INDEPENDENT ARTICLES, CLEAR INSIGHTS, STRAIGHTFORWARD ADVICE FOR INFORMED PROPERTY DECISIONS.

These two documents are often mentioned together, but they do very different jobs. Understanding the difference helps you decide what protection you need—and what you’re paying for. What is a Schedule of Condition? A Schedule of Condition (SoC) is a detailed record of...

A Schedule of Condition report is a detailed written and photographic record of a property’s condition at a specific point in time—typically prepared before nearby building works begin, before access scaffolding is erected, or before any activity that could lead to...

A Schedule of Condition (SoC) is a written and photographic record of the condition of an adjoining owner’s property before notifiable building works start. It is one of the most useful documents in the Party Wall process because it creates an agreed “baseline”...

When building work is happening nearby, it’s common for people to notice cracks, marks, or changes they hadn’t paid attention to before. Sometimes those changes are genuinely caused by the works. Sometimes they are historic defects or natural movement that happens to...

If you’re planning building work near a shared wall or close to a neighbour’s foundations, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 can feel like a maze of notices, deadlines and technical terms. In reality, the process is quite structured—once you understand the responses and...

When building works are taking place nearby, the word “damage” can cover a wide range of issues—from harmless hairline cracking to more serious movement, water ingress, or damage to external features such as patios and boundary walls. The difficulty is that properties...

What is a Party Wall Award? A Party Wall Award (often called “the Award”) is a formal, legally recognised document produced under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 when a neighbour dissents, raises concerns, or doesn’t respond to a Party Wall Notice. The Award sets out...

When a neighbour plans building work that could affect a shared wall, boundary, or nearby foundations, it’s normal to feel uncertain about what might happen to your property. A Party Wall Award is the Act’s main safeguard for adjoining owners: it sets clear,...

Party wall surveying fees can vary significantly depending on the type of work, the level of risk, the number of adjoining owners, and—most importantly—whether the matter stays straightforward or becomes a dispute requiring a Party Wall Award. Understanding likely...