HORNCHURCH
THE PARTY WALL PEOPLE
People of Hornchurch! We specialise in implementing the Party Wall Etc. Act 1996. We can prepare and serve party wall notices,
we undertake schedules of condition and if required, produce and serve party wall awards (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 carry Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance.
​The Party Wall People are based in Chelmsford, Essex and travel to client’s premises all over the southeast of England.
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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 act is a piece of legislation in England and Wales designed to pre-empt construction-related disagreements between neighbours with a clear legal framework for managing disputes should they arise.
The Party Wall act prevents building work by one neighbour that can undermine the structural integrity of shared walls or neighbouring properties.
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It is designed to avert and resolve potential disputes with neighbours before building work is started.
If you or your neighbour need any assistance with understanding the act, your obligations or rights contact us
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We look forward to hearing from you soon!​
HORNCHURCH: A SURVEYOR'S VIEW
Hornchurch is quintessential suburban Essex, defined by high-quality 1930s housing and the famous garden suburb influence. The vernacular is dominated by solid, brick-built semi-detached homes with distinctive hipped roofs. In Hornchurch, the most frequent party wall matters arise from hip-to-gable loft conversions.
These projects involve raising the shared party wall in masonry to create a new gable end, which triggers the Act because it involves working on a party structure. We ensure that the new masonry is correctly tied into the old to prevent structural "stepping" or cracking.
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The ground in Hornchurch is almost exclusively London Clay. This soil is highly expansive, meaning it swells when wet and shrinks when dry. Because Hornchurch is a leafy area with many mature deciduous trees, root induced subsidence is a common local concern. When a homeowner plans a new extension, the foundations often need to be deeper than the standard 2 metres to reach a zone of stable moisture content. Our role is to ensure these deep excavations are safely shored up so that the neighbour’s house remains perfectly level throughout the build.
