If you’re planning an extension, loft conversion, basement works or any structural change near a boundary, you’ll likely trigger the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
The headline you need to remember is simple: if works are notifiable under the Act, you must serve a valid Party Wall Notice. It’s a legal requirement and there’s no legitimate workaround. Once a notice is served, your neighbour (the Adjoining Owner) must respond—then, if required, a Party Wall Award is put in place to regulate how the works proceed.
Below is a clear, first-time-friendly guide.
What are “notifiable” Party Wall works?
“Notifiable” means the Act applies, so a Party Wall Notice is legally required before you start. Common triggers include:
- Works to a party wall/party structure (e.g., cutting in steel beams for a loft conversion, raising/thickening, removing projections like chimney breasts, forming flashings).
- Building new walls at or astride a boundary (line of junction works).
- Excavation near your neighbour (typically within 3m and deeper than their foundations, or within 6m where the 45° rule is met), such as foundations for a rear extension or basement.
If your proposal falls into any of these categories, notice must be served in advance (typically 1–2 months, depending on the section of the Act).
Do I have to serve a notice?
Yes. Notifiable works = Party Wall Notice. Starting without notice is a fast route to injunctions, delays and extra cost. The Act exists to enable your project while protecting your neighbour’s property and setting fair working conditions.
DIY notice vs. using a surveyor
You’re allowed to serve notices yourself. If you have a great relationship with your neighbour and your project is straightforward, DIY can work. But beware: invalid notices (wrong parties, missing particulars, poor descriptions, incorrect timing or service) can derail your timeline when they’re challenged.
Most owners prefer to have a party wall surveyor prepare and serve the notices correctly the first time, keep the timeline clean, and handle neighbour queries professionally.
How do Adjoining Owners respond?
Once served, the Adjoining Owner has 14 days to respond in writing. There are three outcomes:
- Consent
They agree to the works proposed in your notice. You may then proceed in accordance with the Act and any agreed conditions. - Dissent and Agreed Surveyor
A single impartial surveyor is appointed by both owners to resolve the dispute and make a Party Wall Award. - Dissent and Two Surveyors
Each owner appoints their own surveyor. Those two select a Third Surveyor (a safety valve if the first two can’t agree). The two surveyors then make a Party Wall Award.
(No response within 14 days is treated as a dissent—the dispute route begins and surveyor(s) must be appointed.)
What is a Party Wall Award?
A Party Wall Award is a legally binding document under Section 10 of the Act. It sets the time and manner of the works, the practical safeguards around your neighbour’s property, access arrangements (if needed), and how costs are dealt with under the Act. It is the mechanism that resolves the dispute and allows notifiable works to proceed lawfully and predictably. If either owner believes the Award is wrong in law or jurisdiction, the Act provides a 14-day County Court appeal window.
Who pays the party wall costs?
In most cases, the Building Owner (the one doing the notifiable works) pays the reasonable party wall costs—this usually covers the surveyor(s) and making the Award. There are edge cases (e.g., defects, shared benefit, owner-requested extras) where costs can be apportioned, but the default expectation is that the building owner funds the process they have initiated.
Timing: don’t leave it late
Statutory notice periods (often 1 month for new boundary walls and adjacent excavation; 2 months for works to party structures) cannot be shortened unless the Adjoining Owner expressly agrees. Serve early, share clear drawings/methods, and keep communication open; this is how you keep programmes on track and budgets under control.
Why compliance protects you
Following the Act:
- Keeps you on the right side of the law (avoiding injunctions and work stoppages).
- Gives your contractor clarity about how and when works must be carried out.
- Reassures your neighbour that risks are being managed properly—reducing friction.
- Creates a robust paper trail—useful now and when you sell (buyers’ solicitors often ask for evidence of Party Wall compliance).
Simple Survey: the cost-effective way to get it right
We keep process, cost and neighbour relations under control:
- Party Wall Notice service: £25 per adjoining ownership (multi-notice bundles discounted)
- Act administration as Agreed Surveyor (single surveyor): typically £300 fixed-fee (depends on complexity and number of notices/owners)
- Two-surveyor route (we act for the Building Owner): fixed-fee proposals from £325 for our side (we work to keep your neighbour’s surveyor’s hourly fees reasonable and contained)
What you do now:
Email your drawings (drafts are fine) and site address to team@simplesurvey.co.uk. We’ll confirm what’s notifiable, serve valid notices quickly, and—if needed—administer an Award with clear, proportionate safeguards so your build can proceed legally and smoothly.
Simple Survey — the most cost-effective, compliant route to Party Wall Notices and Awards in England & Wales.