SEVEN KINGS
THE PARTY WALL PEOPLE
We specialise in implementing the Party Wall Etc. Act 1996 in the Seven Kings area. We can prepare and serve party wall notices, 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.
WHAT IS THE PARTY WALL ETC. ACT 1996?
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.
SEVEN KINGS: A SURVEYOR'S VIEW
Seven Kings is defined by its long, uniform rows of Victorian and Edwardian terraced housing. Because these streets were built en masse, the houses are structurally interdependent. A common challenge here is the thin party wall—often only a single skin of brickwork (4.5 inches) in the loft space. When a neighbour plans a loft conversion, the insertion of steel beams requires professional oversight to ensure the pockets are cut safely and that fire-stopping measures are reinstated.
In such a high-density area, we also focus heavily on Section 8 of the Act, which grants the right of access to a neighbour’s garden to build a wall—a common necessity on these narrow plots.
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The ground in Seven Kings consists of the Taplow Gravel Member overlying the London Clay. The gravel layer generally provides a very stable, well-draining base for construction, which can sometimes allow for more traditional foundation depths. However, because the houses are so old, their original foundations are often very shallow. We prioritise a Schedule of Condition for all Seven Kings projects, as the vibration from even minor structural work can cause hairline cracking in the brittle lime-plaster ceilings of these period properties.
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Please contact us if you require any assistance with your project. info@tpwp.co.uk
