted by a receptacle that had totally reversed wiring.

What an unnecessary tragedy! $2 neon-bulb testers find these "conditions." In
such cases - by paying lawyers a substantial fee and enduring months of stress -
you may prevail in court by arguing that you only offer visual inspections; but
how can you prevail in your conscience?

Moreover, even when problems are missed, customers probably are less likely
to sue when they see that you are going the extra mile to inform them by using
testers and giving them a homeowner's manual. Remember this: Avoiding
court is always better than winning in court.

If you fully inform your customer, you will lose some referrals. But an increasing
number of enlightened agents are searching for inspectors who provide thorough
reports. Better yet: When you provide superior service, you can mail postcards to
past customers asking them to give your telephone number to their homebuyer
friends. Then you won't be dependent upon referrals from real estate agents.

Does this business model work? It certainly did for Homexam. During the decade
when we were doing home inspections, we never got sued, nor threatened with a
lawsuit. And when we decided to devote full time to developing training materials,
some real-estate agents were at first unwilling to stop sending their clients to us
(in one case we had to send a registered letter to an agent, begging him to stop
giving our telephone number to his clients).

Similarly, some of the most successful inspection companies, such as HomePro,
Carson-Dunlop, and other industry leaders, promote both book-based reporting
systems and the use of testers. Of course, you could write long reports that
include the material found in books; but do you really want to take time to print
the pictures necessary for full understanding? Certainly that would preclude
the use of on-site reports - which always are preferred by customers, agents,
and others involved in the transaction.

Q: Do customers read the book?
Generally, inspectors who don't at least put checkmarks in the index tell us that
their customers find the book to be overwhelming. At least put checkmarks in
the margins of the index by sections of the book that are especially
important for your customers to read. However, if you really want them to
read the references (and it is to your benefit for you to do everything possible to
get them to read the book, which reinforces reasonable expectations), include a
reference with almost every item on the report. Having said that . . .

A few engineer-types read the book from cover to cover. Some mere mortals read
all the referenced items. However, more read only those items that particularly
interest them. And, unfortunately, some are like the high EPA official who burned
out the motor on his circulator by flooding the oil cup with too much oil. Then,
according to his wife - who happened to be a real estate agent and who told me 
this story - he then read the other referenced articles just to avoid ruining
something else in the house. People generally don't throw away the book, and
most eventually read relevant sections.

Q: An inspector who once offered the book to customers for an additional
fee told me that most customers did not pay extra for the book. Do
customers value the book?
Customers who glance at the book probably won't see why it should cost  twice
as much as, say, some book from their local home center. However, as a trained
home inspector, you know that no book in the home center contains as much
technical information as The User-Friendly Home. More important (at least from
your perspective), the book helps set reasonable expectations. If you you want
to reduce callbacks and lawsuits, it probably is to your advantage for your
customers to read the book. 

Buy clear plastic CD holders, peel and stick, for delivering an e-report CD along 
with a paperback or 3-hole punch book. 

Q: I plan to store all my reports permanently on my hard disk. Is there an
easy way to find a particular report?
Get Google's free Copernic. It can find any file that contains the text for which
you search - such as your customer's name. The search may be especially easy if
you use EZguide, for it has more pre-worded items that almost any other reporting
software. If, then, you can remember a particular problem in that house, you can
search for the exact wording that is found in EZguide, and you'll pull up all the 
reports that contain that item. You should be able to identify the exact report you
want by noting the date. Yahoo desktop search may be even better.

2007 update: Get the free X1 Desktop Search instead.

Q: Where can I learn more about the mini-cd business cards? What is
their capacity?
The mini-CDs hold 225 MB with a full-color image of your face and logo.
See our marketing page. 

Q: If I want to make professional quality videos, what sound editor do
you recommend?
Get the free Audacity - it gets good reviews.

Q: Which pro video editor?
I've used Adobe Premier and others, but much prefer Sony Vegas. If you can't
afford the price then consider the similar Sony Vegas Movie Studio + DVD -
available here.

Q: I don't have GPS to help find my customers' country houses. Solution?
Download Google Earth - the free satelite service; or, go to local.google.com.

Q: Is there a free drawing program that you recommend?
A  free program is Inkscape; download here.

Q: Is there free clipart that I can include in my marketing?
Try this link.

Q: Is there a free 3D image-creation program?
Blender has been around for years, and many people swear by it. Not for the
novice.

Q: Where do I get the Lightwave Illuminator, mentioned in the video? 
LEDs for video?
The Illuminator has gone to heaven; you can get the LEDs here.

Q: What's be best way to avoid virus/ malware from the web?

Get the free avast! home edition. Also get ThreatFire (it's free); better yet,

Get VMware's Player version 2.5???? free virtual Linux machine that runs 
within Windows from http://www.vmware.com/download/player/ 
and then get the free open-source appliance from http://bagside.com/
(you'll need to click on the "bagvapp Virtual Appliances" link and then
click on the "Appliances available for download" link in order to see the selection
that is available). 
   Then I'd recommend clicking on the Xubuntu 9.04 -
it works well for me. In order to unzip the files, you may need to download
and install the free 7-Zip file compression utility from http://www.7-zip.org/
After un-zipping the files, just double-click on the x904.VMX file. When it asks
for the user name, type "bagside" and do the same for password. If you are the
only user of your computer or you don't mind anyone using this browser, click
Applications > System > Users and Groups, then type the password "bagside," if
requested, then click "unlock" and type in "bagside" as the only user. Then you
won't have to do that every day. 
   This is one neat Firefox that already has Flash and other video players installed, 
and has a word processor, firewall, etc. Very stable, and because it's a virtual 
machine, it's almost impossible for a virus/malware to get into your real computer. 
I've used VMware for several years an never have had any threat (although I do 
still keep my Window firewall going, plus the free Avast AV protection and the free 
Threatfire).
   You can import your current tabs by going into your current browser and going to
its preferences section and selecting and copying all present in its "Home Page"
blank. Then put the cursor back into the VMware Player, and open Firefox, then go 
to Edit > Preferences > Main and paste all those URLs into the "Home Page" blank. 
Done!
   PS: If you use the Abiword word processor, you can save as a Word (.doc) file if
you press Ctrl Shift S instead of Ctrl S (click the little down-triangle to the right of
"Save file as type:").

   If your Linux virtual machine does get infected, you can uninstall it and re-install 
everything. Our movie shows how to create a virtual machine using 100% free 
software that will do everything on the web that a home inspector needs - setting 
up a website, browsing the web, etc. The like is slightly outdated, but if you use
the links on this page, you'll be OK.

   Incidentally, the video says that the only way to transfer data back to your real
machine is by first saving to a thumb drive, then opening the thurmb drive back in
Windows. Not true for the new versions above. Instead, you can just select text,
images, etc., within the Browser Appliance, then paste them into your word 
processor or graphics program back in Windows. Or, you can just drag-'n-drop
files from your Windows Explorer onto the VMware desktop. Very smooth.