Party wall solicitor

[Nowthereistwo]

Hi,

We've just received planning permission for a rear extension.

Our houses are link detached (garage-house-garage) and extend to the full width of the property (to both boundaries). The end of our neighbours garage is flush with our current house.

Our neighbours to the right want a Party wall agreement as the new extension will go from the back of our house/join of their garage and go along the boundary line. Image shows house with proposed extension.

I just want to confirm that we can choose the solicitor that is used since we pay for it? Do we get the solicitor to contact them directly?

I’m pretty sure you choose your own party wall expert. Your neighbours can either use the same one or choose their own. Whichever choice they make you pay for it.

When we did it a few years ago, we appointed our own party wall surveyor and our neighbours could use them or appoint their own, at our expense.

Thanks. Seems so open ended on costs.

I completely agree that our extension shouldn't negatively affect their property though.

Can you leave a small gap? If your foundation is no deeper than your neighbours, you won’t need party wall agreement. It can get expensive. We left a gap and dug a trial hole so we didn’t go down the party wall route.

OP its a surveyor, not a solicitor (as your title says). No, you can't choose the surveyor your neighbours want to use, its entirely their choice but you are responsible for the costs of theirs and your own.

His could your neighbours extend if you build right up the boundary?

Yes. You do need a party wall agreement from a PW surveyor. Can you build everything from your own land and will the foundations encroach onto their land? If you join on to their property you need an agreement and even if it doesn’t you are within 3m so you need one. Most surveyors or engineers will offer this service and it offers protection for both parties. Your neighbours choose the surveyor though.

Our neighbour requested a PW agreement and was happy for the surveyor to work on both our behalf's. We paid for it. Approx £900

Steve the Party Wall Surveyor here - if you can try and use an agreed surveyor - one surveyor acting for both parties. It's quicker and cheaper and works well when the parties get along and the work is straightforward (your job sounds just that).