1. It is a report writing system for home inspectors.
2. It is a valuable reference tool for homeowners.

What does it include?

The Home Reference Book describes all the major systems of a home in terms, with lots of illustrations. It explains how house components work, and what can go wrong with them.

The home is broken down into nine systems: Roofing, Exterior, Structure, Electrical, Heating, Cooling, Insulation, Plumbing and Interior.

What else does it include?

The Life Cycles and Costs section provides a wealth of information on the normal life expectancies of house components as well as the ballpark costs of replacing these. Want to know how much it costs to replace a roof, furnace, air conditioner or water heater? What does it cost to correct a wet basement problem? What about building a deck or putting on an addition? This section provides answers to all of these.

The Maintenance section provides good advice for homeowners to help protect their investment,maximize their comfort and efficiency in operating their home, and extend the life of house systems and components.

The clearest, most comprehensive reference guide available, The Home Reference Book is provided to the potential home purchaser at the end of every home inspection. The easy-to-use manual contains 400 informative pages and over 160 illustrations, organized as follows:

How long has it been around?

The Home Reference Book was first written in 1988. It is currently in its 24th edition. It does get updated regularly.

How do home inspectors use the Home Reference Book?

Professional home inspectors provide written reports at the end of every home inspection. The Home Reference Book includes report forms for each section of the home that are filled out by the inspector on-site as part of the home inspection process.

The Bottom Line section allows the inspector to create a short executive summary of the significant items in the report.

The report form for each section of the home allows the inspector to describe the type of roofing, heating, electrical and plumbing systems. It also allows the inspector to identify any items where improvements are recommended. The forms are set up to make it easy for the inspector to identify the location of the issue, what has to be done, and a suggested timeframe or priority. Home buyer can read the forms easily and quickly understand the big picture. The forms also provide a reference to the appropriate text in that chapter for more information.

This format allows easy and quick reading, just right for when someone is thinking about buying a home. The reference text provides more in-depth reading, appropriate once someone has bought the home and needs more detail.

Are there two versions available?

Yes, there is a three ring binder version which has been available since 1988. This premium quality system has index tabs for each section, and allows for the addition and removal of pages as needed.

Individual copies are available at $95.

Home inspectors can purchase this version in volume at prices as low as $33 each. An Appliance section can be included if you choose - at no extra charge.

There is also a new softcover version of the book available as of 2010. This high-quality paperback version includes over 500 color illustrations.

Individual copies are available at $69.

Home inspectors can purchase this version in volume at prices as low as $23 each.

Home Reference Book Feedback

“Just a note to say I received the new Home Reference Book. Very nice job! Nice pages, easy to flip through, nice paper quality, nice colors, visually easy on the eyes..."
- T. Walker

"The people you have serving your clients are Professionals in their own right. I have had extremely good experiences with Angela when I order the Home Reference Manuals for my business. Thank you for letting me express my appreciation for your Product and your workers."
- Steve Garland

"HRB delivery came right on time on the right day....no fuss, no muss! Thanks for the effort you guys make, to get these to us! It is greatly appreciated!" - Erica Bourgeois

"The best home inspection reference book bar none." - RW

"It's a great reporting system. I'm constantly trying to find a suggestion for improvement, but you're always one step ahead of me." - OH

"It is the most thorough reporting system available-the Mercedes Benz of reports!" - RR

"It sets me ahead of the competition. It is very well received by clients and realtors." - RM

"In addition to a great inspection reporting system, it offers a wealth of information for the buyer." - JS