If your Birmingham extension or renovation affects a shared wall with your neighbour, you almost certainly need to serve a Party Wall Notice. Here is a plain-English guide to what that means and how it works.
What is the Party Wall Act?
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 governs what happens when building work affects a shared wall or boundary. It applies right across England and Wales, including all of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.
When you need to serve notice
You must serve notice on your neighbour if you plan to:
- Cut into a party wall (e.g. for steel beams)
- Build on the line of a boundary
- Excavate within 3m of a neighbouring structure (or 6m in some cases)
- Underpin, raise or thicken a party wall
- Remove a chimney breast that shares a party wall
Types of notice and timing
- Section 1 notice: building a new wall on the boundary line — 1 month before start
- Section 3 notice: work to an existing party wall — 2 months before start
- Section 6 notice: excavation near an adjoining building — 1 month before start
What happens after you serve notice?
Your neighbour has 14 days to respond. They can:
- Consent in writing — no further formal process needed
- Dissent — both parties appoint surveyors (or agree on one shared “agreed surveyor”) to prepare an Award
- Not respond within 14 days — treated as dissent, and the surveyor process begins
Who pays for the party wall surveyor?
The party undertaking the works (you) normally pays for both surveyors. Fees typically range from £750–£1,500 per surveyor for a straightforward extension, more for complex jobs.
Do you have to use a party wall surveyor?
Only if your neighbour dissents. If they consent in writing, no surveyor is required. In our experience about 60% of neighbours consent, especially where a full set of drawings is shared informally before the notice is served.
How CK Construction handles this
We prepare and serve party wall notices on your behalf as part of every extension or renovation contract in Birmingham that affects a shared wall. We also recommend informal conversations with neighbours before the formal notice lands — it dramatically improves consent rates.
Serving homeowners across Birmingham, Solihull, Worcester, West Midlands and the wider region.