Summary:
Party wall costs spiral when notices are invalid, communication is fuzzy, or fee structures are open-ended.
Simple Survey keeps you in control with transparent, fixed pricing, rapid compliant notices, and a streamlined pathway through the Act.
Our processes reduce disputes, delays, and “surprise” extras—so your budget stays predictable from day one.
Why fee control matters
Party wall procedures don’t have to be expensive. In most projects, overspend comes from avoidable re-serving of notices, unclear scoping (triggering unnecessary work), and hourly billing that runs on.
Simple Survey eliminates those failure points:
- Clarity up front: We map your works to the correct section(s) of the Act and confirm who must be notified.
- Valid, first time: Notices are drafted, checked, and lawfully served so the statutory clock starts once—not twice.
- Fixed fees: Where others meter time, we publish prices and hold to them for standard projects.
- Momentum: We keep the process moving, reducing time-related costs elsewhere in your programme.
Transparent, fixed pricing (lowest like-for-like)
- 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 party doing the works): fixed-fee proposals from £325 for our side (the other surveyor often bills hourly; we work to keep those costs reasonable and contained)
- Complex works (deep excavations, multi-owner blocks): we’ll still offer fixed pricing as above
- No surprises, no creeping extras. You’ll know the number before we start.
How we keep overall costs down (not just our fee)
- Neighbour-ready paperwork: Clear, plain-English covering notes reduce knee-jerk dissents and unnecessary escalation.
- Right drawings, right detail: The information needed to avoid re-queries is included from the outset.
- Structured follow-up: If responses stall, we trigger the next statutory step promptly and correctly.
- Proportionate approach: We focus only on what the Act requires—no kitchen-sink extras.
Indicative timing chart (control the clock, control the cost)
| Stage | Typical duration | What we do to protect your budget |
|---|---|---|
| Intake & scoping | 0–1 working day | Confirm sections triggered; identify all notifiable owners; set clear scope |
| Drafting | Same day | Prepare compliant notices and concise neighbour cover notes |
| Service | Same/next working day | Lawful electronic/postal service with evidence (no re-service delays) |
| Initial response window | 14 days | Handle queries promptly to minimise unnecessary dissents |
| No reply? s.10(4) request | Issued on day 15 | Keep momentum; avoid idle drift and programme knock-ons |
| Follow-on procedures (if required) | Project-dependent | Proportionate, targeted steps to prevent fee inflation |
Statutory minimum notice periods (set by law):
- Section 2 (works to party structures): 2 months
- Section 1 (new walls at the boundary): 1 month
- Section 6 (adjacent excavation): 1 month
We can’t shorten those statutory minimums—but we make sure you hit valid service fast and only once.
What “being in control” looks like with Simple Survey
- Predictable numbers: Fixed-fee proposals tailored to your scheme.
- Single point of contact: Streamlined comms, faster answers, fewer billable loops.
- Evidence-based service: Proper service records and clean audit trails protect you if challenged.
- Programme awareness: We coordinate timings with your build schedule so dependencies are managed.
FAQs
Are your fees really the cheapest?
That’s our business model. We publish low, fixed fees and will beat any genuine like-for-like written quote.
Can I serve notices myself to save money?
You can—but invalid notices reset the statutory clock and usually end up costing more. Our £25 per ownership notice service is a low-risk, low-cost safeguard.
Do you cover complex and multi-owner scenarios?
Yes. Even for deep excavations or blocks of flats, we’ll still frame a fixed-fee proposal to keep your exposure predictable.
Will using an Agreed Surveyor save money?
Often. If both neighbours are comfortable, a single impartial surveyor typically reduces both cost and time compared with the two-surveyor route.
What if the other side’s surveyor is hourly and expensive?
We keep the scope tight, the documentation clear, and the issues focused—so there’s less room for inflated time claims. Where necessary, we challenge costs that aren’t reasonable under the Act.
Can you start quickly?
Yes. For straightforward schemes, drafting and service are typically same or next working day once we have the essentials.
Who pays the fees?
Generally, the party carrying out the works pays the reasonable costs of administering the Act. Our model keeps those costs low and transparent.
Keep control of your party wall budget—choose Simple Survey
Get compliant notices out fast, avoid re-service, and keep professional costs predictable. For a fixed, itemised quote and rapid start, contact team@simplesurvey.co.uk.
Simple Survey — clear scope, fixed prices, faster progress.