On-The-Go Inspection Tool Speeds Up and Increases Reliability of the Inspection Process

The Cloudpermit e-permitting software includes a mobile inspection tool that facilitates the work of everyone involved in the building inspection process. The tool is developed to meet the requirements of municipalities and building inspectors.

The Director of Product Management at Cloudpermit Ilkka Mattila emphasizes that the tool is designed to work throughout the entire permitting and inspection process. "The tool includes the possibility to manage, request and document inspections.The information and requirements for these can be centralized and made available for all. For the inspectors the tool is essential as it enables them to do all the documentation on site easily. The inspectors can record all their findings and remarks as well as use photographic documentation within the mobile tool. It can also be used for the communication between the different parties involved."

For Cloudpermit the reason to invest in the inspection tool was customer feedback. "The tool was highly requested by our customers. The inspectors are constantly on the go but there were no tools available to make their work simpler. Other sectors have developed various mobile solutions, we wanted to create something for the building industry", Mattila says.

What makes the tool especially functional is that it enables easy access to all information at all times. "The building permits, construction drawings, previous inspections etc. can now be accessed on the mobile. Previously inspectors spent considerable amounts of time looking for documents or taking printouts. With the mobile tool inspectors can head straight to work knowing that they have all the information they might need.  There can also be less need to re-visit sites since the builders can submit required information through the service."

The time saved is time spent on other things. According to Mattila the number of inspections a single inspector can perform can be increased or more time can be used on each individual site, improving the quality in construction.  Apart from saving time the tool can also increase reliability and security. "The municipalities have high liability and with the tool they can make sure all information, documentation and communication is kept safe and in one place for future reference."

Mattila wants to highlight that the tool is not only designed to make the lives of municipalities easier. "Even the contractors and builders benefit from seeing all the information and being able to react to requirements or upcoming inspections."