WHEN DO YOU NEED TO HIRE A PARTY WALL SURVEYOR IN WEST LONDON?
As a leading team of party wall surveyors, we’re specialists who resolve disputes and deal with issues around the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
Per the Party Wall Act, there are three main areas of work when you might need to appoint a party wall surveyor in West London.
- There’s work on the party wall that directly affects the structure, like inserting steels, increasing the height of the wall, or removing a chimney breast bonded into the wall and underpinning.
- Excavation work is planned within 3.0m of an adjoining wall/shared structure, and it’s to a greater depth than the base of the foundation.
- A new wall is being constructed up to or astride the shared boundary.
The party proposing the work must notify any affected adjoining owners if any of this work is being planned.
To do this, you must serve a notice. A party wall surveyor in West London can do this for you.
We recommend hiring an expert surveyor in this case as they can increase the chances of the notice being consented to (more on this later).
If an issue or dispute arises from the notice, a party wall surveyor must be appointed to resolve it.
As one of West London’s longest-serving and trusted party wall surveyors, Peter Barry has the technical and legal knowledge to ensure the process is as smooth and favourable as possible for all affected parties.
CONTACT US
If you require free advice or a quote in relation to a residential surveying matter in West London please contact us today.
Common Projects That Require Party Wall Surveyors in West London
- Loft conversions
- Basement extensions including underpinning party walls
- Wall removals
- New walls at the boundary
- Rear and side extensions
How We Can Help You With Your Party Wall West London Needs
While we can prepare Notices, our party wall surveyors are on hand to assist both building owners and adjoining owners through the entire party wall process.
Are You Proposing Work on Your Home in West London?
If you’re the building owner proposing works that impact the Party Wall Act in West London, we’re here to help.
When planning work that falls under the Party Wall Act, you need to notify all affected adjoining owners by serving a notice – known as the service of notices.
Your adjoining owner will have three options when responding to this notice.
- To consent and allow the proposed work to continue.
- To dissent and appoint the same surveyor as you.
- To dissent and appoint a different surveyor.
In an ideal scenario, the neighbour will consent or dissent and appoint the same surveyor as you.
This is because the party proposing the works is responsible for the surveyor’s reasonable fees.
And if your neighbour appoints a second surveyor, you must also pay their reasonable fees.
For this reason, having your notices prepared by an expert West London party wall surveyor is important as they can improve your chances of consent.
We recommend including an offer to pay for a Schedule of Condition when serving the notice, which outlines all parts of the property at risk and includes supporting photographs.
Having a document like this can be incredibly helpful if your neighbour claims damages during or after work – a common occurrence as neighbours will pay much more attention to the condition of their property during work.
And can assume any cracks are new.
As an expert party wall surveyor near you in West London, we are well-placed to prepare a Schedule of Condition on your behalf.
Is Your Neighbour Proposing Work That Could Affect Your Home?
Are you an adjoining owner who has been served a notice alerting you to upcoming work that could affect your property? We’re here to help.
You have three options when served with a notice.
- To consent if you’re happy with the work.
- To dissent and appoint the same surveyor as your neighbour.
- To dissent and appoint your own surveyor.
If you decide to consent, we recommend preparing a Schedule of Condition.
This will record the condition of the parts of your property that the works could impact. Doing this will allow you to identify any damages during or after work if you wish to claim compensation.
If you want to appoint your own party wall surveyor in West London, we have over 40 years of experience helping both building owners and adjoining property owners resolve their party wall disputes.
We’re adept at reducing the risk of damage and implementing measures to minimise your inconvenience.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.
If a Dispute Has Arisen
If the notice has been dissented to, a “dispute” arises as outlined in the Party Wall Act.
The appointed party wall surveyor(s) have a duty to resolve this dispute.
They must act impartially and balance the interests of all affected owners.
Once a resolution is found, the terms agreed are outlined in a document known as the Party Wall Award.
The Award will authorise the building work to continue with additional obligations placed on the building owner who proposed the work.
Obligations can include ensuring the risk of damage is minimised as reasonably possible and that there is no unnecessary inconvenience for the adjoining owners.
How Much Does a Party Wall Survey Usually Cost in West London?
The price you can expect to pay your party wall surveyor will depend on whether you’re the building owner or adjoining owner and what service is required.
