An Economic History of the British Building Industry 1815–1979 (1982) looks at the crucial role the building industry plays in the national economy, not only as a major direct contributor to GNP, but also its effect on a variety of areas from institutional finance to the DIY market. The nature of this effect forms the theme of this study which examines and documents the interplay of new materials and technologies, costs and the changing social and economic forces that affected decision-making over what kinds of buildings to construct – or indeed to knock down – in which locations, and when.