COPYRIGHT ABP CHARTERED ARCHITECTS - Bernard Humphrey-Gaskin, Maria Humphrey-Gaskin
COPYRIGHT ABP CHARTERED ARCHITECTS
Party walls separate buildings owned by different owners, so if you live in a semi-detached or terraced house you would be sharing a wall or walls with your neighbours and this is called the party wall as it is used by both parties.
Definition of a Party Wall
- The excavation of foundations within 6m of an adjoining structure and below a line drawn at 45 deg from the bottom of its foundations.
- The Excavation of foundations within 3m of an adjoining structure which would be lower than its foundations.
- The insertion of a beam into a shared wall.
- The insertion of a damp proof course all the way through a shared wall.
- The demolition and rebuilding of a party wall.
- Underpinning any parts of the party wall.
- The raising of the whole of the party wall including cutting off any object that may prevent this from happening.
- Cutting a flashing into an adjoining building to protect adjoining walls.
- The building of a new wall on the line of junction (boundary) between two properties.
- …… and a number of other issues relating to building works near neighbouring properties of different owners.
The Act is basically a dispute resolution procedural process, for building works that occur beside neighbouring buildings and/or structures.
It is normal for the Building Owner who instigates the works to pay for all costs (expenses & fees) under the “ Act “.
The Party Wall etc Act 1996 covers the following: