The best books for building surveyors
Last reviewed September 2026
These are the books building surveyors recommend again and again, for students, APC candidates and practising surveyors. You don't need all of them. Start with the first two, then add books for the kind of work you do.
Older editions are usually fine and much cheaper, so it's worth looking at used copies, and a university or RICS library will have most of them.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links to Amazon on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them, the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you, which helps keep it free. Nobody pays to be included, and the picks come from what building surveyors recommend.
If you only buy two
Building Construction Handbook
Roy Chudley and Roger Greeno
- Students
- APC
- Practising surveyors
The standard reference for how buildings are put together, with clear drawings of almost every detail. Useful from your first year of study to your APC and beyond.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Watts Pocket Handbook
Trevor Rushton
- Practising surveyors
- APC
A dense, pocket-sized reference to construction, regulations, legislation and property, kept up to date in regular editions. Many surveyors keep one in the car.
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Surveying practice
Building Surveys
Peter Glover
- Students
- Residential
- Practising surveyors
A practical guide to carrying out building surveys and writing reports, with plenty on what to look for element by element. Now in its ninth edition.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Building Surveyor’s Pocket Book
Melanie Smith and Christopher Gorse
- Students
- APC
- Practising surveyors
A compact reference covering the main areas of building surveying practice, from inspections and defects to contracts and legislation.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Building Surveys and Reports
James Douglas
- Students
- Practising surveyors
How to plan an inspection, record what you find and turn it into a clear report, for residential and commercial buildings.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Building Condition Surveys: A Practical and Concise Introduction
Mike Hoxley
- Students
- APC
- Practising surveyors
A short, practical guide to inspecting buildings and reporting on their condition, and to the risks of getting it wrong. Published by RIBA, now in its third edition.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Residential Surveying Matters and Building Terminology
Les Goring
- Students
- Residential
An A to Z of residential surveying and building terms, useful when you meet an unfamiliar word in a report or on site.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Technical Due Diligence and Building Surveying for Commercial Property
Adrian Tagg
- Commercial
- Practising surveyors
Pre-acquisition surveys and due diligence for commercial buildings, and what investors and lenders need from the report.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Surveying Buildings
Malcolm Hollis
- Practising surveyors
A long-out-of-print classic that surveyors still seek out. Copies turn up second-hand, so it’s worth setting a search alert.
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Defects and building pathology
Understanding Housing Defects
Duncan Marshall, Derek Worthing, Roger Heath and Nigel Dann
- Residential
- Students
- APC
Common defects in UK houses, how to recognise them and what causes them, illustrated with excellent photographs. Ideal for residential work and the APC.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Residential Building Defects
Geoffrey Hunt
- Residential
- Practising surveyors
An RICS Books guide to the defects surveyors find in houses and flats. Out of print, so look for a used copy.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Practical Guide to Diagnosing Structural Movement in Buildings
Malcolm Holland
- Practising surveyors
- APC
How to read cracks and distortion, tell structural movement from something harmless, and decide when to call in an engineer.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Cracking in Buildings (BR 292)
R. B. Bonshor and L. L. Bonshor
- Residential
- Practising surveyors
- APC
BRE’s guide to why buildings crack, from small movements in materials at weak points such as openings to structural causes, and how to judge which cracks matter. Published in 1996, so look for a used copy.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Diagnosing Damp in Buildings
Ralph Burkinshaw and Mike Parrett
- Residential
- Practising surveyors
A thorough, sceptical guide to the causes of damp and how to investigate them properly, rather than relying on a meter reading.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)How to Investigate Damp: Practical Site Inspection Skills and Remedial Options
Ralph Burkinshaw
- Residential
- APC
- Practising surveyors
Burkinshaw’s newer, hands-on book: how to carry out a damp investigation on site, step by step, with real case studies and plenty of photos and sketches.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Remedying Damp
Ralph Burkinshaw
- Residential
- Practising surveyors
The companion to Diagnosing Damp in Buildings, on putting damp right once you know the cause. Out of print, so look for a used copy.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Understanding Dampness (BR 466)
Peter Trotman, Chris Sanders and Harry Harrison
- Residential
- Commercial
- Practising surveyors
BRE’s detailed reference on the effects, causes, diagnosis and treatment of damp in buildings.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Non-traditional Houses (AP 294)
Harry Harrison, Stephen Mullin, Barry Reeves and Alan Stevens
- Residential
- Practising surveyors
BRE’s guide to identifying the non-traditional house types built in the UK between 1918 and 1975, which matter for surveys and mortgage lending.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Understanding Building Failures
James Douglas and Bill Ransom
- Students
- Practising surveyors
Why buildings fail, from materials and design to workmanship, with case studies across building types.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Investigating Defects in Commercial and Industrial Buildings
Trevor Rushton
- Commercial
- Practising surveyors
Defects in offices, industrial units and other commercial buildings, which most defects books pass over in favour of housing. Published by RICS Books in 2009 and now out of print.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Investigating Hazardous and Deleterious Building Materials
Trevor Rushton
- Commercial
- Residential
- Practising surveyors
How to recognise and investigate problem materials such as asbestos and high alumina cement, and what they mean for a building’s value and safety. Published by RICS Books in 2006 and now out of print.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Building Pathology: Principles and Practice
David Watt
- Heritage
- Students
The principles behind diagnosing building defects, with a good grounding in older and traditional buildings.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Defects and Deterioration in Buildings
Barry Richardson
- Students
How and why building materials deteriorate, organised by material.
