Party Wall Surveyor Essex

Essex, a county brimming with historic charm and modern vibrancy, offers a diverse array of housing options. The county's real estate landscape beautifully combines traditional appeal with contemporary convenience. The historic towns within Essex, such as Colchester and Saffron Walden, feature stunning Georgian and Victorian houses, often adorned with well-maintained gardens and intricate architectural details, reflecting their rich heritage.

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Beyond the historic centers, Essex provides a variety of housing styles, including quaint cottages, terraced houses, and modern developments. Many properties are nestled in the serene Essex countryside, while others are conveniently located near bustling urban centre's like Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea. Essex's housing market caters to a wide range of preferences, making it a sought-after location for those seeking a harmonious, character-filled, and well-connected place to call home.

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Much of the housing in Essex is either terraced or semi-detached, often positioned close to neighboring properties.When carrying out building work close to the boundary or on a party wall in Essex, the Party Wall Act may apply. For example, if you are planning a loft conversion, it's common for steel beams to be integrated into the party wall along with padstones or steel bearing plates. It is also common to raise the party wall, often in timber frame with vertical tile hanging or other types of cladding, which may require stripping off roof tiles to build a dormer. These situations necessitate serving a party wall notice to your neighbour.

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Another frequent building project in Essex is adding an extension either to the rear or the side of a property. Let’s start with the foundations. If they will be deeper than your neighbor's foundations and within 3 meters of them, you will need to serve a Section 6 Party Wall Excavation Notice one month before you intend to commence work. This notice must be accompanied by a plan and section drawing of the excavation and the walls that will be built on top of it.

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When a neighbor dissents to a notice, both parties must appoint a party wall surveyor to resolve the issue under the Party Wall Act. Typically, the surveyor or surveyors will visit the adjoining property to take a schedule of condition and then serve a party wall award on both neighbours.

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For smaller projects, such as domestic ones mentioned above, it’s often enough to appoint one surveyor as the agreed surveyor for both parties. However, for more complex projects, especially those involving basements, you may want to appoint two surveyors, one for each party. Whenever two surveyors are appointed, a third surveyor, who is more experienced, must be selected by the two surveyors. This third surveyor often remains unaware of their selection unless called upon by one of the surveyors or the homeowners to resolve a dispute that the initial two surveyors cannot resolve on their own.

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If you are planning building work near your boundary and your property is in Essex, feel free to contact Bluegrass Surveying as your local party wall surveyors. They can provide free and impartial help and advice, serve party wall notices for you, and act as your party wall surveyor should it be necessary.