RICS Chartered · Manchester & Cheshire
Party wall surveying, made simple.
Notices, awards and disputes for homeowners, neighbours and commercial schemes. Plain-English advice, a clear price up front, and neighbours kept on side.
5.0 from 15 Google reviews- HomeownersI'm planning building workGet an estimate
- NeighboursI've been served a noticeUsually no cost to you
- CommercialDevelopers and contractorsDiscuss a scheme
- Do it yourselfCreate your own notice£100 + VAT
- 10+ years' experience
- Free initial consultation
- Residential and commercial
Party walls, without the jargon.
The Party Wall Act can feel like a maze. We explain it in plain English and handle the paperwork, so you can get on with your project.
Plain English
Straight answers about what you need and why, without legal speak.
A price before we start
Fixed fees wherever the scope is clear, and an instant estimate online.
Updates at every step
You'll always know where things stand, from notice to signed award.
Neighbours kept on side
Calm, fair dealing with the people next door and their surveyor.
How can we help?
Pick the one that sounds like you.
You're planning building work
Extensions, loft conversions, basements, chimney breast removal.
- Party wall noticesThe right notices, served correctly
- Building owner's surveyorWe act for you through to the award
- Agreed surveyorOne surveyor for both owners, lower cost
- DIY notice generatorCreate your own notice, £100 + VAT
- FeesWho pays and what it costs
Your neighbour is building
You've been served a notice, or work has started next door.
- Adjoining owner's surveyorProtects your home, usually at their cost
- Schedule of conditionA dated record before work starts
- Party wall disputesWork without notice, or damage
- Served a notice? Your optionsYou have 14 days to respond
Commercial and development
Developers, contractors, landlords and occupiers.
- Development appraisalsParty wall risk mapped at design stage
- Commercial party wall servicesMulti-owner notices and awards
- Construction monitoringSite checks against the award
- Disputes and third surveyorResolving stalled awards
Free notice checker
Which party wall notice do I need?
Tick the work you're planning. We'll show you which sections of the Party Wall Act apply and how much notice to give your neighbours.
- Section 1: building on the boundary, 1 month
- Section 2: work to a shared wall, 2 months
- Section 6: digging near a neighbour, 1 month
Simple project? Do it yourself
Create your own party wall notice online
Answer guided questions and get a Section 1, 2 or 6 notice ready to serve. Best for straightforward, single-neighbour projects.
How each section of the Act works
If your work touches the boundary, a shared wall, or digs near your neighbour's foundations, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 almost certainly applies. Pick the type of work to see which section covers it.
Building on the boundary line
You must serve notice if you're:
- Building a new wall astride the boundary
- Building a new wall wholly on your land, up to the boundary
Typical work
Rear or side extensions, new or extended garages, masonry garden walls, and new houses or outbuildings built up to the line.
Work to an existing party wall
You must serve notice if you're:
- Cutting into a party wall, for example to take steel beams
- Raising, thickening or underpinning a party wall
- Cutting away chimney breasts or other projections, or cutting in flashings
Typical work
Loft conversions, knocking through with new steels, chimney breast removal, damp proofing and rebuilding a shared wall.
Excavating near a neighbouring building
You must serve notice if you're:
- Digging within 3 m of a neighbouring building and deeper than its foundations
- Digging within 6 m where the excavation would cut a 45° line drawn down from the bottom of their foundations
Typical work
Extension foundations, basements, piling and deep drainage runs near the boundary.
Doing more than one of these? You may need several notices. We'll tell you exactly which.
Use the notice checkerCan I serve a notice myself?
Yes, you can. But a notice with the wrong details, wrong section or wrong timing is invalid, and many free templates online get it wrong. An invalid notice can mean starting the process again, or being stopped mid-build.
Doing it yourself
Downloaded templates, guesswork over which section applies, and no one checking the notice period or how it's served.
With a chartered surveyor
The right notices, correctly drafted and served, and a surveyor who deals directly with your neighbour or their surveyor if it goes to an award.
What happens after a notice is served
From the day your notice lands to the day work starts.
Notice served
Your neighbour has 14 days to consent or dissent. No reply means a dispute is assumed.
14 days to respondNeighbour responds
If they consent, work can go ahead once the notice period ends. If not, surveyors are appointed.
