Our Patch AUTUMN 2017
party wall surveyor planning consultant architect
Richard Hourican
Chartered Building Consultant
Hourican & Associates Ltd
[email protected]
Building 3, Chiswick Park
566 Chiswick High Road W4 5YA
Tel: 020 8849 8390
www.houricanassociates.com Yussuf Mwanza
Managing Director
MZA Planning
[email protected]
14 Devonshire Mews
Chiswick W4 2HA
Tel: 020 8995 7848
www.mzaplanning.com Ivan Lazzaroni
Design Principal
Omnide
[email protected]
N.2 Durham Yard
Teesdale Street E2 6QF
Tel: 020 7613 3833
www.omnide.com
H
ome improvements
aren’t just all
about you, they
will also have an effect
on your neighbours too,
says party wall surveyor
Richard Hourican.
What issues could arise in
relation to the Party Wall Act?
If you are building a mansard loft
conversion and your neighbour has
already raised the parapet party wall,
you will need to pay them
compensation for enclosing against
their wall. However, if you are the first
to raise the parapet wall, any adjoining
neighbour who encloses against your
wall to build their loft, will need to pay
you compensation. We could be talking
£3,000 to £4,000.
“GET A SCHEDULE OF CONDITION
SURVEY ON YOUR NEIGHBOURS’
PROPERTY EVEN IF THEY AGREE”
If you’ve built a loft, what
happens when you come to sell?
Your purchaser’s solicitor will ask for a
copy of your agreed party wall award
and the schedule of condition survey
carried out prior to works commencing.
When can work begin?
Start the party wall process at planning,
as there is a two-month notice period
from when you serve a party structure
notice on the adjoining owners.
How can you cover yourself?
Get a schedule of condition survey on
your neighbours’ property even if they
agree to the work.
K
nowing how to
approach the
council with your
plans can be daunting.
Helping you negotiate the
hurdles is town planning
consultant Yussuf Mwanza.
A
rchitect Ivan
Lazzaroni says
more benefits
can flow from a loft
conversion than merely a
significant increase in the
value of your property.
How can a planning consultant
help in the process of building
a loft extension?
Having worked as a planner within a
number of local authorities, and as an
appeal inspector within the Planning
Inspectorate, has given me inside
knowledge of how different councils
view loft extensions. Knowing what
they will and won’t permit improves
your chance of success either in the
planning application or appeals process.
We offer clients specific advice on the
feasibility of a project. Is a loft conversion a
good investment?
Exploiting the space at the top of your
home is always a good idea as this
single move releases additional space,
takes little expense, and provides big
returns on your initial investment.
What if a planning application
has been refused?
The type of property you have will
determine the appeal procedure. Appeals
are not submitted to the council but
to a higher body called The Planning
Inspectorate. For example, if you
submitted a householder ap