Building Maintenance & Construction: Tools and Maintenance Tasks

Reviewed by Mark Woehl, Construction Faculty, Mesa Community College on 4/25/25

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book is impressively thorough in scope. It covers not only the safe and effective use of tools but also essential concepts in plumbing, electricity, math, preventive maintenance, and work order management — all of which are crucial to becoming a capable and well-rounded maintenance technician.
From a carpenter’s perspective, the coverage of hand and power tools, layout equipment, and safety standards is strong. While it doesn’t go deep into carpentry specialties like framing or millwork, it nails the essentials of building upkeep and repair, which is what it aims to do.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is technically accurate and responsible. It correctly includes legal and professional cautions, such as licensing requirements for specific trade work, and does not oversell what learners can or should do without supervision.
It handles mathematics, tool use, and systems maintenance with an appropriate balance of explanation and application, making it very suitable for instructional use. The book’s information reflects real-world practice in both residential and commercial settings.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This book is relevant to anyone training for entry-level roles in facilities maintenance, building trades, or general construction support. It teaches practical skills — not just theory — and includes the kinds of tasks and tools workers are expected to handle on job sites or in housing units.
Even its sections on procurement, safety paperwork, and parts requisition reflect day-to-day tasks in real work environments. This makes it a valuable resource in vocational programs or hands-on tech classes.

Clarity rating: 5

The writing is clear, direct, and instructional. Concepts are explained in plain language without being oversimplified. Technical terms are introduced logically and often defined within the section.
For students who are hands-on learners or new to academic texts, this book provides clear explanations without condescension — something I value highly as an instructor.

Consistency rating: 5

The formatting and structure are very consistent throughout. Each section follows a familiar rhythm: define the tool or concept, explain safe use or proper method, and include context or examples.
There’s no jumping between styles or confusing formatting changes, making it much easier for students to follow, especially in group instruction.

Modularity rating: 5

This book is modular in design, meaning it’s easy to pick and choose chapters based on your curriculum or program needs.
If I’m teaching just the tools and safety units, I can stick to Parts 1 and 2. If another instructor covers electrical or plumbing, they can teach from Parts 4 or 5 independently. Each part stands well on its own and includes the background needed without requiring the entire book to be read front to back.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book is well-organized with a logical progression — from safety, to tools, to math, to systems.
Each chapter includes subtopics that are numbered and titled clearly, which makes it easy to reference during class or in assignments.

Interface rating: 5

There are some user interface issues — the layout is straightforward, no hidden material or broken formatting. Images (where used) are helpful and not overloaded with detail. On the interactive platform, the videos that do work are well-aligned with the narrative and reinforce the hands-on nature of the tasks, making the material come alive for learners.
However, some videos were no longer available at the time of review, which slightly affects the book's full interactive potential. Updating or maintaining those links would enhance the experience.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

There are no grammatical issues that interfere with understanding. The tone is professional, instructive, and consistent throughout. It’s written in a way that supports both classroom use and self-study.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This book is not only non-offensive — it’s respectful, practical, and professional. It avoids slang, stereotypes, or regional bias. It speaks directly to learners with clear expectations, and it encourages safe, lawful, and skillful practice in the trades. In short, it’s welcoming, not intimidating, and it treats students like future professionals.

Comments

As a carpentry instructor, I would confidently use this book in my shop class or building maintenance course. It’s a reliable foundation for any student entering the trades, especially those who benefit from clear instruction, hands-on visuals, and well-sequenced content.

What’s more, it integrates easily into the Level 1 Construction Technology class I teach to high school freshmen. The modular design, straightforward language, and real-world context make it accessible for beginners while still reinforcing the discipline and safety mindset needed in the trades. It gives young learners both the confidence and structure to build fundamental skills.

Reviewed by James Byrnes, Associate Professor, Johnson County Community College on 5/9/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

It is a good book, that often goes beyond the basic, but does not cover advanced competencies. More industrial and commercial applications would improve the text.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The accuracy is adequate, but more elaboration would be appreciated. More information on cable identification would be nice.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Text discussing building codes is easily outdated. The author did a good job of covering the fundamentals that do not change from one code cycle to the next. The electrical theory and math sections were great examples.

Clarity rating: 5

Very well organized and written with awesome pictures, videos, interactive activities and quizzes to keep students engaged.

Consistency rating: 5

Text is consistent.

Modularity rating: 5

Book is divided well into coherent chapters and sections.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The text is very clear about the subjects covered. The text is easy to follow.

Interface rating: 5

All navigation, charts, quizzes and links to videos/content worked without flaw.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Well written and edited.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Typically not applicable in trades publications. This book is no different.

Comments

Overall this is an awesome book for what it does. The embedded resources are top notch and very helpful. The book goes beyond entry level trades education while offering a broad construction education. I wish the author had gone more in depth in the electrical sections, but that could be the subject of another book.

Reviewed by Duygu Kalan, Teaching Assistant, Colorado State University on 5/17/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The book provides a comprehensive introduction to the construction tools and maintenance tasks. The interactive links given as part of the books make it easy to use while presenting many pictures and videos. Although the book is designed for entry-level positions, it could be helpful for undergraduate construction management students. The safety issues while handling tools are intensely discussed in the book, which makes it an excellent introductory text for first-year students.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content of the book is accurate and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content is up-to-date; however, some of the referred codes should be updated. The text provides information on the necessary updates, and it is easy to implement.

Clarity rating: 5

The book is free from jargon and easy to understand.

Consistency rating: 5

Each section of the book is consistent. Description for technical terminology is provided within the text.

Modularity rating: 5

The sections are easy to break up into small sections, and the book is entirely modular.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

The organization of the book could be improved by providing Math Concepts at the beginning of the book. Some pages are left blank, and it makes it hard to follow the content. Overall, the biggest issue related to this book that I notice is that the organization.

Interface rating: 4

The book is primarily free of interface problems. However, some of the links should be updated. For some links, permission is not provided to access the content (e.g., 403 Forbidden Error).

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The book is free from grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The book is not culturally offensive in any way.