Party Wall Surveyors in London
We are a team of RICS registered Chartered Party Wall Surveyors in London. We have helped thousands of clients with party wall disputes over the years. In the past 3 years alone we were collectively involved in over £250 Million Pounds of construction projects.
What is a Party Wall Surveyor & When Do You Need One?
A Party Wall Surveyor specialises in the resolution of disputes that fall under the Party Wall etc Act 1996.
The Party Wall Surveyor’s role will be to ensure the Act is administered facilitating the building owner’s planned works on site, while also offering the adjoining owner all important legal protection.
Typical services or activities that a Party Wall Surveyor will undertake will include; Party Wall Notice Service, Schedule of Condition Reports and the agreement of Party Wall Awards.
What Types of Work Does the Party Wall etc Act 1996 Cover?
The Party Wall etc Act 1996 governs 3 particular types of construction work and covers all properties within England and Wales:
Works directly to a Party Wall, Party Structure (ceiling or floor) or Party Fence Wall (garden wall)
Excavations within 6 metres of any neighbouring structure
The construction of new walls built up to, or astride a boundary line
What is a Party Wall Notice?
Party Wall notification is in the form of a Party Wall Notice served by the property owner undertaking the construction works and gives the neighbouring owner the legal right to select one of three Party Wall Notice responses:
Consent to the Works
Consenting to the construction works means that the neighbouring owner doesn’t want any of the Party Wall Surveying procedures implemented. The property owner undertaking the construction works will then be free to commence their work.
Dissent and appoint a Party Wall Surveyor
Dissenting to the Party Wall Notice will mean that the neighbouring owner appoints a Party Wall Surveyor to represent their interests. The Party Wall Surveyor will look at the construction works from the perspective of the neighbouring owner’s property ensuring the risk is as low as it can be.
Dissent and appoint an Agreed Party Wall Surveyor
This is the same as response option two, the only difference being that one Party Wall Surveyor acts jointly on behalf of both respective owners, the property owner undertaking the construction and the neighbouring owner.
Irrespective of the neighbouring owner’s Party Wall Notice response, the property owner undertaking the construction works will be responsible for any costs, expense or fees associated with the Party Wall Surveying Procedures.
What are the Party Wall
Surveying Procedures?
Post Party Wall Notice Service and once the neighbouring owner has responded with a Party Wall Notice Dissent, the Party Wall Surveying Procedures will include:
Surveyor Review
The Party Wall Surveyor will review the property owner’s construction works from the perspective of the neighbouring owner’s property. The review will include, but is not limited to:
- Existing and Proposed Architectural Drawings
- Proposed Structural Drawings
- Structural Calculations
- Construction Method Statements
- Land Registry Title Deeds and Plans
- Any other information pertinent to the construction works taking place
Schedule of Condition Inspection & Report
During the Schedule of Condition Inspection, the Party Wall Surveyor will accommodate themselves with the lay of the land and ensure that they’ve taken all aspects of the property owner’s construction works and risk into account.
They will then proceed to record and document the full condition of the neighbouring owner’s property, ensuring they have a clear and thorough record in place pre-construction works. This record will form part of the Party Wall Award and provide the neighbouring owner with legal protection in the event of issue or damage.
Agreement of a Legal Party Wall Award
Once the Party Wall Surveyor has undertaken full review of the property owner’s construction works and considered all risk and procedural aspects of the work, he or she will then move onto the agreement of the Party Wall Award.
The Party Wall Award governs the property owner’s construction works. Common clauses and additions to the Award include:
- The scope of construction work
- Procedures to be implemented in the event of damage or issue
- Procedures to be implemented in the event of compensation
- Permitted working hours
- Construction method and requirements
- Protective measures during the course of the construction work
- Temporary access provisions and procedures
- Procedures to be implemented in the event of construction work variations
A Party Wall Award has the legal benefit of being more protective in terms of timing and cost when compared to a neighbouring owner’s common law rights.
