Since it was first written by Reg Lee, this book has played a significant part in developing the framework of the subject, covering in a systematic and comprehensive way a wide range of issues from the legal to the technical and financial.

The Fourth Edition, the first in 14 years, has been substantially revised by Paul Wordsworth of Liverpool John Moores University. It provides an overview of new developments, changes in legislation and information technology, a more scientific approach to the section on defect diagnosis, and a new chapter on the increasingly important subjects of conservation and the environment.

The book provides a core text for undergraduates of building surveying and students of facilities management.