Short answer: Serving of Notices £70. Schedule of Conditions £400. Party Wall Award £800
Party Wall Survey Cost
There are several stages leading up to serving a Party Wall Award, and in some cases, if the neighbour consents to the work, a Party Wall Award is not needed.
The first step is for notice to be served on the adjoining neighbour, notifying them of the specific work that is planned and detailing which sections of the Party Wall Act would be involved. Echelon Party Wall Surveyors charge £ 70 for serving notices.
If the neighbour agrees to the work, then they will indicate this on their reply to the notice and a schedule of conditions would be prepared by Echelon Party Wall Surveyors.
This is a site inspection of the neighbour’s property in the part of the premises where the Party Wall will be affected by the proposed works next door. A photographic and annotated report will be prepared after the visit and sent to both parties. This acts as a reference of the condition of the property BEFORE works begin and protects both parties in the event of a claim for damage resulting from the planned construction works.
Once this schedule of conditions is completed and received by both parties, the planned work can go ahead. The cost for the site visit / schedule of conditions is £ 400.
If the adjoining neighbour dissents (does not agree to the planned works) and therefore disputes the work, a Party Wall Award would have to be prepared and served by the building owners party wall surveyor. This would include a schedule of conditions being prepared as described above. Cost £ 800
Note that each party is permitted to agree to one surveyor (agreed surveyor). However, in most cases, the neighbour may choose to have their own surveyor. In the case of their now being 2 surveyors involved, a third surveyor has to also be appointed to handle potential disputes amongst the 2 surveyors.
Therefore the total cost of a Party Wall Award process, where the neighbour is in dispute and does not want the planned work to proceed, can become high due to the additional surveyors involved. Often this could be over £ 2000.
Usually, the building owner proposing the planned work is the one that has to cover ALL these costs and potentially compensation that may be included in a Party Wall Award.
That is one of the reasons that Echelon Party Wall Surveyors encourage good communication and sensitive handling of discussions with your neighbour. Avoiding disputes and being open with your neighbour well in advance of any planned work, will inevitably save you a lot of money.
Talk to a party wall surveyor: 01543 52 37 37
Related reading
- Party Wall Act 1996 – Ultimate Guide
- Step-by-Step Process of Serving a Valid Party Wall Notice
- Can My Neighbour Refuse a Party Wall Agreement? A Lawyer’s View
