FEERING
THE PARTY WALL PEOPLE
We can help you with the Party Wall Etc. Act 1996 in Feering. We can prepare and serve party wall notices for you,
we can carry out schedules of condition and if needed, we can produce and serve party wall awards (AKA party wall agreements).
Our 100% 5-star rating on Google speaks to our professional, personal and expert service
​We hold membership with the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors (FPWS) and the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)
We have Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance.
​If you have any questions about the party wall act, please feel free to contact us for a free, no obligation consultation.
THE PARTY WALL ACT?
I have a construction project in Feering - How could the party wall act affect me?
What are my duties under the act?
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 gives a framework by which disputes in relation to excavations and other works near boundaries or neighbouring buildings may be resolved.
Anyone who proposes to undertake work which may be affected by the act, must give adjoining owners notice of their intentions. This notice applies even when the work will not go beyond the boundary line between properties. The Act also provides for the resolution of the disputes where these occur.
What rights do I have?
You are entitled to repair and maintain party walls. In the case of party structures, you must serve a party structure notice on the adjoining owner, giving advance notice. The work detailed must be carried out within a year, after which time the notice becomes invalid.
An adjoining owner, served with a notice, may issue a counter-notice requiring additional works to be carried out, and you must consent within 14 days or a dispute is deemed to exist. Here are some of your rights under the act:
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Construction of a new party wall, party fence wall or party structure.
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Underpinning a party wall.
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Raising or lowering the height of a party wall.
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Changing the thickness of a party wall.
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Making good or repairing a party wall.
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Demolishing and rebuilding a defective party wall.
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Cutting into a party wall, e.g. to insert a DPC or flashing.
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Removing overhangs to build a new wall close to the old.
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Inserting tying systems to stabilise a party wall.
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Weatherproofing a party wall exposed by demolitions.
Note that the Act also covers certain excavations, which might affect a building belonging to an adjoining owner. These are:
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Excavate, or excavate and construct foundations for a new building or structure, within 3m of a neighbouring owner's building or structure, where that work will go deeper than the neighbour's foundations; or
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Excavate, or excavated for and construction foundations for a new building or structure, within 6m of a neighbouring owner's building or structure, where that work will cut a line downwards at 45 from the bottom of the neighbour's foundations.
For help with any of the above please contact us
FEERING: A SURVEYOR'S VIEW
Feering is a picturesque village with a high concentration of historic and listed buildings. The vernacular here is defined by lath-and-plaster construction and timber frame properties. These buildings are "flexible" by nature, meaning they move and settle differently than modern masonry. When a neighbour in Feering plans a modern extension with rigid concrete foundations, the "interface" between the old and the new is where differential movement can occur. We review these factors and others, ensuring that the new construction doesn't "lock" the old building in a way that causes structural stress.
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The ground here is a mix of Lowestoft Formation (Chalky Till) and river deposits. In a village setting like Feering, gardens are often established with old drainage systems that cross property lines. During excavations, it can be common to find unmapped services. Our party wall expertise in rural Essex includes managing these surprises, ensuring that any redirection of pipes or changes to foundation depth is handled legally and fairly for both the building owner and the neighbour.
