We are experienced party wall surveyors and can represent ‘building owners’, ‘adjoining owners’, as well as acting as impartial ‘agreed surveyors’.
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 provides owners of buildings and land, rights and obligations to other owners in relation to party walls, and other ‘party structures’ (such as floors and ceilings between different flats or apartments) in the proximity of boundaries. It provides a framework for a disciplined approach to exercising these rights.
The type of building works that are defined by the Party Wall Act are generally:
Digging or excavating (foundations for example, which are the ‘etc.’ part of the Acts’ title) near another owners’ building (within 3m-6m), building on or near a line of junction, building on or near a party structure like a party or separating floor or wall between houses, flats, commercial buildings, demolishing a building attached to yours etc.
In practical terms this can mean work like: building extensions, loft conversions, working on shared chimneys, lowering or raising a shared party wall, working on masonry walls in gardens that are built centrally on the boundary line.
We are members of the Pyramus & Thisbe Club. Party wall related information can be accessed via the Government website link below.
We provide RICS Level 2 Surveys, (formerly called HomeBuyer Surveys), Level 3 Surveys (formally called ‘Building Surveys’), property valuations, dilapidations, expert witness, building control, 10 year structural warranty insurance; act as party wall surveyors, project managers, design and planning services.
