Planning a loft conversion, an extension on the boundary, or excavation for new foundations? If your works fall within the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, there’s a clear pathway from first enquiry to a served Party Wall Award. This guide walks Building Owners and Adjoining Owners through each stage—what happens, who does what, how long it usually takes, and how to keep cost, risk, and neighbour relations under control.
At‑a‑glance journey
- Enquiry & quotes → choose a competent, proportionate surveyor.
- Pre‑check → confirm which works are notifiable and who must be served.
- Prepare & serve Notices (Sections 1, 2, or 6 as applicable).
- Responses → consent, dissent with an Agreed Surveyor, or dissent with two surveyors.
- Draft the Party Wall Award → methods, protection, hours, access, damage procedure.
- Serve the Award → statutory document in place; 14‑day appeal window.
- During works → comply with Award; inspections and “further awards” if needed.
- Completion → post‑works check; make good or compensate if required.
- Close‑out → paperwork archived; everyone moves on.
Each step is straightforward when handled in order and with good communication.
1) Enquiry & quotes: set yourself up to succeed
Start by shortlisting surveyors who administer the Act every day, not occasionally. Ask for a written scope that covers: preparing and serving notices, and serving the Award, and post‑works checks. For standard loft steels or extensions, a fixed fee keeps budgeting simple; for basements or complex multi‑owner scenarios, a staged or capped approach may be more realistic.
To help your surveyor quote accurately, provide: your address, clear drawings (plans, sections, structural details if available), a description of the works, and your hoped‑for start date.
2) Pre‑check: is it notifiable and who needs a Notice?
The Act applies to three broad categories:
- Section 1 — building a new wall up to, or astride, the boundary.
- Section 2 — cutting into, raising, underpinning, or otherwise working directly on a party wall/party structure (including floors/ceilings between flats).
- Section 6 — excavations within 3 metres (and deeper than a neighbour’s foundations), or within 6 metres where a 45° line from the neighbour’s foundation would be intersected.
Your surveyor will also identify every legal owner who must be served—freeholders and any qualifying long‑leaseholders—not just the occupants. Land Registry checks keep that list accurate.
3) Preparing and serving Notices correctly
A valid notice states the parties, the address of works, the statutory section(s), a clear description, a proposed start date, and the date of service. For excavations, include sections and foundation depths; for party wall works, reference the drawings that show precisely what’s proposed. Notices must be served 1–2 months before works start (depending on the section), and you must begin within 12 months of service.
Practical tip: accompany formal notice with a plain‑English cover letter. Clear explanations reduce anxiety and speed up responses.
4) Responses: consent or dissent—what that really means
Adjoining Owners have 14 days to reply. If they consent, works usually proceed without an Award. If they dissent (or do not reply), there are two routes:
- Agreed Surveyor: one impartial surveyor acts for both owners, sets reasonable controls, and prepares the Award. This is often ideal for standard home projects.
- Each appoints their own surveyor: appropriate where the works are complex, relationships are delicate, or independent representation is preferred. The two surveyors select a third surveyor at the outset to determine any points they cannot agree.
In most cases, the Building Owner pays the reasonable fees of the surveyor(s).
5) Drafting the Party Wall Award: the rules of engagement
The Award is a legally binding document that:
- Sets out how the works must be carried out, with method notes where proportionate.
- Establishes working hours, access protocols, and protective measures (dust, vibration, temporary weathering, scaffold licences if needed).
- Confirms and clarifies responsibility for making good or compensation if damage arises.
- May require security for expenses (a sum held to cover potential making‑good) for higher‑risk works such as deep excavations or underpinning.
Well‑judged Awards are specific enough to protect, but pragmatic enough to keep the build moving.
6) Service of Award, appeals, and start on site
Once agreed and served, the Award authorises the notifiable works subject to its conditions. Either owner has 14 days from service to appeal to the County Court on points of law or jurisdiction—not just because they disagree. There is no automatic stay; if works must pause pending appeal, a stay should be sought.
If there are design changes later, your surveyor can issue a further award—don’t improvise on site.
7) During the works: compliance and communication
Contractors should be briefed on the Award’s requirements; it is not “paper for the file”. If something unforeseen happens—hidden conditions, minor damage, sequencing tweaks—tell the surveyor early. The Act provides a calm, pre‑agreed route for resolving issues without derailing programme or relationships.
8) Completion and close‑out
After the notifiable works are finished. If there’s damage attributable to the works, the Award’s mechanism governs how it’s handled: either making good to an agreed standard, or compensation in lieu. When closed out, keep copies of the Award and correspondence with your build records.
9) Timelines you can plan around
- Serve notices 1–2 months before the intended start (depending on section).
- Adjoining Owners have 14 days to respond (then, if needed, a 10‑day follow‑up under section 10(4)).
- Award drafting and service usually follows promptly once access and information are in hand.
- Works must commence within 12 months of notice service.
A proactive surveyor will map these steps against your build programme so your contractor isn’t left waiting.
10) Common pitfalls (and how to avoid them)
- Invalid or vague notices that omit key details or the correct statutory section.
- Serving the wrong people—missing a freeholder or qualifying leaseholder.
- Leaving it late, creating unnecessary pressure on neighbours and surveyors.
- Site changes without a further award, which can create compliance and liability issues.
Most problems are avoided by early checks, clear drawings, and steady communication.
11) What a good quote should include
Expect clarity on: what’s included (notices, Land Registry searches, Award, post‑works check), what might be extra (multiple neighbours, major design changes, or complex damage claims), the fee basis (fixed vs hourly/capped), VAT and disbursements, and an indicative programme. For simple projects, a transparent fixed fee for the full process is usually best.
11) FAQs
Does consenting remove my protection as a neighbour?
No. They still have the right to dissent, should a dispute arise post consent.
Can a neighbour stop lawful works by dissenting?
Dissent doesn’t block the project; it triggers the appointment of surveyor(s) and the Award, which allows the works to proceed under safeguards.
What if no notice was served and works have started?
Raise it promptly. The process should be followed; in urgent cases, legal advice about a temporary halt may be appropriate.
How are damage claims handled?
Through the Award’s mechanism: inspection, attribution, and either making good or compensation.
The bottom line
The Party Wall process is designed to be practical: inform, agree safeguards, build, and make good if needed. With the right surveyor, it stays proportionate, on programme, and neighbourly.
Need a hand from first quote to final Award?
Email team@simplesurvey.co.uk — England & Wales’ most cost‑effective Party Wall Surveying team with Party Wall Notice fees from £25.00 and Party Wall Award fees capped at £325.00. We will not be beaten on price!