Faulkners Surveyors is a professional and trusted company of party wall surveyors in Newton Abbot, specialising in all party wall matters in Newton Abbot and the Home Counties. The company was founded in 2010 with the coming together of three independent knowledgeable Surveyors who specialise in this niché location of surveying.
Do I need a party wall agreement in Newton Abbot?
When do you require a party wall notice or party wall agreement (technically called a party wall award)? Our guide provides you all the answers you require to obtain the appropriate authorizations to perform your structure works. And, if you need one, how to find a party wall surveyor.
When do I need a party wall agreement?
- A party wall is the shared wall, normally between a terrace or semi-detached house, and divides the houses of 2 different owners
- It also includes garden walls built over a boundary and excavations near a neighbour’s residential or commercial property (within three or 6 meters, depending on the depth of the brand-new foundations).
- In the home, Party Wall Agreements are most frequently required for building works that involve loft conversions, the insertion of wet evidence courses and the digging of new foundations (as would be needed in constructing an extension).
Getting permission for party wall structure works.
- Prior to party wall building works can begin, the house owner (Building Owner) needs a composed Party Wall Agreement from all affected neighbours (Adjacent Owners).
- Or a property surveyor needs to be appointed to prepare a Party Wall Award (the agreed file describing how the works need to advance). Quickly discover certified regional Party Wall Surveyors with our totally free Party Wall Surveyor service.
- To begin this process, the homeowner needs to serve a Party Wall Notice on their neighbours, in writing, about the prepared party wall works.
Serving a party wall notice.
Serving notice can be done for free, utilizing proper basic types or by a party wall surveyor for a flat fee. A letter of recognition for the neighbour to return and finish is generally included.
A house owner has to give 2 months written notice on building works which affect a party wall or border, or one month’s notice for excavations.
Planning permission is not needed to serve a Party Wall notice, and once notice has been served, the property owner has up to a year to start work.
Acquiring assent.
Once notice is served, a neighbour has fourteen days to respond, after which, there are three possible outcomes:.
i) The neighbour provides assent in writing providing the house owner will put right any issues.
- In such straightforward cases, there is no requirement to designate a party wall surveyor or have a Party Wall Award.
- The property owner should take dated pictures of the party wall and ideally have agreed composed notes of any fractures, with copies for both.
- Or a property surveyor could be designated to assess and prepare a schedule of condition to reduce the threat of disputes later on. This must be done shortly prior to the work starts.
Dissent.
ii) If the neighbour dissents (or if they do not NOT reply within 14 days, in which case, they are assumed to have dissented), a Party Wall Award is needed.
- In this case, both homeowner and neighbour can designate ONE Agreed Property surveyor, generally within 10 days, who can act impartially for both.
- The concurred property surveyor ought to be independent and NOT the very same property surveyor the house owner might be utilizing for their own works. Otherwise their neighbour is not likely to view the property surveyor as neutral.
- The Agreed Surveyor produces an “Award” which details the works proposed and a schedule of condition, consisting of photos, of the neighbour’s house.
- Surveyors’ rates vary between ₤ 150.00 and ₤ 200.00 per hour and a party wall award and property surveyor costs roughly ₤ 1000.00.
- Some architects are likewise able to act as surveyors.
iii) Each owner selects their own property surveyor. This is pricey for the property owner who is responsible for the costs of their neighbour’s property surveyor as well as their own.
It is important that all these options readily available to the neighbour, are explained plainly in the notification.
Maintaining great relationships with your neighbours.
- Before publishing a Party Wall notice through your neighbour’s letterbox, which can appear intimidating, have a friendly chat first.
- A shared cup of tea cultivates good will and eases fears. It is a chance to reveal sketches and explain the prepared works. It is worthwhile including that a formal notification will be sent out later.
- It is reasonable for your neighbour to request the contact information of your property surveyor and/or structure business for further information and peace of mind.
Common mistakes.
i) not offering sufficient notification.
ii) not informing all the affected neighbours. This includes the freeholder and anyone with a leasehold longer than a year. If you reside in a terraced house, neighbours on both sides might be affected depending on the works. A homeowner living beside flats, may require to serve notice on a variety of different people. Examine home ownership through the Land Computer system registry.
iii) not explaining the proposed work exactly enough or not including adequate info. Notifications about excavations, for example, require to consist of complete structural information.
iv) not using the requirement, or wrong form of notification. The form of notice for excavating foundations is different from a party wall.
One building task may require more than one kind of notice served on each affected neighbour.
Timeline.
2 months and one day later: constructing works can begin, presuming the party wall award has been agreed.
One year and one day later: constructing works must have begun.
Find a party wall surveyor.
Use our totally free tool to discover a local party wall surveyor and compare quotes.
When do you need a party wall notice or party wall agreement (technically called a party wall award)? And, if you need one, how to discover a party wall surveyor.
It is rewarding including that an official notification will be sent later on.
If you live in a terraced home, neighbours on both sides may be impacted depending on the works. A house owner living next to flats, may require to serve notice on a number of different individuals.
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Learn More about Party Wall
A party wall (occasionally parti-wall or parting wall, also known as common wall or as a demising wall) is a dividing partition between two adjoining buildings that is shared by the occupants of each residence or business. Typically, the builder lays the wall along a property line dividing two terraced houses, so that one half of the wall’s thickness lies on each side. This type of wall is usually structural. Party walls can also be formed by two abutting walls built at different times. The term can be also used to describe a division between separate units within a multi-unit apartment complex. Very often the wall in this case is non-structural but designed to meet established criteria for sound and/or fire protection, i.e. a firewall.
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