Party Wall Issues

sandperson

I'm going a bit spare here and not getting the support I feel I should from my PW surveyor. Late last year we had a loft conversion done, we are in a terrace, and one of the neighbours appointed their own PW surveyor.

He was a pain from the start, insisting that we couldn't have access to the neighbouring roof to build the usual wood frame and tile clad cheek and that the only way we could get access was to build the cheek from bricks as they can't deny access for this. This cost us a significant amount more money than we had budgeted but we did it. He has come back a few weeks ago now claiming that the wall is out of plumb and that he may have to insist on it being rebuilt. The only evidence he has for this is a photograph taken from the garden of the neighbouring property which to my eye doesn't show an out of plumb wall. My question is can the PW surveyor insist we take the wall down (they have already conceded that there is no damage to the property) and what are the consequences if we ignore them?

Thanks

Doozergirl

Do you have a spirit level? Have you checked?

He sounds unhinged if that is genuinely the evidence. Have you spoken to your PWS about it?

I do think that building the party wall up in brick was the best thing to do in the long term. If next door extend their loft eventually, you get to charge them half the cost of building it up as part of a PWA, so not only is it better built, it ends up fair.

sandperson

Thanks Doozer. That was our understanding about the cost as it was the only saving grace that we might recoup some of our outlay.

Access to the wall is the problem. The scaffolding came down in December and a rear extension means that getting a ladder up to the wall id difficult. I can't believe that they can make a judgement from ground level and our PW surveyor has been no support at all, at one point he told us he had to Google something related to the PW agreement as he didn't know what to do. We have little to no confidence in him I'm afraid. I am tempted to just leave it, we have a Building Control certificate for the build and aren't looking to sell any time soon. Our PW surveyor did say something along the lines that if the surveyors don't sign off the job we are open to claims of damage to the adjoining property in future years, in fact he said he'd had a case raised against a client from work done 8 years ago. Can this be true? Surely there's a statute of limitations of some form isn't there as planning problems expire after 7 years?

Doozergirl

Way beyond me, I'm afraid. I've never had someone not sign off.

Surely it's plumb inside, which is what I was getting at?

sandperson

Yes, all plumb inside.

Doozergirl

So it can't be that bad on the other side?!

I'd leave it at least until someone said something again and then I'd expect proof. You can provide them with proof that it's fine on the inside. I know there's some leeway with plasterboards but not that much.

teneighty

What is the construction of the wall?

If you have raised an existing 9 inch solid party wall and it is plumb on the inside then it must be plumb on the outside. If it is a cavity wall the outer leaf could in theory be leaning outwards but it would be extremely unlikely.

The surveyor is probably just being thorough as the neighbour may have flagged it up. Phone him up or write to him and say you have checked it and it is plumb but he is welcome to check himself if he doesn't believe you. Mind you, bear in mind any drawn out correspondence with the surveyor will be billed back to you so keep it simple and brief.

sandperson

I have the photo that was provided as evidence but I can't post it here as I am a 'new' user. It was raised in new London Stock style bricks, two courses in width from an existing firewall.

sandperson

sandperson

http://tinypic.com/r/2ivmk9w/9

Doozergirl

I've definitely seen better looking brickwork.