The primary role of our recommended Party Wall Surveyors is to balance the interests of building owners. Their task is to ensure that building owner is able to exercise his or her rights under the Act, but in such a way that unnecessary inconvenience is not caused to adjoining owners and occupiers. Our recommended party wall surveyor’s carry out the provisions of the Act, act impartially between the parties in dispute, and settle matters by Party Wall Award. The prime purpose of appointing a party wall surveyor is to resolve disputes between owners. The appointment of a surveyor arises out of a dispute between the two owners, following service of notice. A dispute arises when there is an express dissent to a notice or when a party structure notice or notice of adjacent excavation is not responded to by the adjoining owner within 14 days. Despite its title, The Party Wall etc. Act is not concerned solely with party walls. It regulates the relationship between neighbouring owners in the context of a number of specified types of construction work like building of party structures or their repair and alteration, and also those concerned with excavation carried out within modifiable distances from buildings on adjoining land.

You will require a Party Wall Agreement If you are proposing to construct a free standing boundary wall or carrying out proposed building works on an existing wall which is shared with another property or excavating near neighbouring building.

The purpose of Act is to facilitate construction operations in the vicinity of boundaries. It achieves this partly by providing a procedural framework which ensures that neighbouring owners are notified of impending construction works. However, in addition to this the Act also grants rights to property owners which entitle them to interfere with the land and structures belonging to neighbouring owners.

It defines the limits within which rights granted by the Act can be exercised. The act authorises work which may involve physical encroachment onto a neighbour’s land or which may produce dust, vibration, noise or some other inconvenience or annoyance.

To the extent that such work causes unnecessary inconvenience it will be unlawful and will be actionable by adjoining owners or occupiers as a breach of statutory duty. To the extent that the work is carried out with reasonable care and without causing unnecessary inconvenience it is lawful and its operation is regulated by the Act.

During this process we add detail to the drawings specifying in detail all the elements covered by Building Regulations – Structure, Insulation, Fire Safety etc.

The Building Regulations are minimum standards for design, construction and alterations to virtually every building. They are developed by Government and approved by Parliament.

The Building Regulations are designed to ensure minimum standards for health, safety, welfare, convenience, energy efficiency, sustainability, and to prevent misuse, abuse or contamination of water supplies.

The regulations set national standards for building work, whether it is on a major new development or an extension or alterations to your home. They cover all aspects of construction, including foundations, damp-proofing, and the overall stability of the building, insulation, ventilation, heating, fire protection and means of escape in case of fire. They also ensure that adequate facilities for people with disabilities are provided in certain types of building.

Each Local Authority in England and Wales has a Building Control section. The Local Authority has a general duty to see that building work complies with the Building Regulations - except where it is formally under the control of an Approved Inspector.

The majority of home improvements are inspected by the Local Authority inspectors and Enliven Solutions Limited will deal with all notifications, applications etc. that are required for your proposal.

If you would like to discuss for your project CLICK HERE to email us on the online form or call us to arrange free initial design consultation.