What a party wall surveyor costs depends mainly on the works, the number of adjoining owners, how many surveyors are appointed, whether a schedule of condition is needed and whether matters become contested. Under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 the building owner normally pays the reasonable fees of both surveyors and the costs of the award. Our own building owner fees, per adjoining owner, are set out in the fee table below.
Last updated: 20 May 2026
Table of contents
- Our building owner fees
- What drives party wall costs
- Who pays
- Agreed surveyor or two surveyors?
- Costs that can arise beyond the standard process
- How to compare quotes properly
- Ways to keep costs down
Our building owner fees
When we act for a building owner, our fees are fixed per adjoining owner for typical homeowner projects:
| Building owner service (per adjoining owner) | Fee |
|---|---|
| Party Wall NoticeFormal notice drafted and served correctly under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. | £100*** |
| Schedule of ConditionPhotographic and written record of the neighbouring property before works begin. | £500*** |
| Party Wall AwardThe award setting out how the works can proceed. | £800*** |
* Fees shown are for typical homeowner projects. More complex matters, for example those involving a checking engineer, section 10(4) notices and appointments, section 11 enclosure costs or security for expenses, and larger buildings in single ownership, carry additional charges. These are confirmed before work starts.
** Disbursements, such as Land Registry searches and postage, may apply.
Additional Awards on the same project are charged at 50% of the standard fee.
Because each adjoining owner is a separate party under the Act, the fees apply to each adjoining owner. A mid-terrace house with neighbours on both sides who both need an award will usually need two schedules of condition and two awards.
As adjoining owner's surveyor, our reasonable fees are normally paid by the building owner under the Act. Adjoining owner fees are not fixed: they reflect the work reasonably required in each case.
What drives party wall costs
Every party wall matter is different. The factors below explain why one project needs more surveyor time than another.
1. The type and complexity of the works
A chimney breast removal involves one party wall and a clear scope. A loft conversion with several steel beams, a dormer and weatherproofing to the party wall involves more award provisions and a longer inspection. Basement excavation adds Section 6 considerations, such as plans and sections showing the depth of excavation and, often, engineering input and monitoring arrangements.
2. Which sections of the Act apply
Works may need a Section 1 notice (new wall at the line of junction, one month), a Section 2 notice (works to a party wall or other party structure, two months), a Section 6 notice (adjacent excavation, one month), or a combination. Each notice brings its own requirements, and projects needing several notices take more time to deal with.
3. The number of adjoining owners
Each adjoining owner needs their own notice and, if they do not consent, their own schedule of condition and award. A semi-detached house often has one adjoining owner, a mid-terrace has two, and corner plots, flats and properties with both leaseholders and freeholders can have more.
4. How the adjoining owner responds
For party structure and excavation notices, absence of written consent within 14 days triggers the dispute procedure. Section 1 new-wall notices have different consequences. Where a dispute arises, owners appoint an agreed surveyor or separate surveyors; section 10(4) addresses refusal to appoint and neglect for ten days after a written request.
5. The property and its condition
Victorian terraces, mansion blocks and older properties often have shared chimney stacks, party fence walls and floors or ceilings between flats (which are party structures), all of which take longer to inspect and record. Listed buildings and conservation area properties may need more detailed recording of period features.
6. Whether the matter becomes contested
Counter-notices, disagreements between surveyors, third surveyor referrals and changes to the works after the award is served all add surveyor time.
The value of the property is not a factor. Reasonable fees reflect the work reasonably required, not what the house is worth.
Who pays
The building owner, meaning the owner carrying out the works, normally pays the reasonable costs of making the award and the reasonable fees of both surveyors. In the standard process, the adjoining owner pays nothing.
The surveyors have the power to decide who pays the costs arising from the dispute, and there are situations where costs are shared or fall on the adjoining owner, for example:
- Where works are needed because of a defect or want of repair in the party structure, the cost of those works can be shared in proportion to use and responsibility for the defect.
- Where the adjoining owner asks for additional works for their own benefit, such as through a counter-notice, they generally pay for those works.
- Where the adjoining owner later makes use of work paid for by the building owner, they may have to contribute.
If the works cause damage, the building owner must compensate the adjoining owner under Section 7(2), usually by making good the damage, or by payment in lieu if the adjoining owner asks for it under Section 11(8).
