Party Wall Appointment
South Tottenham, London N15
Close to Walthamstow, Stamford Hill and Clapton. Within the catchment of our Finchley office.
Background: The proposed addition of two floors above the existing house included making use of the raised parapet wall originally raised by the adjoining owner. The enclosure on the parapet, necessitated that the building owner make a payment towards the adjoining owner's building costs.
The Surveyor was appointed to act as 'Agreed Surveyor', in which role he acts impartially for both neighbours.
There was one adjoining owner to the works.
The works involved a Haringey Council Supplementary Planning Document approved, Type 3 extension adding a full 2nd floor extension with loft accommodation at 3rd floor level within a pitched roof.
Conclusion:
The Surveyor had to calculate the payment due to the adjoining owner for use of the parapet wall previously raised by the adjoining owner when he erected his own Type 3 extension. When one neighbour erects or raises a party wall which the other neighbour subsequently makes use of, the Award will typically require that a 50% payment of costs be made to the neighbour who originally paid for the wall to be raised. This is calculated on the basis that if the building owner will now save £x of costs by virtue of not having to raise the wall himself, the quantum of compensation to his neighbour should be half of that £x saving and that this amount be included within the Party Wall Award.
The second issue that needed to be considered was whether the foundations were sufficiently strong to support an additional two floors. The Surveyor directed that this should be investigated by way of a trial pit before works commenced and the findings were to be reported back to the Surveyor.