Running Your First Diagnosis
Your first Oakden Property diagnosis takes about two minutes. Here is exactly how to do it.
Step 1: Navigate to the Checkup Page
Log in to your Oakden Property account and click Checkup in the navigation. You can also go directly to oakdenproperty.com/checkup.
Step 2: Select the Room
Choose the room or area where the issue is located. Options include kitchen, bathroom, basement, attic, exterior, garage, living areas, and more. Selecting the right room helps the AI narrow down potential causes based on typical building systems in that area.
Step 3: Describe the Symptoms
This is the most important step. Describe what you are seeing, hearing, or smelling in plain language. Be specific:
- Good: "There is a brown water stain on the ceiling below the upstairs bathroom. It appeared two weeks ago and seems to be getting larger."
- Too vague: "Ceiling looks bad."
Include details like:
- What you observe (stain, crack, smell, noise, moisture)
- When it started or when you first noticed it
- Where exactly it is (which wall, corner, floor level)
- Any changes over time (growing, worsening, intermittent)
Step 4: Add Photos (Recommended)
Tap or click the photo upload area to add images of the issue. Photos significantly improve diagnosis accuracy because the AI can use computer vision to identify patterns, material types, damage extent, and other visual indicators.
Tips for good diagnostic photos:
- Take photos in good lighting
- Include a wide shot showing context and a close-up showing detail
- Photograph the surrounding area too, not just the problem spot
Step 5: Submit Your Diagnosis
Click Submit and the AI begins analysis. This typically takes 30 to 60 seconds depending on the complexity of your description and whether photos are included.
During analysis, the AI cross-references your symptoms against building science databases, common failure patterns, regional climate factors, and material lifecycle data.
Step 6: Review Your Report
Your diagnosis report includes:
- Likely issue with a confidence indicator
- Severity level: Critical (needs immediate attention), High (address soon), Medium (plan a fix), or Low (monitor it)
- Root cause explanation in plain language
- Recommended trade professional (the exact type of contractor to call)
- Estimated cost range for the repair
- What to do next with actionable steps
The diagnosis is automatically saved as a case on your property dashboard. You can revisit it anytime, add follow-up notes, or mark it as resolved once the issue is fixed.
Follow-Up Chat
After your diagnosis, you can use the chat feature to ask follow-up questions. For example: "Is this something I could fix myself?" or "How urgent is this really?" The AI maintains context from your original diagnosis.