Where surveyors' fees are set out in an award and not paid, they are recoverable as a civil debt under Section 17.
For more detail see our who pays the party wall surveyor guide.
Agreed surveyor or two surveyors?
The owners can appoint one agreed surveyor to act for both of them, or each owner can appoint their own surveyor. An agreed surveyor avoids two surveyors duplicating the same work, so it is often the simpler route where neighbour relations are good and the works are straightforward.
The building owner normally pays the agreed surveyor's fees. The cost is not shared between the neighbours.
Whichever route is used, the surveyor must act impartially and determine matters under the Act. Party-appointed surveyors do not represent one owner against the other. In practice, you choose the surveyor who inspects your property and agrees the award with your neighbour's surveyor.
Costs that can arise beyond the standard process
Most homeowner projects follow the standard route of notice, schedule of condition and award. Some matters need additional work, which is confirmed before it starts:
- Checking engineer: where the surveyors need an engineer to review structural or excavation details.
- Section 10(4) procedure: where the adjoining owner does not respond and the further request and appointment steps are needed.
- Security for expenses: where the adjoining owner asks for security before the works start.
- Third surveyor referral: where the two surveyors cannot agree and refer a point to the third surveyor.
- Addendum awards: where the scope of the works changes after the award is served.
- Post-completion inspection and damage: where the surveyors need to deal with damage reported after the works.
How to compare quotes properly
Headline fees from different practices are rarely like for like. Before comparing, check the following.
- Same scope. Make sure every quote covers the same works, the same notices and the same number of adjoining owners.
- What is included. Check whether the notice, the schedule of condition and the award are each included, and whether fees are per adjoining owner.
- What is excluded. Ask what happens if the neighbour does not respond, if an engineer is needed or if the works change.
- Adjoining owner's surveyor. Remember the building owner normally pays the adjoining owner's surveyor's reasonable fees as well, and those fees are not fixed.
- Experience and service. Ask how many awards the surveyor has prepared for similar works, whether they carry professional indemnity insurance, and how they will keep you updated.
The cheapest headline quote is not always the cheapest overall once these points are taken into account.
Ways to keep costs down
- Talk to your neighbour before serving notice. A neighbour who understands the works is more likely to consent or agree to an agreed surveyor.
- Get the notice right first time. An invalid notice has to be served again and the notice period restarts.
- Provide complete information at instruction. Full drawings, structural details and the neighbours' contact details reduce delay.
- Consider an agreed surveyor. Where relations are good and the works are straightforward, one surveyor can avoid duplicated work.
- Fix the scope before the award is served. Changes afterwards may need an addendum award.
- Do not skip the schedule of condition. Without one, any later damage claim is harder and slower to resolve, which usually costs more than the schedule.
The cost of skipping the process
Carrying out notifiable works without serving notice is not a criminal offence, but it exposes the building owner to an injunction stopping the works, to common law claims for damage without an agreed record of the neighbour's property, and to questions when the property is sold. The delay and legal costs from any of these usually far exceed the cost of following the Act.
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies in England and Wales only. You cannot act as your own surveyor in a dispute under the Act: a surveyor must not be a party to the matter.
The bottom line
Party wall costs are driven by the works, the number of adjoining owners, the property and how the neighbour responds. The building owner normally pays both surveyors' reasonable fees and the costs of the award, and an agreed surveyor is paid by the building owner rather than shared. Our building owner fees are Party Wall Notice £100*, Schedule of Condition £500* and Party Wall Award £800*, per adjoining owner, and the process from notice to award typically takes 6 to 8 weeks.
Get a clear quote from London Party Wall Surveyors at londonpws.co.uk/appoint-londonpws-surveyor/ or call 020 7050 0715. Same-week site visits, and you are kept updated at every stage from notice to the final award.
Sources
- Party Wall etc. Act 1996, full text, legislation.gov.uk
- Party Wall etc. Act 1996, Section 11, legislation.gov.uk
- UK Government explanatory booklet on the Party Wall Act
Published fees apply to typical homeowner projects, per adjoining owner. Complex work carries additional charges; Land Registry searches and postage may apply. Additional Awards on the same project are charged at 50% of the standard fee. Scope and fees are confirmed before instruction.