Party Wall Surveyors London
When you’re planning construction work that affects shared walls or boundaries in London, navigating the Party Wall etc Act 1996 can be complex and stressful. Our experienced team of chartered party wall surveyors provides comprehensive party wall surveying services across London and the South East, including Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, ensuring your project complies with legal requirements while protecting your interests and maintaining good neighbour relations.
Party Wall Notices
Party Wall Awards
Professional Service
Our comprehensive party wall solutions ensure optimal outcomes for building owners and neighbours. We deliver results that protect investments, prevent disputes and enable successful project completion.
Why Choose Us For Party Wall Award Services
With over 10 years of experience serving Greater London property owners, developers, and contractors, our specialist party wall surveying practice handles everything from party wall notices to final inspections. Whether you’re a homeowner planning a loft conversion or a developer working on complex projects, we provide expert advice, competitive rates, and professional guidance to resolve the full range of party wall issues efficiently.
Our London offices serve residential and commercial clients across North London and the wider London area, offering initial consultation services and detailed reports for all aspects of the party wall process.
Ready to get started? Contact our party wall experts today for a free initial consultation and quote
| Included as standard | Traditional Surveyors |
Our Party Wall Specialists |
|---|---|---|
| Transparent pricing | ✖ | ✔ |
| Review of proposed drawings | ✖ | ✔ |
| Land registry compliance checks | ✖ | ✔ |
| Liaising with third party consultants and appointed surveyors | ✖ | ✔ |
| Notices drafted and served by AC Design Solution - No room for errors | ✖ | ✔ |
| Site visit with appointed surveyors | ✖ | ✔ |
| Drafting and preparing detailed schedule of condition report | ✖ | ✔ |
TYPES OF NOTIFIABLE WORK COVERED BY THE PARTY WALL etc ACT 1996
The Party Wall etc Act 1996 covers three distinct sections of notifiable work, each with specific party wall notice requirements and procedures. Understanding which section applies to your project is essential for compliance and avoiding costly delays to your party wall matters.
SECTION 1: NEW BOUNDARY WALLS
Section 1 covers the construction of new walls directly on the boundary line between properties. This includes building new garden walls, garage walls, or any structure that sits exactly on the property boundary. Even if the wall is entirely on your land but within one metre of the boundary, you may need to serve party wall notice under this section.
Key requirements include the building owner to serve notice at least one month before starting work and obtaining a party wall agreement from your neighbour. If they dissent or don’t respond, you’ll need to appoint a party wall surveyor to resolve the matter through a party wall award.
SECTION 6: WORK TO EXISTING PARTY WALLS
Section 6 is the most commonly used part of the Act, covering work to existing party walls such as cutting into a party wall for beam insertions, raising, thickening, or demolishing and rebuilding party walls, cutting away projecting footings or foundations, installing damp proof courses in party walls, and weathering party walls with flashings or copings.
For Section 6 work, you must serve party wall notice at least two months before starting construction. This longer notice period allows time for the party wall procedure to be completed if your neighbour dissents.
SECTION 3: EXCAVATIONS
Section 3 covers excavations within 3 metres or six metres of neighbouring buildings, depending on the depth of excavation relative to neighbouring foundations. This section typically applies to basement excavations and extensions, foundation work for new buildings, deep drainage or utility installations, and any excavation that could affect neighbouring foundations including work to underpin existing structures.
The notice period for excavation work is one month, but the complexity of structural considerations often requires detailed party wall survey work and protective measures, making early consultation with party wall surveyors essential.
Check some of our customers review
Zubear was very friendly and approachable and understood what was required. Thank you to the AC Design Team.
We would be delighted to appoint them again for future work if the need arose. Good value for money too.
MR
From first contact to final approval stage, Zaeem was extremely helpful and always made himself available to us.
We highly recommend AC Design Solutions for any off your architectural planning and design requirements.
The Party Wall Survey Process and Party Wall Award Procedure
The party wall survey process is a structured legal procedure designed to facilitate construction work while protecting the interests of all affected parties. Our experienced chartered surveyors guide building owners and adjoining owners through each stage of party wall matters, ensuring compliance and minimising delays to your project.
Service of Party Wall Notice
The procedure begins with serving the appropriate party wall notice on adjoining owners. Our specialist party wall surveyors prepare comprehensive notices that include detailed descriptions of proposed work, plans, and all information required under the Act. We ensure notices are served correctly and within the required timeframes to avoid delays to your party wall matters.
