Our Property Articles
Refusing Party Wall Access, Your Guide
So by now you’ve probably heard of the Party Wall Act 1996. It’s a legal act which governs the allowances made by both parties with regards to a wall which is occupied by one or more parties. However, what happens when you want to make modifications to the party wall...
Licence to Alter, Your Guide
If you are a leaseholder for a property, you might find that occasionally, you want to make material or structural changes. What you’re going to want to do is to make sure that you’ve got yourself a Licence to Alter, which is what you get from your freeholder. But...
Party Wall Construction Works, Covering Air Vents and Open Chimney Flues
In this weeks property surveying blog post, we are going to be discussing the type of temporary protective precautions that can be implemented during the course of construction works directly to a party wall. If you live in a terraced or semi-detached, you will share...
Party Wall Trial Pits
In this week’s property surveying blog post, we are going to be discussing trial pits, what they are, and when they are applicable. In the context of party wall surveying, a trial pit is required when a building owner, who is the owner undertaking construction works...
Party Walls, Build up to, or Astride a Boundary Line?
If you are planning an extension or other works close to a neighbouring property, one of the most important considerations is the position of any new walls in relation to the boundary line. Building owners regularly enquire whether they can build up to the...
Am I Allowed to Undertake Works to my Flat?
If you’re planning on undertaking works to your leasehold flat, you’re probably excited about the space changes, design editions and change of living that comes over most of us when we step into the shoes of an interior designer! However, an important aspect to...
Can my Freeholder Refuse me a Licence for Alterations?
In this week’s property surveying blogpost, we are going to be discussing Licence for Alterations procedures, and in particular if a freeholder has the legal right to refuse a leaseholder’s proposed and requested works. Believe it or not, the freeholder does indeed...
Solar Panels
Planning on undertaking a Loft Conversion via the Party Wall etc Act 1996? Have you given much thought to solar panels? Photovoltaic PV panels, or more commonly referred to as solar panels, use the suns natural energy to create electricity. But that's not all,...
Choosing a Party Wall Surveyor
In this week’s Property Surveying blogpost, we are going to be discussing Party Wall Surveying matters, and in particular what both a Building Owner, and Adjoining Owner can do, in order to find a Party Wall Surveyor to assist them with the proposed Party Wall works....
Driven Piles, They’ll Drive you Crazy!
In this week’s Property Surveying blog post topic, we thought we’d take a look at piled foundations and in particular driven piles and when they can apply within Party Wall Surveying procedures. So, what exactly is a driven pile? A driven pile is a tubular steel pile...
Raising a Party Wall in Timber
Here at Stokemont we are regularly contacted and asked to answer and clarify Party Wall Surveying related questions from building owners and adjoining owners. We thought we’d set out one of the more common questions we’ve found ourselves being asked recently. This...
Avoiding Party Wall Damage, Shuttering an Open Trench
In today’s Party Wall Surveying blog post topic, we are going to be discussing Party Wall Damage and how it can be avoided through careful contractor technique during the course of undertaking the construction works. So, let’s kick this off by taking a look at what it...