Service of notices is charged as a flat fee of £65 + VAT per adjoining owner.
A Schedule of Condition is usually between £450 and £650 + VAT, depending on the scope of the works and the size of the property.
It’s important to remember that the building owner will be responsible for the surveyor’s reasonable fees for themselves and the adjoining owner.
The adjoining owner’s surveyor’s fees are not known in advance as they are charged hourly.
However, mechanisms outlined in the Party Wall Act try to keep the fees reasonable.
Hiring an expert party wall surveyor in West London like Peter Barry can minimise these fees, as we have the skills and experience required to anticipate and address issues.
Where Are Our West London Party Wall Surveyors Located?
Our West London party wall specialists work from our head office in Kensington.
Our Other Services in West London
Party Wall Surveyor West London
West London offers an unparalleled blend of tradition and modernity as the historic charm of areas like Kensington and Notting Hill merges seamlessly with a vibrant contemporary lifestyle. Stroll thought Hyde Park for an oasis of tranquillity amidst the urban bustle. West Londoners enjoy world-class dining, from Michelin starred restaurants like Le Gavroche on Upper Brook Street to street food markets like Portobello Road. The iconic River Thames, winding through the heart of West London, provides a picturesque backdrop to this remarkable place to call home.
West London is served by seven out of the 12 London Underground lines and the proximity to Heathrow Airport simplifies international travel.
Once you have pinpointed your perfect property in West London, the team at Peter Barry Surveyors are here to help you with that important next step.
YOUR LOCAL PETER BARRY OFFICE
Vicarage House,58-60 Kensington Church Street,
Kensington,
London,
W8 4D8
Telephone: 020 7183 2578
Email: surveying@peterbarry.co.uk
CONTACT US
If you require free advice or a quote in relation to a residential surveying matter in West London please contact us today.
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
Excellent
WHAT SETS PETER BARRY APART FROM OTHER PARTY WALL SURVEYORS WEST LONDON?
Leading London-based party wall specialists with a 35+ year history.
Breadth & depth of expertise provided by experienced team of RICS surveyors.
Straight forward and honest professional, impartial advice.
Up-to-date understanding of best practice and case law through training and CPD.
Members of relevant governing bodies – RICS, FPWS, P&T.
Party Wall Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Party Wall?
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 came into force on 1st July 1997 and is now enshrined in English law. It stipulates the rights and responsibilities that must be observed for anyone planning to work falling within its scope. Read more about the Act here.
What is a Party Wall Agreement?
For surveyors who undertake this form of work day in day out, it can be easy to assume that there is good general understanding as to what a party wall award includes and entails. That assumption is regularly proven wrong when our team is speaking to potential clients and detailing the 3 response options to the notices. Learn about party wall agreements here.
When Do You Need a Party Wall Agreement?
Completing the party wall awards is often the last part of the jigsaw required to allow work to commence on site and the process which leads up to that point can be delayed for any number of reasons; from technical queries relating to the proposed works to the appointed surveyors’ holiday arrangements. It’s therefore advisable to get started as soon as possible but when is the perfect time to start the process by serving notice?
Can Neighbours Refuse Party Wall Agreement?
It is not uncommon to discover that your neighbour has gone ahead with building works that technically fall under party wall legislation. Indeed, at Peter Barry Surveyors, we are used to getting two or three phone calls a week from Adjoining Owners whose neighbours are carrying out qualifying works without having served notice as legally required by the Party Wall Act. Click here to learn what to do when your neighbour ignores the Party Wall Act.
WEST LONDON AREAS WE COVER
We cover the west of London from our office at Vicarage House, 58-60 Kensington Church Street, London W8 including the areas noted below.
- Bayswater W2
- Hyde Park W2
- Marble Arch W2
- Paddington W2
- Acton W3
- Bedford Park W4
- Chiswick W4
- Gunnersbury W4
- Ealing W5
- South Ealing W5
- West Ealing W5
- Hammersmith W6
- Ravenscourt Park W6
- Hanwell W7
- Kensington W8
- Little Venice W9
- Maida Hill W9
- Maida Vale W9
- North Kensington W10
- Holland Park W11
- Notting Hill W11
- Shepherds Bush W12
- White City W12
- West Ealing W13
- Barons Court W14
- Brook Green W14
- Holland Park W14
- West Kensington W14