Proper party wall notice service is crucial as defective notices can invalidate the entire process. Our team has extensive experience preparing notices that withstand scrutiny and provide a solid foundation for the party wall procedure.
Response to Party Wall Notice
Response to Party Wall Notice
Once party wall notices are served, adjoining owners have 14 days to respond with either consent, dissent, or a counter notice (for certain types of work). If they fail to respond within this period, they’re deemed to have dissented, triggering the surveyor appointment stage.
Our party wall experts explain the implications of each possible response and help building owners understand their options moving forward. We also represent adjoining owners who receive notices, ensuring their interests are protected throughout the process.
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How Much Does a Party Wall Surveyor Cost? – Complete Guide 2025
How much does a party wall survey cost?
Party wall surveyor costs vary depending on the complexity of your project, the number of neighbouring properties affected, and whether party wall issues arise during the process. Our London party wall surveyors provide transparent, competitive pricing with no hidden fees for our professional service.
Typical cost ranges for our surveying practice:
- Simple residential extensions and loft conversions: £800 – £1,500 per adjoining owner
- Complex residential projects: £1,500 – £3,000 per adjoining owner
- Commercial developments: £2,000 – £5,000+ per adjoining owner
- Basement excavations and underpinning work: £1,500 – £4,000 per adjoining owner
Costs typically include party wall notice preparation and service, schedule of condition reports preparation, party wall award negotiation, and project monitoring. Additional costs may apply for complex party wall issues, multiple site visits, or extensive documentation requirements for comprehensive reports.
Important: Under the Party Wall etc Act 1996, building owners are responsible for all reasonable surveyor costs, including those of adjoining owners’ surveyors. We provide detailed cost estimates upfront and keep you informed of any changes throughout the process.
Want an accurate quote for your party wall matters? Contact our range of party wall experts with your project details for a free, no-obligation estimate. We’ll assess your requirements and provide transparent pricing within 24 hours.
Party Wall Issues – Frequently Asked Questions
Q. My neighbour is building but hasn't informed me about any work taking place. What can I do?
If your neighbour is carrying out notifiable work that should be covered by the Party Wall etc Act 1996 without serving proper party wall notices, you have several options. First, approach them directly to discuss the situation – they may be unaware of their obligations under the Act. If this doesn’t resolve party wall matters, you can serve a notice requiring them to comply with the Act or seek expert advice about obtaining an injunction to stop the work.
Our party wall experts can assess whether ongoing work requires party wall notices and advise on the best course of action to protect your interests as an adjoining owner.
Q. I have just found out that I need to serve party wall notice on an adjoining owner but my construction has already started – should I stop?
If you’ve started notifiable work that requires party wall notices without serving proper notice, you should stop immediately. Continuing without compliance can result in legal action, including injunctions and claims for damages. The good news is that retrospective notices can sometimes be served, though this depends on the specific circumstances and party wall matters involved.
Contact our party wall surveyors immediately for urgent expert advice on regularising your position and minimising project delays.
Q.When does The Party Wall etc Act 1996 apply?
The Party Wall etc Act 1996 applies to notifiable work in England and Wales that affects party walls, constructs new boundary walls, or involves excavations near neighbouring properties. Specific triggers include cutting into a party wall, building on boundaries, and excavating within 3 metres or six metres of neighbouring buildings (depending on depth).
The Act doesn’t apply in Scotland or Northern Ireland, which have different legal frameworks. Our party wall experts can quickly assess whether your project requires party wall procedures and professional guidance.
Q. Is there anything I can do about the construction noise coming from next door?
While the Party Wall etc Act 1996 doesn’t directly control noise, party wall awards typically include provisions for working hours and noise mitigation. If your neighbour has a party wall award, check whether they’re complying with agreed working hours and methods.
For noise issues not covered by the Party Wall Act, contact your local authority’s environmental health department, as construction noise is regulated under environmental protection legislation.
Q. Do I have to allow my neighbour's contractors on to my property?
If a party wall award grants access rights to your property, you generally must allow reasonable access during agreed hours. However, you can require reasonable notice, appropriate insurance coverage, and security measures. The award should specify access requirements and any conditions.
Our party wall surveyors ensure awards include appropriate access provisions that balance construction needs with property owners’ rights and security concerns.
