Party Wall Appointment
Chelsea, London SW10
(Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea)
Close to Fulham, Hammersmith and West Brompton. Within the catchment of our Ealing office.
Background: The works required the following works to a Party Fence Wall; the underpinning of it, the removal and replacement of part of it and raising it for the purpose of enclosing the proposed extension on it and other related works. The Party Wall Act allows for a boundary wall which straddles both neighbour's gardens to be demolished and rebuilt in the same position and for a new extension to be enclosed on it.
We were initially appointed by the building owners following which, the adjoining owner appointed us as Surveyor to act on their behalf as well, i.e., as 'Agreed Surveyor', in which role a Surveyor acts impartially for both neighbours.
The building owner was a flat owner and there were three adjoining owners.
The works involved the erection of a rear extension to the back of the ground floor flat.
Conclusion:
The works were quite involved as they included the part removal of a retaining wall and its replacement with a new retaining wall, whilst part of the wall was to remain and be underpinned.
Due to the fact that the drawings originally produced did not cover all aspects of the works and the building owner was keen to get started, an initial award was drafted and served to allow some limited works to be commenced. A Further Award was then finalised and served that addressed the remaining aspects of the works once the revised drawings had been provided.
We would not normally recommend that the Awards are split into two in this manner, as it adds costs and complications. In this case, after considering the pros and cons, the building owner decided that it would be in his best interest to have the Surveyor stagger the Awards in this manner.
The cost to the building owner resulting from delays to the works on site can often outweigh the costs of additional Awards and where it is possible and useful for an interim Award to be served we will advise accordingly.