Sort your party wall agreement without the stress
Plain-English guides, free notice templates and 1,920 party wall surveyors to call, searchable by postcode.
Sort your party wall agreement without the stress
If you are building near a neighbour, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 usually means you must serve notice before work starts. This site helps you sort that out in plain English, from the first notice to the signed award, so the whole process feels less stressful.
Use the guides to understand your rights, the free templates to serve a valid notice, and the directory to find a local party wall surveyor by postcode. Every listing has a phone number, so you can call and ask about fees before you commit.
What you can do here
Read a step-by-step guide for your situation, compare published surveyor fee ranges, download a notice template, or search the directory by postcode to see the nearest surveyors with phone numbers, memberships and websites. Guides cover extensions, loft conversions, basements, chimney breasts, boundary walls and disputes.
How a party wall agreement usually goes
You serve notice, your neighbour consents or dissents within 14 days, and if they dissent the surveyors settle an award that sets out the work, access, working hours and who pays. Most cases are resolved without going to court, and the guides explain each stage and what to do if something goes wrong.
For the law itself, read the official government explanatory booklet, or check a surveyor is qualified through the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. This site is an independent directory and is not legal advice.
Find a surveyor near you
1,325 named surveyors and 595 firms, nearest first, with phone numbers, memberships and websites.
Search the directory →Neighbour started work without telling you?
Calm, practical steps for disputes, refused access, damage and unsigned notices.
Get help now →The Party Wall Act explained
What triggers a notice, who does what, and what it means for your project.
Read the guide →Costs and fees
Who pays, what drives the price, and how to challenge a bill.
See costs →Free tools
Notice generator, flowchart, cover letter, example schedule, budget calculator and checklist.
Use the tools →How a party wall agreement works
- Serve notice1 or 2 months before work, depending on the type.
- Neighbour repliesThey have 14 days to consent or dissent.
- Surveyors appointedOne agreed surveyor, or one each.
- Award servedSets out the work, access and who pays.
Popular guides
- Party Wall etc. Act 1996: The Definitive GuideThe Party Wall etc. Act 1996 is the law in England and Wales that sets a process for certain building work near or on a…
- Party Wall Notices, Awards, and Agreements ExplainedA notice starts the party wall process, an award settles the terms when there is a dispute, and an agreement is what…
- How Much Does a Party Wall Surveyor Cost?There is no single fee for a party wall surveyor. Cost depends on the size and complexity of the work, the number of…
- What Happens if a Neighbour Ignores a Party Wall Notice?Silence does not block your work and it does not count as consent. If the adjoining owner does not respond in writing…
- How to Choose a Party Wall SurveyorChoose someone with proven party wall experience, clear written terms and a professional body you can check…
- A Guide to the Third Surveyor in Party Wall ProceduresThe third surveyor is a neutral person chosen by the two appointed party wall surveyors to settle any point on which…
- Party Wall Rules for Home ExtensionsA home extension will often fall under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. It applies if you build on or astride the…
- Party Wall Rules for Installing an RSJ (Rolled Steel Joist)Yes, if the RSJ bears on or is set into a party wall, you normally need to serve a party wall notice. Inserting a steel…