Roofs
A look at the principles of roof construction, failure and investigation - from thatch to metal roofs. Featuring the largest lead roof project in the UK and the largest zinc roof project in Europe.

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Walls
A look at the construction of various types of walls, from a stone castle in Ireland to polystyrene houses in the United States. A strong emphasis throughout on tracking down the true causes of damp, featuring many of Mike’s pioneering techniques.

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Floors and Basements
From Roman floors to basements in Venice, a look at all floor types from suspended to solid and how they fail. Includes an in-depth look at the best way to keep basements dry, with an emphasis on managing damp, rather than ‘curing’ it.

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Flooding
Floods are a force of nature and therefore cannot be entirely avoided. But they can be mitigated against and their passing needs to be dealt with in a timely and effective manner. How do we know when a house is truly dry? And why are floods becoming an increasing problem? Examples from recently flood-struck Carlisle and the canals of Venice shed light on these questions.

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Drainage and Services
Drains are a hidden world. How can you find out whether drains or water supplies are leaking? Where are they? Who is responsible for them? How can they be repaired? This programme delves into this hidden world and brings back the answers.

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Law and Litigation Programme
What are the precedents that govern liability in cases of building failure? What are the relevant cases? What will surveyors be asked in court? What evidence is required? This programme covers all current pertinent legislation and features a dramatised re-enactment of the landmark case on the use of building pathology evidence in court.

   
Current Legislation – a conversation with barrister Stephen Evans.
 
1. Section 11 & Section 4
 
Section 11 of the Landlord & Tenant act 1985
Section 4 of the Defective Premises Act 1972
2. The causal link
 
London Borough of Southwark v McIntosh (2001) 47 EG 145
3. Statutory nuisance
 
Environmental Protection Act 1990
Birmingham DC v Kelly (1985) 17 HLR 572
4. Housing Act 2004
5. Home inspector ethos
 
Assessment of risk
6. The hospital case
 
A case of negligence?
Latent Damages Act 1986
Cavalier v Pope (1906) AC 428, HL
7. Damages & compensation
 
Wallace v Manchester City Council (1998) 30 HLR 1111
Shine v English Churches Housing Group (2004) HLR 42
8. Specific performance
 
Section 17 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985
9. Civil Procedure Rules 1998
 
Single joint experts
10. Defending a claim
 
Section 11(3) of the Landlord and Tenant Act
Breach of covenant to give quiet enjoyment
11. Submission of evidence
 
Standards of proof in civil & criminal actions
12. Gaining access
13. Interim Injunctions
 
Parker v LB of Camden (1986) Ch 1962
14. Penal notices
15. The future
 
The importance of pathology
16. A Day in Court
 
Re-enactment of typical legal case, illustrating the power of pathologically-derived evidence.
Bonus Section
 
Decent Homes Initiative