Party Wall Appointment
Golders Green, London NW11
(London Borough of Barnet)
Close to Finchley, Hampstead, Cricklewood and Hendon and within the catchment of our Finchley office.
Background: The building owner proposed to hollow out the chimney breast to a height of 1 m in the front room in order to install a decorative fireplace and to hollow out the chimney breast in the back room to a height of 2 m in order to install a range cooker.
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.
There was one adjoining owner to the works.
The works involved the part removal of the ground floor chimney breasts.
Conclusion:
The works involved the insertion of lintels above the enlarged opening in the chimney breasts and the structural engineer was consulted by the Surveyor in order to verify that the design and specification of the lintels was sufficient to support the weight of the chimney breasts above. The adequacy of the lintels bearing was also considered.
A Method Statement was also incorporated into the Award documentation which described how the chimney breast was to be supported during the course of the works by utilising acrow props, and that engineering bricks were to be installed directly below the lintels in order to provide adequate support.
The Award thus addressed all the relevant risk factors and described how potential damage to the neighbouring property was to be avoided.