Surveyors appointed
One agreed surveyor acts for both owners, or each owner appoints their own.
Party wall award
A legally binding document setting out how the work is done, with a schedule of condition of the neighbour's property.
Work begins
Any damage is put right as the award sets out. Either owner can appeal the award to the county court.
14 days to appeal
Who pays for a party wall surveyor?
Usually the building owner, the person doing the work. That normally includes the reasonable costs of your neighbour's surveyor, plus extras such as a structural engineer if one is needed.
You can agree a fixed fee with your own surveyor, but your neighbour's surveyor sets their own. Choosing on price alone often costs more in delays if the process isn't handled properly.
We'll give you a clear quote up front, so you know where you stand before anything starts.
How our fees workWe have just used Manchester Party Wall Surveyors in relation to a dormer conversion. One of our neighbours chose to dissent our request and appointed their own surveyor. MPWS were professional, informative and always reachable throughout the process and their costs were approximately 25% lower than the surveyor our neighbour appointed. Thank you so much MPWS for helping us navigate the award process in such a great way.
What our clients say
5.0 from 15 Google reviewsI started speaking with Guy after my neighbour refused to sign a consensual party wall agreement and began second-guessing structural calculations, becoming increasingly pernickety and difficult to deal with. The situation was turning into a…
We contacted Guy late in the process and needed to get our Party wall concluded quickly as planning permission was due to run out. Guy pulled out all the stops to get it over the line for us. He was really professional and reasonably priced. Would…
Really happy with the service from Manchester Party Wall Surveyors. We had some work going on in Whalley Range, and they handled all the party wall stuff smoothly. Our neighbour ended up appointing them too, which made the whole process really…
Guy was great and nothing too much trouble. Took the stress out of the party wall process, explained everything and dealt with the award and schedule of conditions quickly so we are ready to start the work as planned. Thank you!
We recently used Manchester Party Wall Surveyors for a home extension in Levenshulme and couldn’t be happier with the service. They were prompt, professional, and made the whole process really straightforward. All the notices and paperwork were…
Guy charged a fair price & delivers a first class service. He provided me with a very detailed schedule of condition which was required on a current project. He was also very generous with good, professional advice which I really appreciated as…
BSc (Hons) MRICS
Director, Chartered Building Surveyor
BSc (Hons)
Associate Director, Building Surveyor
Meet Guy
I set up Manchester Party Wall Surveyors in 2025 after more than ten years as a building surveyor, including time with Grosvenor on its Mayfair estate and with Malcolm Hollis here in Manchester. I trained at Liverpool John Moores and I'm a Chartered Surveyor.
Party wall matters are as much about people as buildings. Whether you're extending your home or developing a city-centre site, my job is to get the right paperwork in place, keep neighbours on side and keep your project moving.
Guy
- MRICS
- 10+ years
- Residential and commercial
Working with Chris Greasley BSc (Hons), Associate Director and Building Surveyor, with over ten years in construction, building surveys and defect diagnosis. Meet the team
Areas we cover
Manchester and across Greater Manchester.
Party wall questions we're asked most
Do I need a party wall agreement for my extension?
You need to serve notice if your extension involves building a new wall on or up to the boundary (Section 1), work to an existing party wall (Section 2), or digging foundations within 3 m of a neighbour's building and deeper than theirs (Section 6). If your neighbour consents in writing, no award is needed. If they dissent or don't reply within 14 days, surveyors prepare a party wall award.
How much notice do I have to give my neighbour?
At least 1 month for Section 1 and Section 6 notices, and at least 2 months for a Section 2 party structure notice. Your neighbour can agree to work starting sooner.
Who pays for the party wall surveyor?
Usually the building owner, the person doing the work. That normally includes the reasonable fees of the neighbour's surveyor as well as your own.
Can I serve a party wall notice myself?
Yes. The Act doesn't require a surveyor to serve notice, but a notice with the wrong section, missing details or incorrect service can be invalid, which delays the project.
Do you cover areas outside Manchester city centre?
Yes. We work across Greater Manchester, including Salford, Stockport, Trafford, Bury, Bolton and Oldham. See the areas we cover.
Planning work near a neighbour?
Speak to a chartered surveyor before you start, not after.