Book Description

BRE’s Building Elements series provides building professionals with a comprehensive range of information about the main elements of a building: roofs, floors, walls, services and foundations. Each book in the series of six deals with the principles and reasons behind certain practices. They provide expert help for those involved in the maintenance, repair, refurbishment or renewal of the national building stock. Over 1,500 pages of extensively illustrated practical details, descriptions and best practice advice providing an essential reference tool for all building professionals.

Roofs and roofing (BR 504) One of the main elements of a building is its roof. Avoidable faults - wasting time, money and materials - occur in roofs in consistently high levels. Preventing them requires an understanding of the materials, production methods and criteria used in the construction of a roof. This book also covers the practical details of maintaining roofs.

Floors and flooring (BR 460) Unless obvious, such as cracking and detachment; faults in floors tend to go unnoticed for the same reason as they occur: through lack of maintenance. Floors are in greater need of maintenance than other building elements: they are constantly being walked over, large objects are placed on them and they often serve two purposes being both floor and ceiling. This book provides guidance on all floors - including screeds and underlays, as well as a range of finishes.

Walls,windows & doors (BR 352) Almost half of all reported faults in buildings concern walls, windows and doors. This book provides practical guidance on the vertical elements of buildings, both external and internal: including separating walls, partitions and internal doors. It outlines the performances and deficiencies of each, over a wide range of the national building stock.

Building services (BR 404) It is the quality of heating, artificial lighting, refuse disposal and other services, which makes an otherwise bare carcass habitable. But faults in buildings do occur, and a substantial number relate to building services. This book provides the latest "best practice" advice on them.

Foundations, basements and external works (BR 440) It is true to say that all sites are different - perhaps that every site is unique. To perform satisfactorily the buildings built on those sites need to be different too. These differences are reflected not only in the superstructures but also in the variety of foundations developed to accommodate different ground conditions.This book provides building professionals with practical details about those parts of buildings in direct contact with the ground.

Understanding dampness (BR 466) is the latest addition to the series. Dampness can cause illness in people as well as deterioration of the fabric of a building. This book lists the causes of dampness, explores its effects and provides remedial measures.