rvi, a new technology

Unfortunately, I remember a life that existed prior to email being widely used and before the internet existed in the form it exists today. 

I remember looking forward to getting those free introductory America Online (AOL) CD’s in the snail-mail.  In exchange for creating a new AOL account (which meant it generated a new [email protected] email address) you would be given a few hours of free internet access.  The thrill of unplugging the phone cord from the phone and plugging the cord into the modem on the back of the computer- those were the good ol’ days!  Remote Video Inspections (RVI’s) right now are kind of like that- they exist, but we are only at the infancy of RVI usage.  It is an under-utilized technology. 
When I started my first business venture as a traditional real estate home inspector in 1999, inspection reports were traditionally completed in multi-part forms (carbon copies) with the client receiving a copy and us keeping a copy.  While most everyone was aware of email in 1999, it remained (for some people) only something used at work- not personally.  Right around 2000, I made the switch emailing reports using this new portable document format called PDF’s by Adobe.  I remember having email templates with a paragraph dedicated to explaining how to open the report, it included a link to the FREE software that would open the inspection report- cutting edge stuff!  I feel like the adoption of RVI is in a very similar spot- we have the technology readily available to perform RVI’s, not many people are.
We all have mobile phones/devices.  Internet coverage in this area of Illinois is essentially 100%.  Yet we continue to drive to each location an inspection is needed.  That time costs the municipality money either in salary or to a 3rd party firm.  The contractor should be on-site already, why not make a video call and inspect in a different manner?  I think we all forget the inspection is intended to be a visual in nature.  The contractor has the responsibility and liability on the actual installation.  The inspectors are another set of eyes.
With our collective ability to utilize existing, widely adopted technology, we all should be racing to perform as many remote video inspections as we responsibly can.  Inspection counts per inspector will increase when compared to driving to each project site.
I understand the argument about wanting to be on site.  I agree generally that inspecting in person is easier for the inspector.  Not every inspection will qualify for an RVI, but many will.  I would not offer an RVI for a large home’s complex roof structure to a new or experienced inspector, but I would certainly entertain it for a basement prepour or deck inspection.  As technology progresses, cameras and displays will improve- maybe that roof will be better seen via an RVI than in person- who knows, things change.
RVI’s are safer too.  Less people on the jobsite inherently means less opportunity for injury or spread of disease.  Obviously Covid-19 has pushed most of us to change how routine tasks are performed.  I think some of those changes offer advantages that should remain and become standard operation.  Remote video inspection is one of them. 
Remote video inspections are slowly becoming common enough that people in the industry know the lingo- remote video inspection or RVI.  As people start to see the advantages of this technology, RVI’s will grow in use.  Municipal RVI expects to be a leader in that wave of adoption.