Party wall advice divides cleanly into two: what the Act requires, which is published free by the government and is not a matter of opinion, and what a particular building needs, which requires somebody to look at it. Paying for the first is unnecessary. Skipping the second is how a straightforward job turns into a damage argument nobody can settle.
Read the free guidance first
The government booklet on the Act explains notices, periods, appointments and awards in plain language and includes template notices. Most owners who read it discover their job is simpler than they feared, or that a notice they had not considered is owed.
Get the schedule of condition done properly
A photographic record of the adjoining property, room by room and elevation by elevation, taken before work starts and agreed by both surveyors, is the single most valuable document in the process. Damage claims are decided against it. Skipping it to save a visit is a false economy on every job where anything goes wrong.
After the works are completed
The award normally provides for a post works inspection. Arranging it while the scaffold is still up is far easier than arranging it six months later, and it closes the matter for both owners. Where damage is found, the surveyors determine the making good.
Keep the bundle for the sale
Notices, consents, appointments, the award and the schedule of condition belong together and will be asked for when either property is sold. A complete bundle answers a conveyancer's enquiry in one email.
Questions people ask about party wall advice
Is party wall advice free?
The government's guidance is free and covers the procedure fully. A surveyor's advice on your particular building and drawings is a professional service and is charged for.
Do I need a schedule of condition if my neighbour consents?
It is not required, and it is still worth having. Consent removes the award, not the risk of damage, and a dated photographic record protects both owners.
Can the award be revisited after the works?
The surveyors retain jurisdiction over the matters the award covers, including damage arising from the authorised works. Matters outside the award are not theirs to decide.