For adjoining owners
Received a party wall notice from next door? How to respond, whether to consent, protecting your property with a schedule of condition, and choosing the right surveyor — usually at no cost to you.
Written by a surveyor
- Karmjit Grewal
- Party Wall Surveyor
- Plain-English guidance
24 articles
Checklist: choosing a good party wall surveyor
Before appointing a party wall surveyor, use this checklist. If several points cannot be answered confidently, proceed with caution.
Choosing a surveyorHow to spot a good versus bad party wall surveyor
The difference between a good and bad party wall surveyor can be measured in cost, delay and neighbour relations.
Choosing a surveyorSo what actually matters when choosing a party wall surveyor?
If professional memberships are not enough, what should homeowners actually look for when choosing a party wall surveyor?
Choosing a surveyorWhat makes a good party wall surveyor?
Choosing the right party wall surveyor matters more than many owners realise. The difference between a competent surveyor and a poor one can be seen in time, cost and neighbou…
Choosing a surveyorDo professional memberships really indicate a good party wall surveyor?
Many homeowners assume professional memberships are a shortcut to finding a good party wall surveyor. That assumption is unsafe.
Choosing a surveyorWhat does it take to be an expert?
Expertise is not created by a job title, a membership badge or attendance at occasional meetings. It comes from knowledge, experience, judgement and the ability to solve real…
Choosing a surveyorWhy Coburns Party Wall is the best party wall surveying firm
Party wall matters can be stressful, technical and expensive if they are handled badly. Coburns Party Wall stands out because we focus on the things that matter most: clarity,…
Fees & costsWhy fee transparency matters when choosing a party wall surveyor
A surveyor’s willingness to explain their fees up front is one of the clearest early signals of how fair and proportionate they will be. Here’s why vague or open-ended fees are a warning sign — and the questions to ask before appointing.
Fees & costsParty wall surveyor costs and fees: a simple guide
Understanding likely party wall surveyor costs helps building owners plan properly and avoid unnecessary disputes. The cost will depend on the work, the number of owners invol…
Fees & costsWho pays party wall surveyor fees?
One of the most common questions in party wall matters is: who pays the surveyors’ fees?
Fees & costsDetermining hourly rates for party wall surveyors
Question: What should a surveyor consider when setting an hourly rate for adjoining owner appointments? Should the building owner’s surveyor question the adjoining owner’s sur…
Fees & costsHow much can boundary disputes cost?
Boundary disputes are often disproportionately expensive. The strip of land in dispute may be worth very little, but the cost of arguing about it can be enormous.
Fees & costsWhy appointing a fee-driven party wall surveyor is risky for an adjoining owner
Adjoining owners are often told that they can appoint any surveyor they like and the building owner will pay. That is only half the story.
Fees & costsWhy commission-based fees for party wall surveyors are bad for you
Party wall surveyors should be independent, impartial and focused on resolving the dispute created by the notifiable works. Fee arrangements that reward escalation or referral…
Fees & costsWhy fee-driven party wall surveyors don't act in your interests
Not all party wall surveyors approach matters in the same way. Some focus on resolution. Others appear to focus on billable hours, unnecessary correspondence and escalation.
Fees & costsWhy you should avoid appointing a party wall surveyor on an open-ended hourly rate
An open-ended hourly rate is one of the easiest ways for a party wall matter to become unnecessarily expensive.
Fees & costsAbandoned party wall works and surveyor fees
Party wall procedures sometimes begin and the building works are later postponed or abandoned. The question then becomes: who pays the surveyors’ fees?
Fees & costsHow to identify and avoid fee-driven party wall surveyors
A good party wall surveyor should resolve disputes, not create them. Unfortunately, some surveyors appear to be driven more by fees than by proportionate dispute resolution.
Guidance & insightWritten or photographic schedule of condition: which is better?
A schedule of condition records the adjoining owner’s property before notifiable works begin. It is one of the most useful documents in the party wall process because it helps…
Guidance & insightAssessing damage in party wall matters: using the BRE crack classification
Damage arising from party wall works is uncommon, but when it is alleged, proportional assessment is essential.
Guidance & insightAssessing the scale of damage in party wall matters
Damage to an adjoining owner’s property during party wall works is uncommon, but it can happen. When it does, the scale of the damage matters.
Guidance & insightParty wall disputes with vulnerable adjoining owners
Vulnerability requires care, patience and practical flexibility. It does not, however, suspend the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
Guidance & insightWhat is not the responsibility of the adjoining owner's surveyor?
The role of the adjoining owner’s surveyor is not fully defined in the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. That uncertainty can allow fee-driven surveyors to expand their role beyond wh…
Notices & consentCan an adjoining owner object to mass concrete underpinning?
Mass concrete underpinning is often proposed for basement and structural works. It is not automatically unacceptable, but it is not automatically acceptable either.
Send us your plans, notice or letter
Planning work, or received a party wall notice? Send your drawings, the notice, or any letter from a surveyor and we’ll tell you exactly where you stand — clear, transparent fees and no obligation.