Party Wall Surveyor Quotes
A party wall is the dividing wall between two connected properties so this legislation is in place to protect your property and avoid any unwanted or damaging work being done to your home by owner.
Typical examples of works that are likely to be covered by the Party Wall Act are:
- Removing chimney breasts that are attached to the wall
- Excavating foundations for a new extension within 3 metres of a neighbouring or shared structure
- Removal of internal walls
- Cutting into a party wall
- Cutting beams into a party wall to form a loft extension
- Roof alterations
Undertaking building work at your property
When considering doing any work that may impact a party wall, a party structure or your neighbour’s foundations, you should avoid proceeding without finding out what your duties are. Your work could be disrupted by a court injunction if you don’t have the necessary consent or party wall award. Typically notices will need to be served, a schedule of condition of the Adjoining Owner’s property undertaken and ultimately a Party Wall Award put in place under the guidance of a party wall surveyor. This protects the rights of the neighbour, makes identification of new defects (such as cracks) simple and can agree things such as site working hours, method of construction and noise.
When giving notice to a neighbour or adjoining owner, you’ll be expected to give enough time (between 1- 2 months before any project starts) and they’ll get 2 weeks to respond.
If the adjacent owner’s consent is not provided
If the other owner doesn’t want to provide consent or fails to do so within the 2 week period, you are deemed to be ‘in dispute’ with your neighbour(s) under the Act. At this point party wall surveyors, or an agreed surveyor, must be appointed so that the dispute can be resolved by way of a Party Wall Agreement (an Award). Bare in mind that under most circumstances, the home owner undertaking the works will be expected to cover the costs of the party wall surveyor(s).
The Party Wall Act decrees that all our surveyor costs are payable by the owner undertaking the works on the party wall so there will be no cost to yourself and all our work is done in service of the Party Wall Act so you can expect impartial advice throughout the process.
The Party Wall Award
- what work will be carried out
- what the duration for any work is to be started will be
- Who will pay the surveyor(s) fees
