HERTFORD
THE PARTY WALL PEOPLE
If you need help with the Party Wall Etc. Act 1996 in the Hertford area - then we are here to help you. We can prepare and serve party wall notices,
we can undertake schedules of condition and if required, produce and serve party wall awards (party wall agreements).
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​We hold membership with the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors (FPWS) and the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)
We carry Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance.
​The Party Wall People are based in Chelmsford, Essex and travel around the southeast of England for party wall matters.
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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 Etc. Act 1996 sets out to protect property owners' interests when a project is required, while at the same time ensuring that the project can continue in a timely manner.
The Act requires that when an owner of a property carries out certain works such as digging a foundation within 3m of their neighbour's property, removing a chimney from a party wall, cutting into a party wall for steelwork or building a new wall on the boundary (line of junction), they inform all affected neighbours of their intention by serving the correct notices.
HERTFORD: A SURVEYOR'S VIEW
Hertford’s architectural charm lies in its medieval layout and high concentration of timber-framed and Georgian buildings. In the town centre, many properties are part of a continuous frontage where party walls are not just legal boundaries but shared structural skeletons that have settled together over centuries. When undertaking work here, particularly in the Castle Ward, we often deal with extremely sensitive structural interfaces. A simple internal renovation can occasionally reveal historic wattle and daub within a shared wall, requiring a specialised approach to the party wall award to ensure the historic fabric is preserved.
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The geology of Hertford is dominated by the Lewes Nodular Chalk Formation and Seaford Chalk Formation, often overlaid by the Kesgrave Thames Sands and Gravels. This provides a relatively stable, well-draining base for construction compared to the heavy clays further south. However, the presence of chalk means that "solution features" (natural cavities) can occasionally occur. For homeowners planning extensions, we advise that foundation inspections are thorough; if a cavity is found near a boundary, the structural implications for the neighbour’s property must be addressed within the Party Wall Award to ensure long-term stability.
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Contact us for free party wall advice. 01245 526 762
