Blog
Can I build on a Party Wall?
Thursday 4th July 2019
Carl O'Boyle BSc MRICS FCIOB MFPWS
Where a Building Owner wants to carry out various sorts of work to an existing party wall, then the Act provides them with additional rights which extend beyond ordinary common law rights.
Section 2 of the Act lists what work can be done. The most commonly used rights are:-
- to cut into a wall to take the bearing of a beam (for example for a loft conversion), or to insert a damp proof course all the way through the wall;
- to raise the height of the wall and/or increase the thickness of the party wall and, if necessary, cut off any projections which prevent you from doing so;
- to demolish and rebuild the party wall;
- to underpin the whole thickness of a party wall;
- to protect two adjoining walls by putting a flashing from the higher over the lower, even where this requires cutting into an Adjoining Owner's independent building.
--
This article was written by Carl O'Boyle BSc MRICS FCIOB MFPWS. Carl is a full professional member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, a member of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building for which he currently sits on the CIOB professional conduct committee and adjudications panel.
If you are interested in our Party Wall services then please call us at our office on 0208 426 1448.
