This decision would be much easier if you knew in advance whether or not your neighbour was planning to consent. Why not smooth the way by giving your neighbour a copy of the plans as soon as they are ready and at least a week or two before serving the official notice? Take the plans round personally and explain the parts of the work which will affect their property. Include your architect’s office number in case they have any technical questions. Having received full details of the work your neighbour should may be able to tell you whether or not they will consent before you serve the notice; although they might wish to consult their own surveyor before making any response.
Party wall issues? Here are some advices: In most cases, if the adjoining does not respond within 14 days then a deemed dispute is said to have occurred and the person carrying out the work must appoint a surveyor to act on the adjoining owners behalf. If adjoining owners provide written consent to the works as set out within the notices, then there is no dispute to resolve and no further need for party wall surveyors or, indeed, the Party Wall Act. Assuming work proceeds as detailed within the notice and no damage is caused, then no further involvement is necessary. Resolving Disputes: If adjoining owners dissent to the works (or if no response is received and a deemed dissent has arisen) then a dispute has occurred which must be resolved under the requirements of Section 10 of The Act. It is worth reiterating that the Act is one of enablement, it is not there to prevent works from taking place and it offers a route to end disputes at every stage. Where written agreement is not given, the solution the Act provides is for both parties to appoint an ‘agreed surveyor’ who will act impartially or for each owner to appoint a surveyor who in turn appoint a third surveyor. The surveyors then work together to agree the terms under which work may proceed. The surveyor(s) will review the plans, notices and structural details of the works and, after considering the impact of the works, will draw up an agreement which sets out the terms under which work can be carried out (the Award).
Exterior walls will be assessed by the property surveyor and large furniture will only prevent them from gaining access to every part of the exterior wall. Make sure your furniture is kept away from exterior walls and moved into the centre of the room.
More common aspects of the property that the Building Survey may cover can be woodworm, dry rot or damage to timbers, structural damage, results of tests for damp in the wall, information regarding the materials used in the property construction, the costs for possible repairs and possibly a recommendation for further investigations into the property.
The most comprehensive report currently available from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) suite of building surveys, based around what was formally known as a Full Structural Survey and is now known as a Level 3 survey. A RICS Building Survey is a through internal and external investigations of all the assessable areas of a building. This is then reviewed with information about the construction of the building and any information about extensions, modifications that need to be addressed. This is all then assessed in the RICS Home Surveys Suites traffic light system with each item given a rating based on its current condition and a detailed description will be given as well as advice from your surveyor on how and when to address them appropriately. See extra info on Building Surveyor Canterbury.
At Home Heroes, we endeavour to provide a competitive service while attaining the highest standards of professional practice. Home Heroes although we are experienced Party Wall Surveyors, we understand that to you our clients the party wall act can be a pretty daunting experience and you have already probably been left nervous and confused, with compliance of the act. We are able to speak to you in plain English using familiar terms and sayings helping you to be put and ease and more importantly understand your obligations and rights under the act. Home Heroes Limited has experienced surveyors who are well placed to help you with your party wall requirements, be you the building owner, adjoining owner or even as an agreed surveyor.
Party Wall Surveyors, will deal with disputes by issuing an Award. Party Wall Award(s) are ways of dealing with disputes under the Party Wall etc. Act. At Home Heroes we are able to work on your behalf both before the need for a party wall surveyor by preparing and serving notice and once a dispute is deemed, we have experience working as building owners, adjoining owners and even an agreed surveyor. A HomeBuyer Report is a survey suitable for conventional properties in reasonable condition. Costs start at 400 on average. This will help you find out if there are any structural problems, such as subsidence or damp, as well as any other unwelcome hidden issues inside and outside. As one of the most comprehensive surveys available, more often than not a building survey will be requested by potential buyers of your property. It is a wide range inspection of the entirety of a property done in more specific depth than a Homebuyers Report or a Mortgage Valuation. A Building Survey’s purpose is to give a detailed report of the condition of the property in question.
Home and building survey tips and tricks : Go back to your Roots, Trees next to your home can give a lovely ‘rural’ feel to the property, and we love them, she even has a pear tree growing right outside her house. But, she didn’t buy the property without checking first that the roots weren’t causing any structural damage to the property’s foundations. Electrical and Gas Safety, I don’t know why, but every home I’ve ever bought has had a really useless boiler! As a result I’ve had to fork out between 1,000 to 2,000 to get a new one fitted. So, after having this happen twice, I now make sure I ask the surveyor to have a quick look and then I get a Gas Safety Registered plumber to check it out – albeit at an extra cost of up to 75. However, this has saved me over 10,000 due to the number of properties I’ve bought over the years! Read additional info at home-heroes.co.uk.