What Are Party Walls? | Notices | Awards | Disputes | FAQs
You don’t need to tell us how much of a sensitive subject the term “party walls” can be for homeowners living in flats, terraced or semi-detached housing, especially if one of the owners wants to carry out works and renovations that invoke The Party Wall Act 1996. In cases where adjoining owners (neighbours) can’t agree to proposed works, the involvement of surveyor is essential. A party wall surveyor is a person who is specially trained in party wall matters and can deal with any disputes that arise around a shared wall, fence or structure.
Average costs: Costs for a party wall surveyor can be anywhere from £90 to £450 per hour – and the final price for the survey depends on the time it takes to reach an agreement and formulate an Award. On average, for a single party wall surveyor, you can expect to pay anywhere from £900 to £2,700+ (again, depending on the project). Using two party wall surveyors can cost anywhere from £1,800 to £5,400.
What affects the price? First, the complexity of the renovation project and construction works plays a significant role in pricing your quote. The more extensive construction work planned or alterations to the party wall require a much more detailed survey, which increases the surveyor’s fee. On top of this, the location of your property also impacts the price, which is why most surveyors, like ourselves, will ask for your postcode to provide you with an accurate quote. Learn more.
Who covers the fees? Typically, the building owner carrying out the works is responsible for paying and covering the party wall surveyor costs, even if the adjoining owner decides to use their own surveyor, sometimes as many as three surveyors can be involved. But in typical circumstances, you only need the one.
Single party wall surveyor costs per project type
We are members of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors.
When budgeting for your party wall surveyor, you’ll need to consider several factors, which might affect how long a party wall surveyor will take to complete the job, affecting your costs.
You’ll need to consider:
One exception with party walls, is that if the work being proposed is required due to a defect or repair, then costs may be split between you and the neighbour. How much you’ll pay here will depend on how much you each have of the structure or wall concerned, and which person bears responsibility for the defect repair. Usually, it’s down to the party wall surveyor to decide who covers the costs.
In some instances, a tricky neighbour might require their own surveyor, separate from yours, of whom you’ll need to cover the costs for. Typically, both the adjoining owner and building owner agree to use the same surveyor, but in instances, where they don’t two will be hired to come to an agreement on your behalf. In cases, where the two surveyors cannot reach an agreement, a third impartial surveyor is hired to reach a final decision.
When both owners agree to use a single shared surveyor the costs are much lower, so if in the event that an additional two or three need to be hired you can expect your costs to double or triple.
See our free Party Wall Resource page for useful websites and suppliers to save you time and money.
As members of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors, we offer a free, no obligation, 15-minute consultation to advise on the Party Wall etc Act (1996) and talk you through the process. Similarly, we’re available to discuss any other property-related query you may have.
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