Your surveyor will want a copy of the project drawings, as well as a section drawing of the proposed foundations if you intend on excavating near another property. What information is needed to prepare the notices? If you intend to excavate close to your neighbour’s property, or build on the boundary line, then you must serve notice at least 1 month before the works / excavations start. If you intend to carry out works directly to a party structure, for example to insert a steel beam, or to underpin a wall, you must serve the Party Structure Notice at least 2 months before you intend to carry out the works. You must serve party wall notices at least 1 or 2 months before the works start, depending on which notices you serve and what works you are carrying out. Therefore, we would recommend that you appoint a surveyor to confirm whether your works require Party Wall matters as soon as you are certain that you intend to carry out the works. He will be able to advise you about how best to proceed. The best time to contact a surveyor about your project is as soon as you become aware that the Act might apply to the works. This includes works directly to a party wall or structure (can be a floor between properties), excavation close to another property, and building on the boundary with another property. You should appoint a surveyor if you believe that the Party Wall Act may apply to your works. This short article will help you understand when to engage a surveyor, when to serve party wall notices, and how long each of the stages of the party wall procedure takes.
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What is that Party Wall Act procedure, and how long does it take? The Party Wall Act is often overlooked on a construction project, and it can cause delays if it isn’t factored in to the programme.