The short answer
Dictation works best when you speak in a steady pattern for each element: what it is, what it's made of, its condition, the evidence you saw, any limits on the inspection and what you'd advise. Keep each note to one element, say measurements and locations out loud, and take photos as you go so they can be matched to the right section later.
Why dictate at all
Speaking is several times quicker than typing on a phone, and it keeps your hands free for a torch, a damp meter or a ladder. It also tends to capture more detail. When writing notes, people shorten things to save time. When speaking, they describe what they see. That detail is what makes the report quicker to write later.
The catch is that a long, unstructured recording can be just as slow to deal with as scribbled notes. The tips below are about dictating in a way that turns into a report easily.
Use one note per element
Start a new note each time you move to a new element: main roof, chimney stacks, main walls, windows, and so on. Say the element name first. Short notes tied to a single element are easy to find, easy to correct and easy to turn into a paragraph. One 45-minute recording of the whole visit is not.
A pattern to follow
Saying things in the same order every time makes notes faster to use. One pattern that works:
- What it is. "Main roof, rear slope."
- What it's made of. "Pitched, concrete interlocking tiles."
- Condition. "Generally fair. Three tiles slipped near the valley."
- Evidence. "Moss build-up, staining to the soffit below."
- Limits. "Seen from the garden with binoculars, upper part not visible."
- Your view. "Repair needed, not urgent. Likely a 2."
- Photos. "Photos taken, wide and close."
You don't need to say every step for every element. A sound element in good order might only need the first three. But having the pattern means you're less likely to forget the parts that matter, especially limitations.
Say numbers and locations clearly
Speech recognition is generally good with everyday words but can trip over numbers, measurements and similar-sounding terms. Speak measurements slowly, with units: "crack about three millimetres wide". Name locations precisely: "front left bedroom, below the window", rather than "in here". If a term is often misheard, it's worth checking the transcript straight away.
Talk about what you saw, not just what you think
Your opinion matters, but the report also needs the evidence behind it. "Damp problem" is a conclusion. "Meter readings high at skirting level along the rear wall, tide marks to the plaster, external ground level close to the damp proof course" is evidence, and much easier to turn into a clear, defensible paragraph.
Handling noise and people
- Wind is the biggest problem outdoors. Turn your back to it or shield the microphone.
- Pause dictation near traffic or machinery, and pick up again when it's quieter.
- If the vendor or agent is present, be mindful of what you say aloud. Some surveyors dictate sensitive points in the car afterwards.
- Never record other people without their knowledge.
When there's no signal
Roof spaces, cellars and rural properties often have poor mobile signal. Before you rely on dictation, check how your app behaves offline: whether speech can be turned into text on the device, and whether notes and photos are saved on the phone until they can sync. If they are, you can carry on as normal. If not, record audio and transcribe later.
Photos alongside dictation
Take photos as you dictate about each element, so they sit next to the right note. Say out loud that you've taken them. A wide shot for context and a close-up of any defect is usually enough. It saves the end-of-day job of working out which photo of guttering belongs to which elevation.
Before you leave the property
- Skim your notes and check each main element has something recorded.
- Check the services, grounds and outbuildings, which are easy to miss.
- Note anything you couldn't inspect and why.
- Make sure the notes and photos are saved, or will sync when you're back in range.
Tidying up afterwards
However good the transcription, read it back. Correct misheard words, fill gaps while you still remember the property, and move any notes that ended up in the wrong section. If you use software that drafts report text from your notes, this is the step that makes the draft good. The draft can only be as accurate as what you said.
Your notes may form part of your file for the job. Check how long your firm keeps them and where they're stored.
For more ways to save time after the visit, read how to write survey reports faster.
The PropScribe iOS app is built around this way of working. You open the section you're in, dictate, and take photos against it. Speech is turned into text on the device where the phone supports it, notes are kept on the phone if you lose signal and sync once you're back online, and the notes then become an AI first draft for you to review. See how it works.