Q. Why should I appoint a party wall surveyor?
Appointing an experienced party wall surveyor protects your interests throughout the party wall survey process. Whether you’re the building owner or adjoining owner, professional representation ensures your rights are protected, procedures are followed correctly, and any party wall issues are resolved fairly.
Our range of party wall experts have the technical expertise to assess construction impacts, negotiate appropriate protections, and ensure compliance with the Act. The cost of our professional service is typically far outweighed by the protection and peace of mind it provides, particularly when dealing with complex projects or acting on behalf of multiple parties.
Q. Can building work start before the party wall award is finalised?
No, notifiable construction work covered by the Party Wall etc Act 1996 cannot commence until either neighbouring owners consent to the work or a party wall award is agreed and served. Starting work prematurely can result in legal action and significant complications to your party wall matters.
Planning ahead and allowing sufficient time for the party wall process is essential for avoiding project delays, particularly for residential and commercial developments.
Q. What do I do if I'm struggling to recoup costs from my neighbour?
If you’re an adjoining owner whose surveyor’s fees haven’t been paid by the building owner as required under the Party Wall etc Act 1996, you have several options. First, contact the building owner directly with a formal demand for payment. If this fails, you may need to pursue the matter through debt recovery procedures or seek expert advice.
Our party wall surveyors assist with cost recovery matters and can provide detailed reports to support your claim for reasonable surveyor fees, acting on behalf of affected owners and adjoining parties.
Practice Changing Party Wall Case Law – Kaye v Lawrence (2010)
The case of Kaye v Lawrence fundamentally changed party wall practice by establishing that party wall surveyors owe duties of care to both appointing and non-appointing parties. This landmark decision clarified that surveyors must act impartially and fairly, even when appointed by one party – a principle central to our surveying practice.
The case arose from a dispute over basement excavations in London, where the appointed surveyor allegedly failed to consider the adjoining owner’s interests adequately. The Court of Appeal ruled that party wall surveyors must exercise their functions impartially, balancing the interests of building owners and adjoining owners rather than acting as advocates for their appointing party.
This decision significantly impacted party wall practice across London and the South East, emphasising the quasi-judicial role of party wall surveyors and their responsibility to act fairly throughout the process. It reinforced the importance of appointing experienced, impartial surveyors who understand their duties under both the Act and case law, particularly when dealing with complex projects and boundary disputes.
Are the Old Party Wall Ways Always the Best?
While the Party Wall etc Act 1996 has remained largely unchanged since its enactment, party wall practice continues to evolve through case law, technological advances, and changing construction methods. Traditional approaches to party wall matters don’t always address modern construction challenges or provide optimal outcomes for all parties involved in residential and commercial developments.
Contemporary party wall practice benefits from advances in structural monitoring, digital documentation, and collaborative approaches to dispute resolution. Modern party wall experts use sophisticated condition survey techniques, including 3D laser scanning and digital photography, providing more accurate schedule of condition reports than traditional methods.
However, the fundamental principles of the Act – protecting property rights while enabling development – remain as relevant today as when the legislation was enacted. The key is applying these principles using modern techniques and approaches that deliver better outcomes for building owners and adjoining owners, particularly in complex projects requiring professional guidance.
Who pays a Party Wall Surveyor?
Under the Party Wall etc Act 1996, the building owner (person carrying out the notifiable work) is responsible for all reasonable costs associated with the party wall survey process. This includes their own surveyor’s fees, the adjoining owner’s surveyor’s fees, any ‘agreed surveyor’ fees (if appointed), and reasonable legal costs if party wall issues proceed to court.
This cost responsibility applies even if the adjoining owner appoints their own party wall surveyor from our range of party wall experts – the building owner must still pay reasonable fees for our professional service. However, costs must be reasonable and proportionate to the work involved and the party wall matters addressed.
Our London party wall surveyors provide transparent fee estimates upfront and work efficiently to minimise costs while ensuring comprehensive professional service. We also provide detailed reports and records of time spent and work undertaken to justify all fees charged, whether acting on behalf of building owners and adjoining owners or serving as an ‘agreed surveyor’.
Our surveying practice serves the Greater London area, including North London, Hertfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, offering initial consultation services for all aspects of the party wall process, from simple loft conversions to complex projects requiring extensive party wall surveying services.
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