HomeGauge News Alert February 2015

HomeGauge is pleased to announce a new conversion program for moving your HIP-py templates to HomeGauge.

Have you been waiting to make the switch to HomeGauge because you spent hours editing your HIP-py (Home Inspector Pro) template and don't want that time spent to go to waste? That's a lot of time you could have spent following the Dead in your van! Well, you don't have to wait any longer because we've created a tool to automate the process. If you're interested in converting your HIP template to HomeGauge, email it to me at russell@homegauge.com and I can do the conversion for you. Soon, we'll have a download available directly on our website for any user to try on their own.


For those looking for the InterNACHI inspection narratives by Kenton Shepard in a HomeGauge template, we're happy to let you know that they are on the way and will be on sale soon at InterNACHI's Inspector Outlet. I am working with Kenton to get them organized into a great reporting template. Everyone who has previously bought Kenton Shepard's narratives will be entitled to a complimentary copy of the HomeGauge template.

What about 3D or Porter Valley Software? My hair length is already good enough for meeting with real estate agents, but I am still ready to switch to HomeGauge.

We already have a great tool for converting 3D and Porter Valley templates to HomeGauge. You can download it and start working with HomeGauge today. You should download the trial of HomeGauge before running the migration tool. Let us know if you need help with it!



Responsive websites make use of flexible layouts and images to build webpages that detect the visitor's screen size and change the layout accordingly. In other words, responsive websites change appearance somewhat depending on if you're looking at the site on your desktop, tablet, or mobile phone — they are designed to look good on all screen sizes.

What's the advantage?

The biggest advantage is that you only need to build a single site, and that site will work on all modern devices. You will not need to worry about building a separate website optimized for mobile.

Can I see an example responsive website?

HomeGauge's new Support Center (still in beta) is a responsive site. You can try viewing it on your mobile device or even just try making your web browser very narrow. You'll notice some differences when viewing it on your mobile device / narrow screen, such as there will only be 1 column, the menu will look different, and some other things. Here are a couple of our customer's responsive websites: http://mrhomeinspections.ca/ and http://homesmartinspectionsnh.com/

My current site isn't responsive, what are my options?

If you are hosting a WordPress website with HomeGauge, you can switch out your website theme with a responsive theme. It may require you to work a little bit on the new theme to contain your logo(s), information, and color scheme. If you don't want to do this work yourself, you can contact us about doing the work for you for a small fee by emailing us at hostingsupport@homegauge.com.

Do I need a responsive website / is there another approach I can take?

You probably should have a responsive website going forward. Any new websites should plan on using a responsive layout from the start. Responsive websites are the current trend in website design and are the most modern approach.

Another thing you can do if you are hosting a WordPress website is install a mobile theme plugin. This is a different approach, but can save you some time. To do this, go to your plugins section of your WordPress dashboard and install a mobile theme plugin, such as "WPtouch Mobile Plugin" (there are several others if you search). What these plugins do is detect if the visitor is using a mobile device, and if they are, they switch out the theme completely for a separate mobile theme. The only downside is that these mobile themes tend to be somewhat limited. However, for the most part, they do a good job.



HomeGauge is pleased to announce several upcoming software training classes.

Call us at 828-254-2030 to reserve your spot. Space is limited.

Burlington, ON (OAHI/CAHPI): March 5th, 2015 from 9am-5pm at the Holiday Inn Burlington Hotel & Conference Centre. Inspectors who are attending the OAHI/CAHPI conference that week can attend for free, but must still register. For inspectors not attending the conference the fee is $99.

Frankfort, KY (KREIA): March 12th, 2015 from 9am-5pm at the Capital Plaza Hotel. Inspectors who are attending the KREIA conference that week can attend for free, but must still register. For inspectors not attending the conference the fee is $99.

Baraboo, WI (WAHI): March 12th, 2015 from 9am-5pm at the Ho Chunk Casino. Inspectors who are attending the WAHI conference that week can attend for free, but must still register. For inspectors not attending the conference the fee is $99.

Asheville, NC: Three day training class, April 16-18, 2015 from 9am-5pm. Don't miss the Grand Opening of our NEW Training Center! This will be our best training ever and it's all about SPEED! Learn how to use HG5, the HGC, and how to cut down your report writing time. This intense 3-day training will cover in-depth use of the software, including extensive customization of your report template. PLUS, create mock reports with real props and cross-sections of homes using the HG Companion or a tablet pc. Cost for the class is $300 for first attendee, $200 for each additional from the same company.

Get more info online or call us at 828-254-2030 to reserve your spot. Space is limited.

We look forward to seeing you!



InterNACHI and Nick Gromicko are still offering any HomeGauge Services user a 6 month membership to the largest association in the inspection industry! All you have to do is send me an email — russell@homegauge.com — and request it. This is for anyone who has not already been a member of InterNACHI.

If you like us on facebook, you will be the first to find out when our next HG Companion (iOS) update is available. Plus, like us now...and we will like you back!

Until next time,
Russell Buchanan
HomeGauge, President
russell@HomeGauge.com
828-254-2030