Inspecting a House (For Pros By Pros) [Paperback]

Rex Cauldwell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 31, 2000

This pro-level guide to inspecting a house is a tool for evaluating property inside and out. It includes a discussion of current building materials, heating, electrical and plumbing systems, foundations, and more. This book can help anyone determine the soundness of a house.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Home ownership is the biggest expense most people ever make, so the prepurchase inspection of a house makes a great deal of sense. With 20 years of experience as a master plumber and electrician, building inspector, and licensed contractor, Cauldwell is well qualified to show what constitutes an in-depth home inspection. Geared toward other home inspectors, this guide will also prove useful to realtors and to homebuyers. Readers are guided through a home's interior and exterior with much attention paid to the signs that indicate major problems. Cauldwell describes the work practices used by ethical inspectors and shows how to conduct many tests and checks. Most public libraries should consider this title.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 266 pages
• Publisher: Taunton Press (December 31, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561584622
• ISBN-13: 978-1561584628
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #327,880 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Already saved me thousands of dollars, April 22, 2001

By 

Betsy Parker - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inspecting a House (For Pros By Pros) (Paperback)

Although subtitled "For Pros, by Pros," I think any homeowner or home buyer can benefit from Inspecting A House. This winter it saved me potentially thousands of dollars in repair costs by pointing out the danger of snow build up along the eaves and dormers of my house. It's also helped me identify areas of potential concern where a little preventative maintenance can save me a lot of money down the road.

Inspecting A House's strengths include its in-depth information, easy to understand conversational tone, clear illustrations, and revealing four-color pictures of what to look for (and look out) for. Each chapter concludes with a handy checklist which you can easily photocopy and take with you as you examine your own house or go house shopping.

Inspecting a Book would be a bargain at twice the price.

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Topical introduction, March 14, 2005

By 

Jeffrey M. Sullivan "The House Maan" (Hampton Roads, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Inspecting a House (For Pros By Pros) (Paperback)

If you are looking for a book that will teach you how to become a home inspector, this is not that book. In fact, I don't think there is an adequate book anywhere that can make you a great home inspector. The only thing that teaches you how to inspect houses is being in the field for a while and seeing the amazing world of property flaws, and delving into housing systems. I am a former Naval pilot, and I wouldn't expect to be able to land on an aircraft carrier after reading one book. The true value in this book, much like the introductory courses I took as a fledgling pilot, is that it gets you familiar with the terminology used around construction and real estate, and gives you just enough information to be dangerous. I am now a real estate investor who helps other new investors get started and this is one of the first books I make them go buy. It is just enough to get you a basic nuts and bolts education on the guts of a house, without getting mired down in minutae of building code and the millions of things that can actually be wrong with a house.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, exhaustive look at how a home dysfunctions, August 12, 2001

By 

Mike Jackson (Britton, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inspecting a House (For Pros By Pros) (Paperback)

I work as a handyman, and wanted to educate myself to what home inspectors look for in their work. This is one of the most interesting, informative books I've read in a while about home maintenance. If you ever hire a home inspector to make sure you know what you are buying, this is the guy you want going in there with you! His sections on electrical and plumbing code and problems taught me alot.