When you’re budgeting for an extension, loft conversion, basement, or structural alterations, the last thing you need is a surprise bill from the party wall process. At Simple Survey, we keep your Party Wall Agreement (Award) straightforward, compliant, and—crucially—transparent on price. No upselling, no vague “extra admin,” no gotchas. Just clear scope, fixed fees, and the exact steps required under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 to get you building.
Why “no hidden costs” matters
- Predictability: Construction timelines and cash flow are tight. You need to know the full cost of compliance before you start.
- Momentum: Avoid disputes and delays triggered by unclear notices, muddled scope, or inflated extras.
- Value: Pay once for the right documents, properly served and administered, with pragmatic conditions that let the works proceed.
We design our process to be fast, correct, and proportionate—so you don’t pay to fix avoidable errors or fund unnecessary wrangling.
What’s included (the essentials done properly)
- Strategy & eligibility check: Which sections of the Act apply (Sections 1, 2, 6) and who must be notified (freeholders, long leaseholders, flats, management companies).
- Valid notices: Correct content, timing, service method, and supporting material for the notifiable elements.
- Response handling: Consent, dissent, agreed-surveyor route, or non-response pathway (including the Section 10(4) mechanism).
- Award drafting & service: A clear, proportionate Party Wall Award that authorises the works and sets sensible conditions, access arrangements, and cost allocation in line with the Act.
- Pragmatic case management: Keep communications focused, decisions documented, and progress steady to avoid escalation and excess cost.
- Appeal window signposting: You’ll know when the 14-day window starts and what that means for your programme.
Short version: if it sits inside the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, we manage it efficiently—without creeping extras.
Transparent, fixed pricing
Party Wall Notice service: £25 per adjoining ownership (multi-notice bundles discounted).
Act administration as Agreed Surveyor (single surveyor): typically £300 fixed-fee, depending on complexity and number of notices/owners.
Two-surveyor route (we act for the Building Owner): fixed-fee proposals from £325 for our side. (The Adjoining Owner’s surveyor often bills hourly; we work to keep those costs reasonable and contained.)
Complex works (deep excavations, multi-owner blocks): we’ll still offer the fixed pricing as above!
No surprises, no creeping extras. You’ll know the number before we start.
How we keep your total cost low (not just our fee)
- Clarity first: Neighbour-ready notices and plain-English covering notes reduce knee-jerk dissents.
- Tight scope: Awards that match the actual risk and works—no kitchen-sink clauses that slow you down.
- Focused escalation: If a Third Surveyor referral is unavoidable, we keep the question narrow, the record tidy, and the costs contained.
- Digital by default: Where permitted under the Act, we serve and exchange electronically to cut admin time (and fees).
Typical project paths
A. Neighbour consents
- Notices served, consent received—no Award usually needed. You proceed on time with minimal cost.
B. Agreed Surveyor route
- One impartial surveyor (us) acts for both owners, drafts and serves the Award—fast and economical.
C. Two-surveyor route
- Each side appoints a surveyor; we maintain pace, keep positions reasoned and documented, and aim for agreement without unnecessary referrals.
FAQs
Is a Party Wall Agreement the same as planning permission?
No. The party wall process is separate from planning and building control. You may need all three on the same project.
Do I always need an Award?
Only if your neighbour dissents or doesn’t reply (leading to a deemed dispute). If they consent, an Award is usually not required for the notifiable elements.
Who pays the costs?
Under the Act, the Building Owner generally pays the reasonable costs of administering the process (including the Adjoining Owner’s surveyor where appointed).
What if my neighbour ignores the notice?
After 14 days with no reply, a further 10-day request is served. If there’s still no response, a dispute is deemed to have arisen and a surveyor can be appointed on their behalf under Section 10(4) so the process continues.
Can you act as the Agreed Surveyor?
Yes—provided both owners are comfortable. It’s typically the quickest, cheapest route to a compliant Award.
How fast can you move?
We can usually prepare notices same/next working day once we have the basics. Statutory notice periods still apply (1–2 months depending on the section), but clean paperwork and responsive case management keep momentum.
What causes “hidden costs” with others?
Open-ended hourly billing for routine admin, inflated document drafting, unnecessary referrals, or re-serving invalid notices. Our approach removes those traps.
When to involve us
- You’re finalising drawings and want to lock in the statutory timeline.
- You need notices now and an Award as soon as legally possible.
- You’re facing a complex ownership structure (flats, freeholder/leaseholder mix) and want it right first time.
- You want fixed fees with no hidden extras.
Bottom line
A Party Wall Agreement should be work-enabling, not wallet-draining. With Simple Survey you get clear scope, fixed price, and zero surprises—from first notice to final Award.
Get a fixed, like-for-like Party Wall quote today.
Email team@simplesurvey.co.uk and we’ll reply promptly with a clear scope and a fixed figure.
Simple Survey — No hidden costs. Just compliant, fast Party Wall paperwork.