What will happen to the shared wall
- Pockets cut for steel beams, with padstones to spread the load
- Possibly raising the wall to form the side of a dormer or a new gable
- Chimney breasts in the loft removed or supported
- Flashings cut into the wall where the new roof meets it
What you may notice
- Drilling and cutting noise through the wall, worst in the first weeks
- Vibration that can loosen old plaster or cause hairline cracks
- Dust in your own loft if there are gaps in the wall up there
- Scaffolding on your property, which needs either your agreement or, for work under the Act, proper notice of entry
How you are protected
If surveyors are appointed, your home is recorded before work starts, and the award sets out methods, working hours and how damage is dealt with. The building owner must make good damage caused by the work, and you can choose a payment instead of repairs.
Before you reply
Check your own loft for existing cracks, gaps or damp, and photograph them. Then decide how to answer the notice.
Common questions
Should I clear things out of my loft?
It often helps. Items stored against the party wall can be damaged by vibration or falling debris.
Where this comes from in the Act
- Section 2: Repair etc. of party wall: rights of owner
- Section 3: Party structure notices
- Section 7: Compensation etc.
- Section 10: Resolution of disputes
Links go to the official text of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 on legislation.gov.uk.