The problem
Homeowners can't see their roof, so they need a report they can trust. At 5 inspections a week and 30 minutes each to write up, that's 2.5 hours a week; quotes slip back because the paperwork is waiting on a tired evening.
What the AI does
You note what you found on the roof, the cause and what you'd do. An AI assistant turns those into a plain-English report with sections for findings, urgency and options. You check every statement against what you saw, add prices and send it.
A worked example
A roofer in Plymouth does about 5 inspections a week. He dictates notes in the van and has an AI assistant draft a one-page report with findings and two repair options, which he checks and sends that afternoon.
Before
30 minutes writing each report, often the next day
After
10 minutes checking each report, sent the same afternoon
What it's worth
About 7 hours a month saved (20 minutes on each of 5 reports a week), worth around £245 if your time is worth £35 an hour.
How to set it up
- Write down a standard report structure: summary, findings, urgency, options, price.
- Dictate or type short notes in the van straight after the visit.
- Paste the notes into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini and ask for a report in that structure, in plain English.
- Check each finding against your own notes and delete anything you didn't see.
- Add prices, photos from your phone and your terms, then send it.
What goes wrong
- It cannot see the roof. Only describe what you saw, or it may fill gaps with guesses.
- Never let it state a cause you haven't confirmed.
- Don't claim a survey standard you don't work to.