The Importance of Context in Communication

Structure Talk

Today we're going to talk about giving context and putting things into perspective for buyers and homeowners.

Reuben and Tessa talk about the factors needed to be considered when reporting about different kinds of houses: the age and condition of the house and the unique or typical defects. Tessa shares that being a home inspector is a difficult job and it's more than just the technical side of looking at defects and finding problems. It's looking at the house, understanding clients and their concerns, and being able to communicate effectively and potentially address concerns that are outside the scope of the home inspection. She adds that it's important that clients have a good understanding of what they are buying.

Tessa discusses the steps in inspecting, reporting, taking the inspection one step further, and collating important information for the client. They talk about categorizing the critical items in home inspections: health and safety, expensive or big repairs, and building performance. She highlights that effective communication is as important as doing a good technical inspection: it's about what to say and how to say it. Reuben shares examples where proper context is necessary for discussing safety hazards.