The short answer
For a straightforward residential matter, expect a party wall award to cost from roughly £700 to £1,000 per adjoining owner, and usually it is the building owner who pays. Simple jobs handled by a single “agreed surveyor” cost less; basements, multiple neighbours and disputes cost more. Notices themselves should be cheap or free — at Coburns we serve them free of charge. The biggest risk to your wallet is an open-ended hourly rate.
Why it matters
A few things drive the cost:
- How many adjoining owners there are — each one is a separate matter.
- Complexity — a simple rear extension is far cheaper than underpinning or a basement.
- One surveyor or two — an agreed surveyor acting for both owners is usually cheaper than each owner appointing their own.
- The fee basis — a fixed fee is predictable; an open-ended hourly rate is not.
As a rough guide, a fixed fee around £750 is common for a typical award — equivalent to roughly £125 per hour for the work involved. The building owner generally pays the reasonable fees of both surveyors, but “reasonable” is the key word: a fee must reflect work that was actually necessary and within the Act. A high hourly rate billed against vague time is exactly what to avoid.
What to do now
- Narrow the points in dispute. The more the owners can agree between themselves, the less the surveyors have to resolve — which keeps fees proportionate.
- Ask for a fixed fee and a clear note of what it includes.
- Where the neighbour is willing, consider a single agreed surveyor to reduce the cost.
- Avoid open-ended hourly arrangements with no cap and no scope.
- Get your notices prepared and served cheaply — or free.
- If you receive a high fee claim from the other side, ask for a detailed breakdown before paying.
Common mistakes
- Accepting an open-ended hourly rate instead of a fixed fee.
- Assuming the adjoining owner’s surveyor’s fee is automatically reasonable.
- Paying for two surveyors where one agreed surveyor would do.
- Paying for work that is not actually within the Act.
When to call Coburns
We work on transparent fixed fees and serve notices free of charge. Send us the details of your project and we will tell you exactly what it should cost — and challenge any disproportionate fee claimed by the other side.