Know what's wrong with your house before someone else tells you.
50 diagnostic checklists, room by room. Written by a homeowner who has rebuilt every room in his own houses for forty years — without ever hiring a general contractor.
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If you've ever asked any of these…
- "Is that wet spot in the basement a five-dollar fix or a five-figure one?"
- "The contractor quoted $30K. Is that fair, or is he reading my zip code?"
- "What's behind that fresh paint, really?"
- "Do I call a pro for this, or can I figure it out?"
- "What's an inspector going to flag before I list this house?"
This guide is for you. Open to the room you're standing in. Run the checklist. Know what you're looking at in five minutes.
What's inside
Diagnostic chapters
- The Five-Minute Whole-House Walkthrough
- Basement: water, cracks, sump, mechanicals
- Attic: insulation, ventilation, roof from below
- Kitchen: under-sink, appliances, electrical
- Bathroom: water damage, plumbing, subfloor
- Bedrooms & living spaces
- Flooring: hardwood, tile, LVP, carpet
- Exterior, foundation, and roof red flags
Decision frameworks
- The 30-year DIY wealth multiplier (real numbers)
- Cost-vs-DIY comparison table for common projects
- DIY or call a pro — the four-filter test
- How to vet a contractor when you do hire
- Seasonal maintenance schedule (spring/summer/fall/winter)
- Printable walkthrough checklists at the end of every chapter
One example from the book
Several years ago, we bought a lake house that was in complete disrepair. Contractor quotes came in around $300,000 for the rebuild. I did the work myself, on weekends and evenings, with about $80,000 in materials. When we sold, the house went for $470,000 — and rented as a VRBO for two years on the way out.
That kind of math runs through the whole book. Not as a brag — as a template. The same compounding works at any scale, on any budget, for any homeowner who learns to look at a house the way I do.
— from Chapter 2, "The DIY Wealth Multiplier"
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Frequently asked
How is this different from a YouTube video?
A video tells you about one repair. This guide teaches you a system for looking at the whole house, every room, every season. It's organized as checklists you actually pull out and run, not just information you watch and forget.
Is this a how-to manual?
No. It's a diagnostic guide. It teaches you how to see what's wrong and decide what to do about it. For step-by-step "how to fix it" guides, check the project-specific titles on Amazon at amazon.com/author/jasonshammond.
What format is the file?
PDF, 99 pages, with a clickable table of contents. Reads on any device — phone, tablet, laptop, Kindle. Print it out if you prefer marking it up with a pen.
What if it isn't useful to me?
Reply to the receipt email within 30 days and ask for your money back. No questions, no friction.
What's a Diagnostic Report?
Send photos and a short description of one specific project you're stuck on. Within minutes you get back a written report with a specific diagnosis, multiple ordered fixes, parts and costs, and when it's a DIY versus when to call a pro. Normally $9.99 separately — included in the bundle here.
Why the "reviewed by Jason" upgrade?
The standard Diagnostic Report is AI-assisted and lands in your inbox fast. The reviewed version is the same report, but Jason personally reads through it, edits, and signs off before it goes out — 1–2 business day turnaround. Worth it when stakes are real (active leak, structural question, "should I even buy this house?" decisions).