Party Wall Surveyor in London | RICS
Looking for a Party Wall Surveyor services? Harding Chartered Surveyors can help you avoid or resolve any disputes or disagreements with your neighbours when carrying out renovations, alterations or making structural changes to your home. We cover all of London, Surrey, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and most of the other home counties.
Benefits of hiring Party Wall Surveyors
Instructing a party wall surveyor will allow you to:
- Prevent legal disputes
- Avoid delays
- Receive expert advice
- Gauge the property’s condition prior to the works
Services for common projects that require party wall matters:
- Rear and Side Extensions
- Loft Conversions
- Basement Extensions
- New builds and refurbishments
- Wall Removals
- Internal Alterations
- Subsidence and Underpinning
Party Wall Surveyor Costs
Most London Party Wall Surveyors will charge a fixed hourly rate for all tasks related to the party wall. This is usually between £150-£270. The price you pay depends on the time it takes to carry out the work relating to the party wall survey. On average, the cost is around £1500.
There are a variety of additional factors that will affect this price. This includes:
- Size of the property
- Quality and completeness of architectural designs
- The complexity of the project
- Number of surveyors needed
- The level of risk of damage to the neighbouring property
- Any negotiation needed
- Where you live
It’s important to know that the person issuing the party wall notice (the building owner) will be liable for fees if the adjoining owner decides to hire their own building surveying team. However, the building owner’s surveyor will be able to decide whether these costs are reasonable, based on a variety of factors such as complexity of works, the distance between the site and the office, the quality of the design team’s drawings, and so on.
If a third building surveyor is appointed, their fees will usually be divided between the building owner and adjoining owner as per the decision of the third surveyor. This is not the same as having an ‘Agreed Surveyor’, which is where there is just one surveyor who acts for both parties.
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Party Wall Services in London
When you first decide to carry out work on your property, you should first speak to your neighbour and discuss proposed works in more detail, explaining exactly what will be involved in the process. If they agree and are happy to proceed, you may not need a Party Wall Surveyor.
However, disputes can often arise, even if it appears that an agreement has been reached. For this reason, both building owners should check the condition of the property before construction commences, taking photographic evidence that could be used for future reference, if required.
To simplify the process, it’s highly recommended that you hire a party wall surveyor who can deliver a party wall notice and provide peace of mind. The cost is usually borne by the ‘Building Owner’(the one having the works done).
If a dispute does arise, you will need a party wall surveyor to reach a resolution.
Regardless of your intentions, it’s extremely helpful to have an informal discussion with any other building owners who might be affected before you deliver a Party Wall Notice. This helps keep communication open and helps ensure that all parties will be satisfied with the outcome.
Party Wall Surveyor in London
What are Party Wall Surveyors?
The process is governed by the Party Wall etc Act 1996 and applies if you are planning:
- Building work on shared walls (party walls)
- Building work involving shared ‘party structures’ (walls or floors between flats)
- Alterations to garden boundary walls
- Underpinning or excavation work within 3-6 metres of party walls
- Loft conversations that involve changing party walls
- Changing party walls by thickening, raising or inserting a damp-proof course
- Building an extension above a party wall
Extensions and alterations can increase a property’s value and aesthetic appeal, but works to and around the party walls may require you to notify adjoining owners to comply with the law. Conflicts, delays and mistakes are far from uncommon during party wall matters, costing thousands of pounds. Harding Chartered Surveyors provides you with a professional Party Wall Surveyor in London, guiding you and your project through the party wall process. We can prepare Service of Notices, Schedules of Conditions, Party Wall Agreement, Party Wall Awards and Licences to Alter.
Most importantly, we can make party wall matters as straightforward as possible while relieving you of complex and often frustrating tasks. In the process, we’ll act as your expert representative, prevent disputes and protect your finances.
When do I need to serve a Party Wall Notice?
Party Wall Notices officially inform your neighbours of the building works that you intend to carry out. They’re written documents that explain key pieces of information relating to your proposed words and are best prepared by a party wall surveyor.
They include key information such as:
- Your name and address
- Where the work is will be carried out
- A full description of your proposed work
- Proposed start dates
- The options that the property adjoining owner has concerning the proposed work
The Party Wall Notice must be served at least two months before building work is planned to start and must be served to the legal owner of the property. Even if the adjoining property isn’t occupied by the owner, they must always be contacted, as well as the tenant. All information required in the Party Wall Act must be included in the notice.
You can serve the notice up to a year in advance and don’t need planning permission in place beforehand. You’ll have up to a year to start work once the notice has been delivered.
The adjoining owner will then have 14 days in which to respond to the Party Wall Notice and instruct their own surveyor if required. If this time has passed and the owners have not accepted or disputed the proposal, your surveyor can provide a further 10-day notice.
Why do I need to hire a Party Wall Surveyor?
Under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, you must notify adjoining owners of certain proposed works to and in the vicinity of party walls. An RICS chartered surveyor can prepare all the required documents with pinpoint accuracy, removing a bureaucratic nightmare from your to-do list.
Our London Party Wall Surveyors can work for you, the adjoining owner or both parties as to the agreed surveyor. Get in touch for more information on why hiring surveyors for party wall matters is a necessity.
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With our professional help, you can simplify the process of altering a party wall while complying with the law and minimising the risk of disputes and costly setbacks. We can help leaseholders, homeowners, landlords and investors save time, money and effort, and we always provide free quotes upfront.
London Party Wall Surveyors help prevent and resolve any disputes arising from changes you plan to make to your property that could affect theirs. This includes party walls, shared boundaries and excavation work within 3-6 metres of their property. With our help, you can improve your home and increase its value, stress-free. Harding Chartered Surveyors are specialist Party Wall surveyors, please contact us today to find out more about our services or get some advice.