This Good Practice Guide introduces the core knowledge and essential skills needed to undertake building condition surveys. Concentrating on the private homes sector - the source of most surveying work in the UK - and based on a lifetime of practical experience, it begins by providing a helpful summary of many frequently confused terms, before taking the reader through the key steps of a professional building condition survey. Looking at many practical case studies, it explains the equipment and skills that are needed, highlights the critical defects to look out for - those areas where the most negligence claims arise - and provides an invaluable overview of how and what to inspect. From taking instructions and agreeing terms of engagement to the crucial business of report writing and everything in between, this book is a perfect primer for construction professionals about the expanding business of building condition surveys.