Once the Party Wall Award is agreed and served, the property owner undertaking the construction works will be free to progress the works on site, subject to adhering to the Party Wall Award requirements.
Post Construction Work Inspection
Post Construction Work, the Party Wall Surveyor will undertake a further inspection and visit of the neighbouring owner’s property.
The inspection will enable the Party Wall Surveyor to check off the original Schedule of Condition Inspection & Report assessing if there has been any change to the condition, or damage resulting from the construction works.
If there has been issue or damage, the Party Wall Surveyor will then handle the damage and ensure it is repaired by the contractor, or ensure the neighbouring owner is compensated for the repair costs and loss.
Want to Find out more about Party Wall Surveying Procedures?
Building Owner Information
What Are Party Wall Works?
Adjoining Owner Information
Typical Party Wall Surveying Questions & Video FAQ
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Do I need to serve a Party Wall Notice?
Yes, it is a legal requirement.
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 requires the building owner to serve a Party Wall Notice upon the adjoining owner in advance of the proposed works commencing.
Can I serve the Party Wall Notice myself?
We would advise Party Wall Notices for properties in the London area are prepared by Party Wall Surveyors London, it not only ensures legal validity is met, it can also avoid delay and issue further down the line in the event of invalidity.
How much will a London Party Wall Surveyor cost?
London Party Wall Surveying Costs and Fees will very much vary depending on variable such as; The type of property the construction works are being undertaken to. What the construction works are and the complexity of the file. Generally speaking, fees will start around the £700 + VAT mark.
Who pays for the Party Wall Surveying costs?
These can include their Party Wall Surveyor’s costs and, depending on the adjoining owner’s response, an adjoining owner’s Party Wall Surveyor’s costs.
How long do the Party Wall Surveying procedures take?
In the first instance, an adjoining owner has up to a full month to respond to the Party Wall Notices.
Once Party Wall Notice response is in, agreeing a Party Wall Award could take anywhere from 2 weeks to 8 weeks.
When should I serve a Party Wall Notice?
We would advise serving a Party Wall Notice as soon as possible.
Under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 Party Wall Notices need to be served a minimum of 1 or 2 months in advance of the proposed works commencing.
What is a Party Wall?
A party wall is simply any wall shared by two adjoining properties. The most common example would be a wall dividing two terraced properties, which would usually mean that one half of the wall lies on each side of the dividing line between the two properties.
The Party Wall Notice has been served, what happens next?
Here are some Party Wall Surveying projects we've done in the past:
Rutland Mews South, Knightsbridge, SW7
The Stokemont team were very pleased to be able assist with the completion of a Party Wall Surveying Schedule of Condition Report for a stunning mews house located on Rutland Mews South, Knightsbridge, SW7. The neighbouring works included a single storey basement conversion and extension on Rutland Street.
Timeline: 27 days
High Street Kensington, London, W8
The Stokemont team were very pleased to be able assist with the completion of a Party Wall Award for this mid level flat located on High Street Kensington, London. The construction works included the removal of internal structural walls, the introduction of new steel support and the replacement of floors and ceilings.
Timeline: 12 days
St Stephen's Terrace, Stockwell, SW8
The Stokemont team were very pleased to be able assist with the service of Party Wall Notices, a Schedule of Condition Report and Agreement of a Party Wall Award on this mid terraced turn of the century home on St Stephen's Terrace, Stockwell. The Party Wall works included the installation of steel work into the Party Wall and relocation of internal walls.
Timeline: 22 days
Why Choose Stokemont as Your London Party Wall Surveyor
We are an experienced and qualified team of party wall surveyors, accredited by all of the world’s leading governing bodies as you will see below. We put our clients first, and our surveying services are driven by respect for our clients, passion for our work, integrity in everything that we do and ethics in the approach to all aspects of our business.
Team Qualifications
Our team of Surveyors are not only highly experienced but importantly they are also qualified.
We’re proud to confirm our Surveyors hold membership status and accreditation to some of the world’s leading professional governing bodies including; the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), The Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) and the Pyramus and Thisbe Club (P&T).
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