Party wall matters, handled properly.
Planning an extension, loft conversion or basement next to a neighbour? We serve the right notices, prepare the award and protect both properties under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Our fees are fixed and published, and we explain everything in plain English.
- Member of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors
- Notices from £100
- Free initial consultation
Three kinds of work need a party wall notice
If your project includes any of the following, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 says you must serve notice on your neighbours before you start. Planning permission and building regulations approval don't replace this.
Work to a shared wall
Inserting steel beams for a loft conversion, cutting in flashings, removing chimney breasts, underpinning or raising a party wall. Section 2 notice, two months.
Building on the boundary
Building a new wall on, or right up to, the line of junction with your neighbour, which is common with side and rear extensions. Section 1 notice, one month.
Digging near a neighbour
Excavating for foundations within 3 metres of a neighbouring building and deeper than its foundations, or within 6 metres in some cases. Section 6 notice, one month.
Clear services, published prices
The building owner normally pays the party wall fees. If you're the neighbour receiving a notice, you can usually appoint us at no cost to you.
Party wall notices
£100 per notice
We draft the correct notices and serve them properly, then track your neighbours' responses.
NoticesParty wall awards
From £995
If a neighbour dissents, we prepare the legally binding award that sets out how the work goes ahead.
AwardsSchedules of condition
From £350
A detailed, photographed record of the neighbouring property before work starts. This is your best protection against damage disputes.
SchedulesReceived a notice?
Usually free to you
If your neighbour is building, we can act for you. The building owner normally pays.
Adjoining ownersFrom first conversation to work starting
Free consultation
Tell us about your project. We'll confirm whether the Act applies and which notices you need.
Notices served
We prepare and serve valid notices, with plans and sections where required, and record proof of service.
Neighbours respond
Your neighbours have 14 days to consent or dissent. If they don't reply, the law treats that as a dispute.
Award & schedule
If there's a dispute, the surveyors agree an award and record the condition of the neighbouring property. Then your build can begin.
A specialist, not a sideline
Party wall surveying in the UK is unregulated: anyone can call themselves a party wall surveyor. Hampshire Party Walls is run by Andy Jones BSc (Hons) MFPWS, a member of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors who works only on party wall matters.
Andy acts for homeowners, developers and local authorities across Hampshire. The aim is always the same: to keep projects moving, keep neighbours on speaking terms and protect everyone's property.
- Correctly drafted notices. Invalid notices are a common and costly mistake.
- Fixed, published fees with no surprises
- Impartial, practical and approachable
- Local knowledge of Hampshire's housing stock, from Victorian terraces to new-build estates
A member of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors, bound by its code of conduct, and a member of Local Surveyors Direct.
Party wall questions, answered
Why do I need a party wall surveyor?
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 sets out procedures you must follow when building work affects a shared wall, a boundary or the foundations of a neighbouring building. A surveyor makes sure your notices are valid, keeps you compliant and resolves any dispute through a legally binding award.
What is a party wall agreement (award)?
If a neighbour dissents to your notice, the party wall surveyor(s) prepare an award. This legal document sets out the work to be done, how and when it will be carried out, each owner's rights and responsibilities, and the measures that protect the neighbouring property.
Who pays the party wall surveyor's fees?
The building owner, meaning the person carrying out the work, normally pays all reasonable surveyors' fees, including those of the surveyor acting for the neighbour. Adjoining owners typically pay nothing.
How can I resolve a dispute with my neighbour?
Under the Act, a dispute is settled by surveyors rather than by the courts. Either one agreed surveyor acts for both owners, or each owner appoints their own. The surveyors then make an award that is fair to both sides and legally compliant.
Is it a legal requirement to use a party wall surveyor?
Not always. You must follow the Act's procedures if your work falls within it, but if your neighbour consents in writing you don't need an award. A surveyor must be appointed if a dispute arises, including when a neighbour doesn't respond within 14 days.
Not sure if the Act applies to your project?
Tell us what you're planning. We'll tell you, free of charge, whether you need to serve notice and what happens next.