Party Walls, Explained
Share a wall, a boundary or dig near a neighbour's foundations and the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies. It is workable and neighbourly when started early — and a project-stopper when left late.
Three situations trigger the act: work on a shared (party) wall — steels for a loft conversion are the classic case; building a new wall at the boundary; and excavating within three metres of a neighbour's structure and below their foundations, which catches many extensions. Notices are served by you as the building owner — the act is written that way — one to two months before the work they cover.
What we do: tell you at survey stage exactly which notices your project needs and when, supply the drawings and details the notices refer to, and work smoothly with any surveyor your neighbours appoint. Most notices end in simple written consent; where a surveyor is appointed, an award records the condition of next door and how the work will proceed — protection for both sides.
Do party wall notices mean my neighbours can block the project?
No — the act is a mechanism for proceeding, not a veto. If neighbours dissent, surveyors agree an award that lets the work go ahead with conditions and a record of condition. Started early, it rarely affects the programme.
- Who serves notices
- You, as the owner
- Notice period
- 1–2 months
- Our part
- Timing, drawings, surveyor liaison
More house extensions routes
Ready to talk about a party wall?
A visit costs nothing and commits you to nothing. We'll look at what your house can take, give you straight answers, and tell you plainly if the numbers don't stack up.
- You tell us the ideaThree quick questions — no essay required.
- We call within a working dayA real conversation about what your house can take.
- A visit, then an itemised quoteEvery line written down, and only if you want one.
- On site
- Mon–Fri, 8am–5pm
- Office calls
- until 6pm weekdays
- We reply
- within one working day