Articles

Flats turn party wall into a paperwork trap—not because the construction is harder, but because the ownership structure is. At Simple Survey, we see the same issue repeatedly: homeowners serve notice to the person they know next door, then discover later there are...

Basement and deep excavation projects are where party wall stops feeling like admin and starts feeling serious. That’s because the risks—movement, sequencing, engineering complexity—are higher. And higher risk naturally makes neighbours more cautious. At Simple...

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...

A party wall notice can be legally “served” and still fail in practice—because neighbours don’t respond to legal formatting, they respond to clarity. At Simple Survey, we write notices to do two jobs at once: meet the formal requirements reduce neighbour uncertainty...

Access is where party wall tensions flare up fast. Homeowners feel entitled because it’s “their project.” Neighbours feel invaded because it’s “their home.” At Simple Survey, we treat access with one rule: only what’s needed, explained clearly, handled respectfully....

We hear this constantly: “We’ve got planning—so we’re fine, right?” Not necessarily. Planning permission, building control, and party wall are related in the sense that they all affect building work—but they are not interchangeable. At Simple Survey, we help...

Party wall cost questions are emotional because building budgets are already stretched. The big fear is: “Am I going to be forced to pay whatever my neighbour’s surveyor wants?” At Simple Survey, we tackle this with honesty. There are general cost norms in party wall...

Party wall surveying isn’t just about knowledge of the Act. It’s about process. The same project can be smooth under one approach and painful under another—purely because of communication style, clarity, and how tightly the job is managed. At Simple Survey, we built...

Party wall problems usually aren’t caused by the bricks. They’re caused by uncertainty—especially about what the adjoining owner can request, refuse, or delay. At Simple Survey, we believe the fastest route is the clearest route. So we explain the adjoining owner’s...

When you serve a party wall notice, most homeowners are hoping for a simple “yes” in writing. Sometimes that happens. Sometimes you get questions. And sometimes you receive a counter-notice. At Simple Survey, we don’t treat counter-notices as a disaster. We treat them...

Boundary work is where party wall gets emotionally charged fast—because it’s literally about the line between two owners. At Simple Survey, we see boundary-related disputes start from misunderstanding more than anything else. The good news is the Act provides a...

Loft conversions are one of the most popular upgrades—and one of the most common ways to trigger party wall procedures. Why? Because loft designs often involve structural elements that interface with shared walls or shared structures between properties. Even when...

If there’s one party wall area that surprises homeowners most, it’s excavations. People often assume party wall only matters if you touch a shared wall. But excavation for foundations can trigger the Act even if all visible work seems “on your side.” At Simple Survey,...

That’s why Simple Survey exists: to deliver a professional service with transparent pricing—without the inflated, unpredictable totals that often frustrate homeowners. What you’re actually paying for Party wall work generally involves: identifying which parts of the...

Party wall feels slow when it starts late. It feels straightforward when it’s planned properly. At Simple Survey, we plan party wall backwards from your intended start date. The aim is simple: the legal timetable should support your build programme—not collide with...

A Party Wall Award often gets treated like a worst-case outcome. We don’t see it that way. At Simple Survey, we treat an award as a practical project document. It sets out what can happen, how it will happen, and what the rules are—so both sides have certainty and...

A Party Wall Notice isn’t just a polite heads-up—it’s the formal step that starts the clock. When notices are vague, incomplete, served too late, or served on the wrong people, the process slows down and your project pays the price. At Simple Survey, we’re built...

Most people don’t wake up thinking about the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. They discover it halfway through planning a loft conversion or extension—usually when a builder asks, “Have you served party wall notice yet?” or a neighbour says, “You’ll need something in...

How we keep it simple at Simple Survey Most people only discover the Party Wall etc. Act when they’re already deep into a project. The builder’s ready, the structural engineer’s drawings are in… and then someone says: “You’ll need party wall notices.” At Simple...

We’re Simple Survey, and we set out to do one thing: make party wall services fair, predictable, and genuinely affordable. Because if you’ve ever tried to budget for a loft conversion, an extension, or structural works near a neighbour, you’ll know the party wall...