STEVENAGE
THE PARTY WALL PEOPLE
We are the people to help you with the Party Wall Etc. Act 1996 in the Stevenage area. 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 shows we take pride in 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 chat.
WHAT IS THE PARTY WALL ETC. ACT 1996?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR MY PROJECT?
The Party Wall Etc. Act 1996 aims 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. For that reason it is known as an 'enabling Act'.
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 constructing a new wall on the boundary (line of junction), they inform all affected neighbours of their intention by serving the correct notices.
STEVENAGE: A SURVEYOR'S VIEW
As the UK’s first designated New Town, Stevenage in Hertfordshire offers a unique surveying environment. The vernacular is dominated by 1950s and 60s "neighborhood clusters," characterized by consistent brickwork and open-plan layouts. Unlike nearby Essex towns, Stevenage was built with modern (for the time) engineering standards, meaning we often find more predictable foundation depths. However, the use of shared service strips and communal heating systems in some older estates can complicate excavations near boundaries. We help identify these shared elements early to ensure your party wall notice is accurate.
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Geologically, Stevenage is distinct from the Essex clay belts. It sits primarily on the Lewes Nodular Chalk Formation, often capped with "Clay-with-flints." While chalk is an excellent load-bearing material, it can be susceptible to solution features or small voids. When digging foundations for an extension in Stevenage, we ensure that any award served accounts for the possibility of these variations. If the ground is found to be unstable near a neighbour’s boundary, we manage the necessary structural adjustments to ensure the shared soil of support is never compromised.
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Please contact us if you would like free advice and a fee proposal for handling party wall matters
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