Holmes Inspection by Mike Holmes (Binder in Wraps) (Canadian Edition)
by Holmes
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Book Summary Information
Author: HolmesEdition: Hardcover
Published: 2008
ISBN: N/A
Book Reviews of Holmes Inspection by Mike Holmes (Binder in Wraps) (Canadian Edition)
Book Review: Excellent overview of home inspection issues for the layman
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a huge fan of the "Holmes on Homes" TV series, so this book seemed to be right up my alley at first glance. However, I was a bit concerned because it's called a "Canadian edition". Since I live in the US I was wary how much of the information would be applicable here (and, as far as I know, there is no "US edition"--at this date, anyway).
Nonetheless the book was full of useful and applicable information for any homeowner. Mike does mention Canadian minimum code standards in a few places, but he's also stated there are more similarities than differences between Canadian and American codes. After all, a solid foundation, proper insulation and water-proofing, safe electrical and correctly vented plumbing are primary housing concerns no matter where you live. I think a basic rule of thumb is: if you live in an area that has four seasons, you can apply 95% of this material to your home.
The book starts out with basic sections covering the inspection (process, goals, limitations, etc.), exterior (foundation, roof, yard, driveway, siding, etc.), and interior (walls, ceilings, attic, electrical, plumbing, etc.) of the home, and what you and your home inspector should be looking for. Mike covers a bit of history and a bit of technique in each section, summarizes quite nicely what a good job should look like, and details the traces of an area that was shoddily done or poorly maintained.
Mike then provides four varied and actual "case study" inspections he's performed, covering an antique home, a brand new slapped-together home, a "flipped" home, and a fixer-upper (while he doesn't cover a condo in his case studies, he does call out some information about them in the earlier sections--certainly the "interior" section is fully applicable to a condo owner, but the exterior sections are equally important--the condo owner may not be individually responsible, but he/she is part of the community that is fiscally responsible). Finally, Mike follows up with checklists for screening a real estate agent, a home inspector, and their references, together with a checklist for condos (with URLs to the PDFs to download and print).
Bottom line: If you like what you see on the "Holmes on Homes" series and you are or intend to be a homeowner, this is the book for you.
Summary of Holmes Inspection by Mike Holmes (Binder in Wraps) (Canadian Edition)
Mike Holmes is on a mission. Now that he's helped Canadian home renovators with his mega-selling Make It Right, Canada's most trusted contractor offers his expertise and passion for excellence to anyone with plans to sell or buy a home. In The Holmes Inspection, Mike shows us how to sell smart and buy smart so there'll be no surprises when it comes to the single largest investment most of us will ever make. Homebuyers today are in a bind. Before signing on the dotted line and handing over their hard-earned cash, they need advice about the product itself: the house they've got their eye on. But to get that good advice, says Holmes, it often takes more than a single call to a "professional" home inspector. Mike tells readers what a home inspector can and can't do, and what options are open to prospective homebuyers who need to know what they're getting. Holmes deconstructs the often mystifying and downright scary process of buying and selling a house, walking readers through, into and around the average house so they can see past the tasteful, neutral decorating scheme. Using real case studies, "red flag" sidebars and hundreds of photographs, The Holmes Inspection shows readers how to spot problems that could be expensive or even catastrophic, giving them the information they need to judge a house wisely. From the mechanicals (furnace, electrical and plumbing) to the "envelope" (floors, walls, doors and windows) to issues of location and siting, this book alerts readers to the ugly realities behind the "lipstick and mascara" that many vendors use to cover up problems when selling their homes.Subjects Books
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