Construction work in Southwark that affects a shared wall, builds on a boundary, or excavates close to a neighbour's foundations falls within the scope of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Across the borough this commonly arises on warehouse conversions through Bermondsey and Rotherhithe, period extensions to Victorian property in Peckham, Camberwell and Walworth, basement digs in Dulwich and Herne Hill, and refurbishments to Georgian property around Borough.
CHP Surveyors has been established since 2004 with offices in Wickford, London and Hampshire. Our London head office at Boundary Row in SE1 sits directly within Southwark. The team is RICS regulated and delivers specialist chartered surveying on dense urban sites with technical depth. Southwark coverage extends across the borough from London Bridge and Bermondsey through Peckham and Camberwell to Dulwich. Many basement projects also pair with rights of light assessments at the design stage.
James Crowley is the past London and National Chair of The Pyramus and Thisbe Society, an organisation with a great interest in party wall and neighbourly matters.
Having been involved in projects across the UK for both domestic properties and larger, city centre developments, we have experience and knowledge of the more complicated methods of construction, including temporary restraint works, piling to form a triple basement and jet grouting. We have also negotiated licences for the use of scaffolding and tower cranes.
All Southwark party wall instructions open with a free initial assessment by a qualified surveyor based at our local SE1 office. The conversation covers the proposed works, the relevant sections of the Act, and the notice strategy. Southwark projects typically involve party structure notices for terrace extensions and warehouse conversions, line of junction notices for new boundary walls, and section 6 excavation notices for the basement digs common across Dulwich and Herne Hill.
After the assessment the surveyor drafts and serves the statutory notices, manages adjoining owner responses, and produces a detailed schedule of condition with photographs and full written notes. For warehouse conversions and listed property the schedule includes additional detail on existing structural elements and materials. Where the matter is agreed paperwork stays proportionate. Where dispute arises the party wall award is drafted properly and served. Building owners and adjoining owners across Southwark get continuity from instruction to final document.
Over the past four years, CHP have worked very successfully with us in their capacity as party wall surveyors. Through his calm, sensible approach and excellent communication skills James Crowley, in particular, gained the trust and confidence of the entire team and stakeholders. Looking forward to working with CHP again.”
- Clare Goggin, Jackson Coles
Timing on Southwark party wall notices is fixed by statute. A party structure notice must be served at least two months before works begin. A section 6 notice for excavation within three or six metres of a neighbouring building requires at least one month. Three months ahead of the planned start on site is sensible for most Southwark schemes.
Southwark projects often run on tight programmes, particularly Bermondsey conversions and Dulwich basement digs timed around planning conditions. Getting notice timing right protects the schedule, avoids invalid awards, and reduces the risk of injunction proceedings. The building owner generally covers reasonable surveyor fees on both sides under the Act. To discuss timing on a specific Southwark scheme, book a free initial assessment.
Get in touch.
Head Office
2-6 Boundary Row
London, SE1 8HP
Essex Office
2-6 Boundary Row
London, SE1 8HP
020 3714 4090
Get in touch.
Head Office
2-6 Boundary Row
London, SE1 8HP
Essex Office
2nd Floor, 10 High Street
Wickford, Essex
SS12 9AZ
020 3714 4090
enquiries@chpsurveyors.com
