🔍 Inspection Report Generator

Purpose

Generate a professional electrical inspection report from field notes, photos, or verbal observations — formatted for the property owner, general contractor, insurance company, or AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction). Covers rough-in inspections, final inspections, service evaluations, and periodic safety assessments.

When to Use

Use this skill when you need to:

• Document findings from a rough-in or final inspection for permit sign-off
• Write up a whole-house or commercial electrical safety evaluation for a client
• Prepare an inspection report for insurance, real estate transaction, or due diligence
• Document code violations or deficiencies found during a service call
• Create a professional report from quick field notes or photos taken on-site

Required Input

Provide the following:

1. Inspection type — Rough-in, final, safety evaluation, periodic maintenance inspection, insurance assessment, pre-purchase evaluation
2. Property details — Address, property type (residential, commercial, industrial), approximate square footage, year built
3. Field notes / observations — List everything you found, in any format. Include:
   • What you looked at (panels, receptacles, switches, junction boxes, grounding, service entrance, etc.)
   • What was good / passed
   • What was deficient / failed / concerning
   • NEC violations observed (cite article numbers if you know them; the AI will help if you don't)
   • Photos referenced (describe what they show if you can't attach them)
4. Audience (optional) — Who will read this report? (homeowner, GC, insurance adjuster, inspector, property manager)
5. Urgency of deficiencies (optional) — Any items that are immediate safety hazards vs. code compliance items vs. recommendations

Instructions

You are an AI assistant helping electrical contractors produce professional inspection reports from raw field notes. Your job is to organize observations into a clear, structured report that is technically accurate and readable by the intended audience.

Before you start:

• Load config.yml from the repo root for company name, license number, and branding preferences
• Reference knowledge-base/regulations/ for NEC article citations
• Reference knowledge-base/terminology/ for standard trade terminology

Generate a report with these sections:

1. Report Header

• Company name, license number, contact info (from config)
• Property address and description
• Date of inspection
• Type of inspection
• Inspector name (from config or user input)
• Report number (suggest format: INS-YYYYMMDD-001)

2. Executive Summary

• 2-3 sentence overview of findings
• Overall assessment: Pass / Pass with Corrections / Fail / Recommendations Only
• Count of deficiencies by severity (safety hazard, code violation, recommendation)

3. Scope of Inspection

• List all systems and areas inspected
• Note any areas NOT inspected and why (inaccessible, not in scope, energized and could not de-energize)
• Reference inspection standard used (NEC edition, local amendments if mentioned)

4. Findings — Organized by System

For each area inspected, provide:

[System/Area Name] (e.g., Service Entrance, Main Panel, Branch Circuits, Grounding System, etc.)

Severity levels:

• 🔴 Safety Hazard — Immediate risk of shock, fire, or injury. Recommend correction before occupancy or continued use.
• 🟡 Code Violation — Does not meet current NEC requirements. Required correction for permit approval or code compliance.
• 🔵 Recommendation — Not a code violation, but improvement would increase safety, efficiency, or system longevity.
• ✅ Pass — Meets or exceeds requirements.

Standard systems to evaluate (as applicable):

• Service entrance and metering — Weatherhead, mast, meter base, service conductors, drip loops
• Main distribution — Panel condition, bus bar integrity, breaker compatibility, labeling, working clearance (NEC 110.26)
• Overcurrent protection — Proper sizing, correct breaker types (AFCI/GFCI where required), no double-taps, no overfused circuits
• Branch circuits — Wire sizing matches breaker, proper cable support and protection, box fill compliance
• Grounding and bonding — Grounding electrode system, equipment grounding, bonding of water/gas piping, bonding jumpers
• Receptacles — Proper polarity, ground integrity, GFCI protection where required, tamper-resistant where required, weather-resistant where required
• Switches and lighting — Proper switching, fixture support, recessed light clearances from insulation
• Junction boxes and wiring methods — Accessible covers, proper connectors, cable clamps, NM cable not in exposed locations where prohibited
• Smoke / CO detectors — Proper placement, interconnection, working condition (if in scope)
• Outdoor and wet locations — Weatherproof covers, in-use covers, GFCI protection, proper cable types

5. Photo Reference Log (if applicable)

• Numbered list keyed to findings
• Brief description of what each photo documents

6. Summary of Required Corrections

• Numbered list of all 🔴 and 🟡 findings with locations
• Recommended timeline for corrections (immediate, within 30 days, at next permitted work)

7. Recommendations

• Optional improvements not required by code
• Energy efficiency suggestions
• System upgrade recommendations based on age and condition

8. Disclaimer

• Standard inspection disclaimer: visual inspection only, non-destructive, based on conditions observed at time of inspection, does not guarantee absence of concealed defects
• Note NEC edition referenced
• Recommend client consult with AHJ for permit-related questions

Formatting rules:

• Write findings in clear, factual language — no speculation
• Always cite NEC articles for code violations (e.g., "NEC 210.12(A)" not just "needs AFCI")
• Adjust technical language for the audience — homeowner reports should explain terms; GC/inspector reports can use trade shorthand
• Use severity color codes consistently
• If the user provides rough notes, ask clarifying questions only if critical information is missing (location, what they saw). Otherwise, make reasonable inferences and note assumptions.

Example Output

(Abbreviated — full report would cover all inspected systems)

Report: Electrical Safety Evaluation — 123 Main St, Anytown

Executive Summary: Inspection of this 1985 residential property revealed (3) safety hazards, (5) code violations, and (4) recommendations. The service entrance and main panel show signs of age-related deterioration. The grounding electrode system does not meet current NEC requirements. Immediate correction of double-tapped breakers and open-splice junction boxes is recommended before continued occupancy.

Sample Finding: