How To Handle Party Wall Disputes
Do you get on with your neighbours? Do you talk to them regularly, or just nod and smile when you see them in the driveway? It doesn’t matter how well you know them or how friendly you are, it’s all too easy to end up in a heated dispute about bricks, boundaries and building works. […]
Appointing a Party Wall Surveyor: What You Need To Know
You’re planning a building project, and it’s all going well. Or maybe your neighbour is sharing their extension plans with you, and you’re happily nodding along and asking questions. When the term ‘party wall surveyor’ is thrown into the mix. You pause. Do you actually need one? When should you hire one? And what does […]
How to Avoid Party Wall Issues During Building Work
Whether you’re building an extension, converting your loft or doing structural alterations, you need to understand your obligations under the Party Wall etc Act 1996. It’s one of those areas that can quietly derail your project if you’re not properly prepared. A lot of homeowners don’t realise just how long the party wall process can […]
What Is A Party Wall Award?
As surveyors, we often get enquiries from building owners saying, ‘I need a party wall agreement, can you help?’ The answer to that is yet! But first, let’s clarify a few things. Surveyors are the ones who prepare that ‘agreement’, which is formally known as a Party Wall Award. A single surveyor can prepare it […]
Planning an extension under the Party Wall Act
Our specialist Party Wall team of chartered surveyors at Southampton-based Harrison Clarke helps clients with Party Wall matters every day. In this article, we briefly explain what the Party Wall Act is, why it is needed, how it affects you when you are planning an extension, what your responsibilities are and why it is important […]
Notifiable Works – Party Wall Notice
We talk a lot about the Party Wall Act, and when building owners need to provide notice to their neighbours under this slightly complex legislation. But it’s not the easiest of things to understand, which means many people still aren’t sure what notifiable works actually are, let alone when the notices need to be given. […]
Party Wall Costs Explained
When you’re planning out works on your home, one of the big things you’ll want to know is how much it will cost. After all, building works are expensive, and you want to make sure that you aren’t going over your budget. But there are all sorts of places where hidden costs can sneak in, […]
Party Wall Access Arrangements
When you’re carrying out building work on your property, there are likely times when you need access to areas that are usually out of reach. Most commonly, access that’s on your neighbour’s land to erect scaffolding. There’s a lot of confusion around access to a neighbour’s property when it comes to the notifiable works under […]
Why You Should Use An Agreed Surveyor For A Party Wall Award
When it comes to party wall issues, the Act is pretty clear about who is allowed to do what. Specifically, the building owner carrying out the works can’t act for themselves in the event of dispute. Instead, they must appoint a surveyor to act on their behalf if an adjoining owner dissents to their party […]
Budgeting for Party Wall Works
In all our years of surveying, there is one thing that every single client we’ve worked with has talked about as a priority – money. Specifically, not spending too much of it! Whether you’re building an extension or converting your roof space, you need to make sure that you’ve budgeted for everything involved in the […]