Most party wall cost blowouts aren’t caused by “difficult neighbours.” They’re caused by avoidable mistakes that force the process to restart, escalate, or drag.
At Simple Survey, our job is simple: prevent expensive errors by doing the basics properly, early, and clearly.
Mistake 1: Serving the wrong notice (or the right notice with vague wording)
A vague “we’re doing building works” letter isn’t a strategy. When notices don’t describe the works clearly, neighbours become cautious fast. That leads to:
- more questions
- more delay
- higher chance of formal escalation
Clarity isn’t just polite—it’s cost control.
Mistake 2: Serving the right notice to the wrong people
This is the flat/leasehold trap: serving notice to the person you know, not the legal owner(s) you need. The result is brutal:
- missed owners appear late
- response windows restart
- your start date slips
We treat ownership as a first-step check, not a late-stage discovery.
Mistake 3: Starting too late
Party wall has timeframes. If you serve late, you squeeze the statutory process into an impossible build programme. Then you’re forced into:
- rushed decisions
- stressed communication
- higher conflict risk
- delays that cost more than the party wall work itself
Starting early is the cheapest party wall strategy there is.
Mistake 4: Treating your neighbour like an obstacle
Neighbours can smell impatience. If you pressure them, you often push them toward formal routes—even if they might have consented with a calmer approach.
We keep communication factual, non-confrontational, and professional. It sounds simple, but it’s one of the most powerful cost-saving tools available.
Mistake 5: Assuming “no reply” is a green light
Silence isn’t agreement. If you rely on silence to “keep moving,” you’re building risk into your project. The better approach is to use the process properly and keep decisions documented.
Our Simple Survey approach: calm, clear, and cost-effective
We’ve built our service around avoiding these pitfalls:
- correct notices
- correct owners
- clear descriptions
- realistic timelines
- proportionate handling, not inflated complexity
That’s why homeowners come to us when they want party wall done properly—without premium pricing for basic competence.
Get Cost Saving Pro Advice Now
If you want to avoid the mistakes that create the biggest party wall costs, get in touch with Simple Survey. We’ll help you get it right first time, with notices from £25 per adjoining ownership and agreed surveyor administration typically £300, depending on complexity and owners.