If you are planning a renovation or refurbishment project that affects your shared party wall structure or boundary, such as a loft conversion, a basement excavation or a building extension, the Act sets out the process to be followed.
Works covered by the Party Wall Act include:
- Carrying out work to a party wall shared with another owner.
- Building on the boundary.
- Excavating for new foundations close to another owner’s building or structure.
Failing to observe the Act is not an offence as such, although by failing to serve Notice you will be breaching a statutory duty. In case of a dispute arising, your neighbour can take civil action against you. In extreme cases, an injunction can be issues to stop further work until a Party Wall Agreement is in place, which could mean a costly delay to your project. What’s more, your neighbour may seek compensation if they can prove that they have suffered damage or loss as a result of the work, and you can even be required to remove the works.
Gowers Surveyors have extensive experience of surveying all property types and offer expert, impartial advice regarding Party Wall Awards. As party wall surveyors, we can provide professional guidance throughout your construction project. Our specialist team will draw up the necessary Party Wall Notices and Awards ensuring that the interests of both the Building Owner and the Adjoining Owner are protected under the Party Wall Act.
It is important to get professional party wall advice as the process can be complex and lengthy, potentially requiring party wall act surveyors to be appointed to act for both parties involved with regards to construction works situated near or on the boundary.
Gowers Surveyors offer professional expertise in Cambridge, Peterborough, Stamford and throughout South Lincolnshire to help protect you against potentially excessive and unnecessary expense and liability. Our team will offer expert advice to both residential and commercial property owners who are considering building extensions or are in the process of altering their premises near to boundaries, as well as clients who are currently developing close to adjoining properties.
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About Us
Gowers Surveyors is an independent surveying practice, being members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) and the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors (FPWS).
The team at Gowers Surveyors is headed up by Paul Gowers, a Fellow of RICS, CABE and the Faculty of Building. He is also a Member of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors (FPWS) and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB).
We have a comprehensive portfolio of valuation and surveying services to serve the needs of homes and businesses. As experienced party wall surveyors in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, Gowers Surveyors can help Building Owners as well as Adjoining Owners deal with any issues arising from the Party Wall Act and to issue Party Wall Awards
Client Testimonials
Ben Green24 May 2023Having used Paul's services for a survey on our upcoming listed building purchase I can assure you that you will get the most thorough, professional and helpful service that you could wish for. The report tallied over 100 pages covering all aspects of the house, walls, frames, windows, roof space, drainage, outbuildings, render, roof tiles, water tanks, electrics, insulation, listed building consent, health and safety and much more. Not only that but Paul's report also told us how to best maintain the house going forwards, using what materials and how often things need doing. This was most definitely worth every penny and has allowed us to make an informed decision on the purchase going forwards. A+ rating from me!
James Marron19 May 2023I could not recommend Paul Gowers highly enough. Excellent service and a very comprehensive, clear report. An extremely knowledgeable and helpful professional.
Brian Scull15 September 2021I have just had a Survey completed by Gowers of Stamford. I have to say that the team there are superb. From the first contact with Catherine who was courteous, professional and helpful and who also arranged everything. To the surveyor Paul who was marvellous, the report was clear and well presented and easy to understand. Paul was extremely helpful and prepared to spend time discussing all the sections and any issues i had.He was very professional and a pleasure to deal with. I don’t normally do revues but felt compelled on this occasion because they deserve enormous praise and i would thoroughly recommend them.
Cameron Bauldry7 July 2021I needed a building survey doing at short notice after red flags were raised once receiving searches and the sellers paperwork back. Unfortunately Gowers and everyone else I checked with were all booked up for months however Paul took time out of his busy day to speak to me, listen to my situation and provide me with some fantastic advice which I very much appreciate. He is very knowledgeable and the advice given has helped me in the next steps of my house purchase. Thank you again.
Neil Crees18 March 2021The value of using Paul, a local well known professional, was huge. I received immediate personal feedback allowing me to take timely action to avoid what could have been an expensive mistake.
Sam Paul10 December 2019We engaged Gowers to carry out a building survey for an old residential property with multiple issues. Paul Gowers was excellent in his response time to our questions and the level of professional reporting. The service we received was reassuring for us and we would certainly use Gowers again.
Mandy Ingram6 June 2018We recently used Gowers Surveyors for a building project involving the Party Wall Act. It was applicable on both boundaries and Paul acted as Agreed Surveyor on one side and Building Owner Surveyor on the other. The build itself was fairly straight forward, but the Party Wall process was definitely not... Paul is the consummate professional. Knowledgeable, reliable, calm and level headed he always made himself available whether in person or at the end of a phone or email to ourselves and our contractors. The project lasted 8 months and he continued to deliver the highest level of professionalism and advice throughout. Cannot recommend him highly enough!
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