No Fool Here – Why The Holmes Inspection Is Necessary For Every Homeowner

One of the best books I’ve read recently is The Holmes Inspection. Written by Mike Holmes, the popular TV host with a show by the same name, this book is a gem for anyone looking to buy, sell, or improve a home. The Holmes Inspection starts with an interesting premise.

He makes a compelling case that home inspections are necessary, and shouldn’t be the only piece of information homeowners rely on to evaluate a purchase. Mike expands on this theme and demonstrates that while an inspection report is a good starting point, major or complex issues can be missed or minimized. He seeks to fill the gaps by educating his readers about a range of home topics to help them understand and evaluate common problems. Part of that evaluation includes suggestions on when to bring in pros. He also provides a wealth of information about a home’s structure and systems, based on his decades of experience in the construction industry. Not only is The Holmes Inspection chock full of information, like a good house, but the book is also well-designed.

Thoughtful Design

That design begins with the layout of the chapters. Mike begins with the inspection process, followed by chapters on the exterior, and finally several covering the interior and mechanicals of a house. It’s like touring a new home – you walk your way from the outside in. The final chapters focus on four individual home-buying scenarios such as a condo, a new build, and a century-old home. These case studies provide specific tips and red flags for each situation. As an example, in the new build chapter, I was reminded about the importance of warranties. The layout of the book is good, as are its visuals and graphics.

Any book about home maintenance needs solid pictures and graphics to illustrate key points. The Holmes Inspection does this well. A diagram I made copies of since it was so helpful, showing an exploded view of a home’s exterior parts. Many of the main ideas are well-illustrated with clear photos or intuitive graphics. In addition to the visuals, the last aspect that I really appreciated about The Holmes Inspection is the clarity of its information.

Education Through Clarity and Focus

A home is a complex structure. Understanding that structure is important so you can make better decisions about buying a home or improving the one you have. The information in The Holmes Inspection is clear, concise, and at a level that allows comprehension. I found myself taking notes when I hit on a tip that made sense – like the one Mike shared about bathroom fans. A bathroom fan needs to be powerful enough to remove moisture, however, most builder-grade ones only move the air around. Test yours by holding up a tissue to the vents and turn the fan on. If the tissue stays, your bathroom fan is strong enough to ventilate that moisture out. If it falls, like at my house, you may want to consider replacing the fan. In addition to tips like this, there are also several useful checklists throughout the book.

The Holmes Inspection is an excellent reference book. I found it useful to understand issues with my own home and reading it increased my knowledge of the areas COS Exterior Services specializes. If you’re looking to buy a home, sell one, or are already a homeowner – pick up The Holmes Inspection today.