Party Wall surveyors · M16 · Trafford

Party Wall Surveyors in Old Trafford

Old Trafford is one of Trafford's most densely built neighbourhoods, with long Victorian and Edwardian terraces either side of Chester Road. Almost every house shares a party wall, so loft conversions, rear extensions and flat conversions here nearly always need a notice.

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At a glance

Old Trafford planning facts

Postcode district
M16
Borough
Trafford
Planning authority
Trafford Council

Conservation areas

  • Empress Conservation Area (Chester Road / Empress Street)

Trafford's 2018 HMO Article 4 direction covers Old Trafford, so a small house-share conversion needs planning permission as well as any party wall notices.

Old Trafford area stats on Near Me
Local knowledge

Homes and party walls in Old Trafford

Terraced streets make up most of the housing, with apartment blocks along Chester Road and Trafford Wharfside and interwar semi-detached pockets around Seymour Park. Terraces and flats together accounted for about nine in ten sales recorded over the last three years, so shared walls are the norm.

Projects we see most in Old Trafford

  • Loft conversions
  • Single-storey rear extensions
  • Flat and HMO conversions
  • Chimney breast removal

How a party wall instruction works

  1. Project reviewDrawings and scope checked against sections 1, 2 and 6.
  2. Notice strategyWhich neighbours, which notices and when, to protect your programme.
  3. Serve noticesCorrectly drafted notices served on every adjoining owner.
  4. Schedule & awardThe neighbour's property recorded and the award agreed.
  5. Close-outPost-works check and sign-off.
Party Wall · for homeowners

Planning a project in Old Trafford?

Which home improvements need a notice under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996

Rear extension

Needs notice if you build a new wall on or astride the boundary, or dig foundations within 3 m of a neighbour's building and deeper than theirs.

Sections 1 & 6Often

Side extension

Side returns and wrap-arounds usually sit on the boundary line and need new foundations right next to the neighbour's.

Sections 1 & 6Usually

Loft conversion

Cutting steel beams into the party wall, raising it or removing a shared chimney breast is work to a party wall.

Section 2Usually

Basement

Digging below your neighbour's foundations, and underpinning a shared wall, are both notifiable.

Sections 2 & 6Almost always

Excavation

Foundations, piling or deep drainage within 3 m of a neighbour's building, or within 6 m for deeper digs, can need notice.

Section 6Depends on depth

Structural alterations

Inserting beams into a shared wall, cutting in flashings or taking out a chimney breast on the party wall.

Section 2Usually
  • 1 month notice for new walls at the boundary and excavation
  • 2 months notice for work to an existing party wall
  • 14 days for the neighbour to reply
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For professionals

Architects, designers & referrers

Bring Party Wall advice in at design stage, not after tender

Architects & design professionals

Residential architects, architectural technologists, designers, planning consultants, structural engineers and design-and-build practices.

  • Preliminary Party Wall assessments
  • Early identification of project risk
  • Technical guidance on notifiable works
  • CPD and educational sessions
  • A reliable referral pathway for your clients

Builders, surveyors & solicitors

Refer a client and we take notices, schedules of condition and awards off your programme.

  • Builders
  • Extension specialists
  • Loft conversion contractors
  • Surveyors
  • Solicitors
  • Project managers
  • Construction consultants
Refer a project Book a CPD session
Adjoining owners

Received a Party Wall notice?

Your neighbour in Old Trafford is planning work

You have 14 days to reply. If you don't, a dispute is assumed and surveyors are appointed. Your three options:

  1. ConsentAgree to the work. A schedule of condition is still wise.
  2. Agreed surveyorDissent and share one impartial surveyor.
  3. Own surveyorDissent and appoint your own surveyor.

The building owner normally pays the surveyors' reasonable fees, and must make good any damage the works cause.

Get impartial advice from Corelain
Quick answers

Party Wall questions in Old Trafford

Based on the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 · reviewed

Does converting an Old Trafford terrace into flats need a party wall notice?

Usually. Splitting a terraced house normally means new floors, sound insulation and steel bearing into the party wall, which is work under section 2 of the Act and needs two months' notice to each adjoining owner.

Do I need a party wall agreement for an extension in Old Trafford?

Often, yes. Under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 you must serve notice before building a new wall on or astride the boundary (section 1), doing work to an existing party wall such as cutting in steel beams for a loft conversion (section 2), or excavating within 3 metres of a neighbour's building and deeper than its foundations, or within 6 metres for deeper excavations (section 6). The Act applies across England and Wales, including Old Trafford.

How much notice do I need to give my neighbour?

One month for a new wall at the boundary or for excavation, and two months for work to an existing party wall. A notice lapses if the work has not started within 12 months.

What happens if my neighbour does not reply to a party wall notice?

If an adjoining owner does not reply within 14 days, a dispute is treated as having arisen. Surveyors are then appointed to agree a party wall award that sets out how and when the work can be done.

Who pays for the party wall surveyor?

The building owner, the person doing the work, normally pays the reasonable fees of both their own surveyor and the adjoining owner's surveyor.

Can I start building before the party wall award is agreed?

Not for notifiable work. You need your neighbour's written consent or an agreed award first. Starting early can lead to an injunction and delay.

Does planning permission cover party wall matters?

No. Planning permission, Building Regulations approval and the Party Wall Act are separate. The same extension may need all three.

I have received a party wall notice in Old Trafford. What should I do?

Read it carefully and reply in writing within 14 days. You can consent, or dissent and either share one impartial surveyor (an agreed surveyor) or appoint your own.

Do I have to pay for my own party wall surveyor?

Usually not. The building owner normally pays the reasonable costs of the adjoining owner's surveyor.

What if my neighbour's building work damages my property?

A party wall award normally includes a schedule of condition recording your property before work starts. The building owner must make good any damage the work causes, or pay compensation.

Can I stop my neighbour's extension with the Party Wall Act?

No. The Act does not let you block work that is otherwise allowed. It controls how the work is done and protects your property while it happens.

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