This guide to the principles and practice of domestic building surveys from instruction through to writing the report, includes information on the surveyor's legal liabilities. Each chapter highlights the construction appearance of building elements, providing step-by-step guidance on the observation and analysis of typical housing defects. The appendices include a worked example of a survey report. The work is suitable for students taking HNDs in Building Surveying, Estate Management and Land Management, for students at degree level and also as a useful guide to the practitioner. Stephen Mika has been a surveyor with national building contractors and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and is author of "Micro-Computers for Building Surveyors". H.E.Desch, author of the original edition, was formerly a timber consultant and chartered surveyor and was author of "Timber".