Party Wall Surveys & Services In Sandbach

Is a Party Wall Agreement Necessary?

When is a party wall award (also known as a party wall notification) or agreement required? Our manual provides the solutions you need to get the required permissions to carry out your building projects. Moreover, where to go for a party wall surveyor specifically, should you find yourself in need of one?

When do I need a contract for a party wall?

• The shared wall between two independent homeowners; typically found in a semi-detached or balcony configuration.
• Yard walls constructed beyond the permitted height and excavations close to a neighbour's property also fall under this category (within three or 6 meters, depending on the deepness of the new structures).
• Loft conversions, installing moisture-proof courses, and digging new buildings are all examples of common construction projects in residential areas that necessitate Party Wall Agreements (as would certainly be needed in developing an extension).

The process of obtaining permission for construction projects involving party walls.

• The owner of a structure (the Structure Proprietor) will need a written Party Wall Agreement from all adjacent property owners in Sandbach before any work can begin on a party wall (Adjacent Owners).
• Alternatively, a surveyor must be hired to draught a Party Wall Award (the agreed file detailing how the works ought to proceed). Get in touch with licenced neighbourhood Party Wall Surveyors in Sandbach right now with help from our no-cost Party Wall Surveyor service.
• A Party Wall Notice must be given to adjacent property owners in writing by the homeowner before any work may begin on the shared wall.

Serving a party wall notice in Sandbach.

When proper basic forms are used, serving notice is free of charge; however, hiring a party wall surveyor to conduct it for you will cost you a set amount. A letter of thanks to the neighbour to finish and return is also included.

When a property owner is planning to excavate on their land or perform any work that could affect a party wall or boundary, they are required to give at least one month's notice.

It is not necessary to get permission to serve a Party Wall notice, and once served, the homeowner has up to a year to begin construction.

Acquiring acceptance.

A neighbour has fourteen days from the date of service to respond, at which point one of three scenarios can occur:

i) The neighbour will sign an agreement if the property owner agrees to fix any problems.

• Appointing a party wall surveyor or having a Party Wall Honor is unnecessary in such basic cases.
• The owner of the property is responsible for taking up-to-date photographs of the party wall and, ideally, agreeing upon and drafting written notes of any cracks, with copies for both parties.
• One alternative is to have a surveyor look things over and make a condition report to lower the potential for disagreements down the road. Before beginning the job, this must be completed promptly.

ii) A Party Wall Award is required if the neighbour objects (or if they do not answer within 14 days, in which case they are considered to have objected).

Within the allotted time frame, usually no more than ten days, the homeowner and neighbour can agree on a single Concurred Surveyor who will work in a neutral capacity.

The appointed surveyor must be separate from any surveyor the homeowner may be using for their own projects. If the neighbour doesn't see the surveyor as impartial, the situation could get ugly.

The "Honor" prepared by the Agreed Surveyor describes the anticipated work and includes a photographic schedule of the neighbor's home's current state.

A party wall honour and surveyor will set you back something in the neighbourhood of £1000.00. This is the rate range for hiring a surveyor.

A few architects can also do surveying.

iii)Each individual property owner appoints their own surveyor. This can get costly for homeowners because they are responsible for both their own surveying costs and those of their neighbours.

The notice must spell out all the alternatives open to the neighbour.

If you want to avoid the hassle of putting a Party Wall notice through your neighbour's door, it's best to talk to them first.

• Shared tea time strengthens bonds and calms nerves. It's possible to provide visual aids and detailed descriptions of the proposed improvements. It's important to note that a formal announcement will be made down the road.
• A neighbour's request for your surveyor and/or construction company's information is a natural inquisition into the nature of your project and an indication of respect and trust on the part of the neighbour.

Typical mistakes.

• i) Giving too little advance warning.
• ii)failing to notify all impacted neighbours. Both the freeholder and those with leases of more than a year are considered to be tenants. Depending on the specifics of the renovations, your terraced house's immediate neighbours on either side may be affected. Owners of properties that are adjacent to apartment buildings may need to give notice to many people. Investigate who owns what in your neighbourhood with the Land Windows database.
• iii) not providing a clear enough description of the suggested work or provide enough background information. Excavation notices, for instance, must include specifics on the building's design.
• iv) Forgetting to give proper notice or giving the wrong kind of notice. Foundation excavation requires a different type of notice than party wall construction.
  More than one type of notice may need to be given to neighbours who will be impacted by a single construction project.

Timeline

• The construction work can commence on the third day after the two-month mark if the party wall honour is agreed upon.
• Within a year, most development work has begun.