What are Party Wall Works?
Party Wall Works involve construction that impacts a shared wall or boundary between properties, such as altering, demolishing, or excavating near the wall. These works are regulated by the Party Wall Act 1996, requiring the building owner to notify neighbours and resolve any disputes before proceeding.
Understanding Party Wall Works: What They Are and Why They Matter
Party Wall Works refer to construction activities that affect a shared wall or boundary between two properties. These works can include a variety of tasks, such as cutting into the wall to insert beams, raising or lowering the height of the wall, demolishing and rebuilding it, or even excavating near the foundation of the adjoining property.
Such works are governed by the Party Wall Act 1996, which aims to protect the interests of both the building owner and the adjoining owner by ensuring that any construction impacting shared structures is handled in a fair and regulated manner.
Before starting Party Wall Works, the building owner is required to serve a party wall notice to the adjoining owner, informing them of the planned work. This gives the neighbour a chance to consent, request changes, or appoint a surveyor if there are concerns. If both parties agree, the work can proceed smoothly.
However, if there’s a disagreement, a Party Wall Award may be needed to resolve disputes and outline the rights and responsibilities of each party, ensuring the construction does not cause unnecessary damage or issues for the neighbouring property.
Director
Laurence Murrin BA (Hons) MRICS MFPWS
Director
Laurence Murrin BA (Hons) MRICS MFPWS
Director
Chris Belton BSc (Hons) MRICS
Director
Chris Belton BSc (Hons) MRICS
Director
Dan Griggs BSc (Hons) MRICS
Director
Dan Griggs BSc (Hons) MRICS
Director
Joe Bennett BSc (Hons) MRICS
Director
Joe Bennett BSc (Hons) MRICS
You are undertaking building works
- Check whether the Party Wall etc Act 1996 applies to your project
- Talk to your neighbours early, before serving Notice about your work. Keeping your Adjoining Owners (neighbours) informed
- Make sure your Notice is served properly, or else it will be invalid
- Serve Notice with plenty of time
- Don’t be tempted to start work until you have an agreement / Party Wall Award in place.
Received a Party Wall Notice? - We can help
- Most Adjoining Owners worry that their property will be damaged by the building works.
- Our role is to try and ensure that this does not happen by looking in detail at the proposals and designs and arranging proper working methods.
- Adjoining Owners are entitled to have their surveyor’s reasonable fees paid by the Building Owner.
- The fees must be both reasonable and justifiable.
Benefits of Hiring a Party Wall Surveyor
Engaging with a Party Wall Surveyor allows you to:
- Prevent delays getting agreements in place
- Receive expert advice
- Prevent legal disputes
- Record the condition of neighbours’ property prior to the works – preventing claims for damage
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