To watch a video version of this podcast, click here: https://youtu.be/0nv6QgYTy50

In this episode of the Structure Talk podcast, Reuben Saltzman and Eric Houseman welcome Nick Roberts and Sam Despres, the team behind HomeTrace, to discuss how AI is changing home inspection software. They explore tools designed to reduce administrative work, including AI-assisted report writing, voice dictation, photo organization, appliance data extraction, and automated defect documentation. The conversation also highlights HomeTrace’s AI-powered 3D room scanning, software migration capabilities, integrated business tools, and plans to make the home inspection process more efficient for solo inspectors and larger firms.

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Takeaways

HomeTrace’s AI agent can match voice dictation with timestamped photos, organize findings, populate report sections, and attach images to the appropriate locations.
Inspectors can use AI to extract appliance information from data plates, create draft inspections from text messages, and streamline documentation.
AI-powered 3D room scanning can help inspectors identify where defects are located, while giving clients, agents, and contractors a clearer view of the property.
HomeTrace combines report writing, scheduling, payments, websites, review tools, and file sharing to reduce the need to switch between multiple systems.
AI integrations with tools such as Claude can help transfer existing inspection templates into HomeTrace, although some adjustments may still be needed.
The developers emphasize automating time-consuming tasks so inspectors can focus more on inspections and client service.
At the time of the discussion, HomeTrace did not yet replace every back-office function or integration used by larger inspection firms, including some established systems such as ISN.
The guests discussed a base price of $50 per month for solo inspectors, team pricing starting at $60 per month with additional inspectors at $50 each, and a standard 30-day free trial.
The HomeTrace team encourages inspectors to share problems and feature requests so the software can continue improving.
A central philosophy shared by Nick is that a business is a collection of problems it solves for its customers.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction and Inspector Empire Builder Podcast Mention
03:08 – Meet Nick Roberts and Sam Despres: The Story Behind HomeTrace
08:46 – Sam’s Journey from Engineering and Homebuilding to Home Inspection
14:55 – Why Sam Wanted Better Home Inspection Software
20:14 – HomeTrace’s Mission: Eliminating Friction and Repetitive Work
21:53 – AI Tools for Booking Inspections and Managing Client Information
23:53 – Introducing HomeTrace’s AI Agent
26:31 – Using AI to Analyze Photos and Complete Inspection Reports
29:19 – Voice Dictation, Photo Matching, and AI Integrations
31:09 – Migrating Inspection Templates with AI
34:07 – HomeTrace Pricing, Website Hosting, and Built-In Features
37:19 – AI-Powered 3D Room Scanning with LiDAR
40:01 – How 3D Reports Could Transform Home Inspections
42:12 – Pinpointing Defects and Sharing Interactive Reports
44:30 – HomeTrace for Solo Inspectors and Larger Inspection Companies
45:27 – ISN Integration, Back-Office Needs, and Future Plans
48:24 – Free Trials, Discounts, and Opportunities for Inspection Schools
50:30 – Customer Feedback and the Future of HomeTrace
52:16 – The Business Philosophy Behind HomeTrace
52:42 – Where to Find HomeTrace and Episode Wrap-Up