Specialist Party Wall Surveyor David Vizard MFPWS tells a Party Wall story with a happy ending for everyone.
I have been appointed by Florence who has just bought a very large and particularly dilapidated 4 storey terraced house in Kilburn.
She is carrying out a complete refurbishment, including a ground floor rear extension.
Much of the work is notifiable to the adjoining owners on both sides, but in particular, Florence has to serve notice on the owners of the ground floor flat to the left hand side of her intention to “enclose upon” the flank wall of their existing extension.
They built their extension a year ago.
They built the flank wall as a Party Wall, astride the line of junction.
As such, Florence has the right to use the wall for her own extension, and enclose upon it. In doing so, she must pay the adjoining Owners a sum equivalent to 50% of the cost of building that wall including the foundations, at todays’ prices.
This is a fantastic outcome for both parties – Florence only pays half the cost of the wall, rather than 100% of the cost of building a new wall. The neighbours get a little cash windfall. And because the wall is built astride the Line of Junction, they both gain a few extra centimetres of space in their extensions.
If you would like a happy conclusion to your Party Wall matters, please contact our Party Wall department on 01923 920950, or email david.vizard@woodwardsurveyors.co.uk
Pop quiz! How much did I determine that Florence has to pay? The wall is a blockwork cavity wall 3000mm long x 3300mm high. The foundations are 450mm wide x 1,000mm deep x 3,000mm long.
