The missing link

Research is being carried out into the performance of surveyors undertaking a Homebuyer Report. The background to that research was published in Hollis and Bright (1999) and in Hollis (1999). This paper is a further sub‐set of that work and deals with the analysis of the methodology of inspection based upon the observed inspections of parts of two buildings. It looks at the observation process of inspection undertaken by a sample of six surveyors. This showed that parts of the exposed interior of the building were not being looked at. The time for the examination of a room was created by tests to set a model against which the inspections could be measured. The conclusion is that the inspection may be only 10 per cent of that anticipated. The method of standard reporting is considered, and the absence of linkage between evidence collected for reporting in various compartments noted. The conclusions in this interim stage in the research suggest that there should be a better documented catalogue of inspection process and that there should be a greater emphasis placed upon the contemplation of the implication of the evidence. The conclusions are based upon a very small sample, and this means that the results may not be conclusive.