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Free tool for this work: condensation and mould risk calculator.
Construction, services and regulations
Barry’s Introduction to Construction of Buildings
Stephen Emmitt
- Students
A clear introduction to how modern buildings are designed and built. Its companion, Barry’s Advanced Construction of Buildings, covers larger and more complex buildings.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)The Construction of Houses
Duncan Marshall, Derek Worthing, Roger Heath and Nigel Dann
- Students
- Residential
How UK houses are built, from foundations to roofs, written for beginners. A good first book for career changers.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Building Services Handbook
Fred Hall and Roger Greeno
- Students
- APC
- Residential
- Commercial
Heating, ventilation, water, drainage, electrics and gas explained with clear diagrams. Services are an area where many building surveyors feel weakest.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Building Regulations in Brief
Ray Tricker and Samantha Alford
- Students
- APC
A plain-English summary of the Building Regulations in England and Wales, organised by Approved Document.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Fundamental Building Technology
Andrew Charlett and Craig Maybery-Thomas
- Students
The basics of low-rise construction and materials, pitched at students.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Mitchell’s Structure & Fabric
J S Foster
- Students
- Commercial
A long-running reference in two parts on structures, materials and building fabric for larger buildings. The link is to Part 1.
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Older and historic buildings
Surveying Historic Buildings
David Watt and Peter Swallow
- Heritage
- Practising surveyors
How to survey and record historic buildings, and how their construction and defects differ from modern ones.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Old House Handbook
Roger Hunt and Marianne Suhr
- Heritage
- Residential
A practical guide, produced with SPAB, to caring for and repairing older houses using the right materials.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Old House Eco Handbook
Roger Hunt and Marianne Suhr
- Heritage
- Residential
How to improve the energy efficiency of older houses without causing damp or damage. A good starting point for retrofit work.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Timber Decay in Buildings and its Treatment
Brian Ridout
- Heritage
- Residential
- Practising surveyors
Historic England’s guide to rot and wood-boring insects: what really causes them, and when treatment is and isn’t needed.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Practical Building Conservation series
Historic England
- Heritage
Detailed volumes on individual materials such as stone, timber and mortars. Essential if you work on older or listed buildings. The link is to Conservation Basics, the place to start.
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Contracts, law and specialist work
Guide to JCT Minor Works Building Contract 2024
Sarah Lupton and Manos Stellakis
- Commercial
- APC
- Practising surveyors
A clause-by-clause guide to the contract used on many building surveying projects, updated for the 2024 edition.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)JCT Contract Administration Pocket Book
Andy Atkinson
- Commercial
- APC
- Practising surveyors
A brief, readable guide to running a project as contract administrator under the JCT contracts. The third edition (2026) adds the Building Safety Act and CDM.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)The Party Wall Act Explained (the “Green Book”)
The Pyramus and Thisbe Society
- Practising surveyors
The standard practical guide to the Party Wall Act, used by most party wall surveyors.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Anstey’s Party Walls
Graham North
- Practising surveyors
- Residential
A long-standing practical guide to party wall work, first written by John Anstey. The latest edition is from 2005, so use it alongside the Green Book.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Party Walls: Law and Practice
Stephen Bickford-Smith, David Nicholls and Andrew Smith
- Practising surveyors
- Commercial
The legal text on party walls, for surveyors who handle disputes and awards regularly.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Anstey’s Boundary Disputes and How to Resolve Them
David Powell and John Anstey
- Practising surveyors
- Residential
How boundaries are worked out and how surveyors help settle disputes over them. Published by RICS Books in 2009.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Building Defects (Case in Point)
Calum Lamont and Adam Constable
- Practising surveyors
- Commercial
The main court cases on building defects and liability, summarised for surveyors. From RICS Books’ Case in Point series, published in 2006.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)The TFT Purple Book: A Guide to Dilapidations in the UK
Jon Rowling
- Commercial
- APC
- Practising surveyors
A practical guide to dilapidations claims from a surveyor’s point of view, from schedules to settlement.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Dilapidations: The Modern Law and Practice
Nicholas Dowding, Kirk Reynolds and Alison Oakes
- Commercial
The leading legal text on dilapidations, for surveyors who handle lease-end claims regularly.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Spon’s Architects’ and Builders’ Price Book
AECOM
- Commercial
- Practising surveyors
Current construction prices, published every year. Useful for budget costs in reports and for checking tenders.
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Free tools for this work: party wall notice calculator, payment notice calculator, liquidated damages calculator and JCT key dates calculator.
The APC
How to Become a Chartered Surveyor
Jen Lemen
- APC
A practical guide to the APC and the other routes to RICS membership, from an experienced APC trainer.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Mandatory Competencies: APC Essentials
Jen Lemen
- APC
Covers the mandatory competencies every APC candidate is assessed on, including ethics and professional practice.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)The Residential Pathway: APC Essentials
Jane Forsyth
- APC
- Residential
APC preparation for candidates on the residential pathway, including home surveys and valuation.
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Free reading
Plenty of essential material is free: RICS professional standards and guidance notes for your area of work, the Approved Documents for the Building Regulations on GOV.UK, Historic England's technical advice, and HSE guidance on asbestos and construction safety. RICS student members also get free access to isurv.
For kit to go with the books, see the survey equipment list.
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- Survey equipment: a building surveyor’s kit list
- How does my salary compare?
- Party wall notice calculator
- Condensation and mould risk calculator
- Gutter size calculator
- Payment notice calculator
- Liquidated damages calculator
- JCT key dates calculator