Surveying Historic Buildings
Second Edition
David Watt
Hardback £48.00 $96.00
Publication date 28 March 2011
416 pages
222 illustrations
ISBN 978 1 873394 67 0
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This bestselling book has been fully revised and updated to include valuable new case studies and examples which help to demonstrate the common problems found in older buildings. It features many additional photographs illustrating the decay mechanisms and individual issues associated with damp, timber decay, masonry defects, roofing problems and many other aspects.
The book begins by summarizing the basics of surveying practice, including the inspection, assessment, defect diagnosis and monitoring of defects. It then examines the building elements, discussing their construction, typical faults and their diagnoses. This section provides specific advice on assessing industrial monuments and features concise inspection checklists for ease of reference. In the final section, the author looks to the future, considering the specific challenges faced by property professionals when employed to survey historic buildings. The book is accompanied by comprehensive appendices, including sample survey forms, and a list of useful contacts is followed by an extensive bibliography.
This book will be of particular interest to conservation officers, surveyors, architects, archaeologists and planners.
Read the Preface to the Second Edition
David Watt is a chartered building surveyor and historic buildings consultant, working as Associate Director with Hutton + Rostron Environmental Investigations Ltd. He is also Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Sustainable Heritage at University College London and Visiting Lecturer at the University of Lincoln.
This book is both thorough and methodical throughout, well-written in an informative style with practical advice, properly referenced and clearly illustrated with photographs and drawings. It should be considered a standard text, essential reading for students of architecture and surveying, a suitably detailed reference work of interest to the experienced practitioner and ought to be compulsory reading for all students on building conservation courses.
Journal of Architectural Conservation (read the full review here)
This newly revised and expanded edition of David Watt's book is to be greatly welcomed... Overall, this is an excellent book which has been concisely and comprehensively written by someone who clearly knows his subject, and who has considerable experience of undertaking surveys of historic buildings.
When diagnosing defects in old buildings the surveyor must be able to recognise the advantages of traditional forms of construction and recommend a suitable repair method which works with the existing structure.
David Watt's book fully recognises this and is packed full of sound advice: it should be a standard text for all students undertaking architectural or surveying courses. It will also be a useful reference book to the experienced practitioner already familiar with historic buildings and sites.
Cornerstone
First published in 1996, 'Surveying Historic Buildings' has already
proved its worth, becoming an essential text for all those involved in
the inspection, assessment and repair of historic buildings. The new
edition reflects recent changes in the approach to managing the historic
built environment, as well as including new case studies drawing on
up-to-date research and techniques.
Not only does the author, whose has worked as a Conservation Officer,
an academic and a consultant surveyor, provide insight into the
surveying process and the diagnosis of defects, but also a sensitive
understanding of the value of historic buildings and their broader
context.
A real strength of the book is its clear, logical and easily navigable
structure, which makes it easy for the reader to find the information he
requires; for there is little that the building surveyor in search of
source material will fail to find amongst its pages.
Context
This second edition of David Watt's book collates his extensive knowledge and experience in the field to help define the surveying profession in the twenty-first century. He provides a comprehensive guide for the novice and experienced practitioner alike, offering a mass of information, case studies and ideas for further reading.
The
Georgian