The fifth edition of this successful textbook is aimed specifically at those students and practitioners who require a broad understanding of building construction as part of a wider sphere of professional activity. The book provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles and practice of modern construction and services. New to this edition are: Hundreds of revised graphics to complement the fully updated text New illustrations and photos printed in full colour for the first time New chapters on sustainability, ventilation and windows. This highly sought after text concentrates on principles and practice rather than details and regulations and retains it’s easy to follow format and highly accessible style. In doing so it enables the reader to demonstrate a comprehensive and genuine understanding of modern house construction and its evolution over the last 100 years. The Construction of Houses is not only an essential read for students, surveyors, developers and planning professionals, but also the interested lay person considering their first building project.

New York Times best seller Ever since Gabrielle Stanley Blair became a parent, she’s believed that a thoughtfully designed home is one of the greatest gifts we can give our families, and that the objects and decor we choose to surround ourselves with tell our family’s story. In this, her first book, Blair offers a room-by-room guide to keeping things sane, organized, creative, and stylish. She provides advice on getting the most out of even the smallest spaces; simple fixes that make it easy for little ones to help out around the house; ingenious storage solutions for the never-ending stream of kid stuff; rainy-day DIY projects; and much, much more.

The sixth edition of The Construction of Houses builds on the success of the previous five editions. The book provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles and processes of the construction of houses and their services. As such it is aimed at providing a broad understanding of domestic building construction for students as part of their academic studies and as a useful information source for practitioners. The existing chapters have all been updated and most of them expanded to take account of changes to dwelling house construction since the last edition and there are new chapters on ‘Modern Methods of Construction’ and ‘Regulatory controls and building standards’. Additionally, many new and/or updated photographs and diagrams have been added. As with the previous editions, the authors have concentrated on presenting current mainstream approaches to the construction of houses. The detailed, yet accessible, text that is supported by hundreds of coloured photographs and diagrams provides clear explanations of the many complex processes that go into the building of a house. A deeper insight into modern construction is also given by the book’s consideration of historical building techniques from the 18th century onwards in order to illustrate how and why we build houses in the way we do now.

This guide explains why properties founded on clay soils suffer from cracking and provides practical, step-by-step advice and guidance to the home owner on what action, if any, should be taken when confronted by subsidence. It answers key questions, such as how to reduce the risk of damage or prevent existing damage from worsening.

This book is a concise and comprehensive guide to building defects and building inspection. Whether, as a practitioner you are employed in buying, selling, managing or maintaining houses or whether, or as a layperson, you are buying a property to invest or live in, this book will help you make sound decisions and avoid costly mistakes. Written by two highly experienced authors, House Inspector is a general and accessible book which describes how and why house construction has changed, identifies some of the more common defects, and provides a series of elemental check lists. Essential reading for trainees and general practice surveyors, maintenance inspectors, housing managers, estate agents, planners, and even private purchasers and investors. This book will improve your knowledge and understanding of potential problems and provide a simple framework for a competent building inspection.