Site Sage are specialist Party Wall Surveyors based in Harlow, Essex and accept work in all London areas and its surrounding counties.    

If you are a building owner planning work which may fall under the Party Wall Etc Act 1996 and need a Party Wall Surveyor, or are an adjoining building owner in need of a Party Wall Surveyor and have been affected by Party Wall issues we are able to help.  

The Building Owner can undertake a variety of operations to party walls or floors (party structures) which separate their property from their neighbours' (Adjoining Owners') and to adjacent foundations, though there are safeguards to protect the interests of the parties. The procedure involves the issuing of notices and often the appointment of a surveyor or surveyors, who will produce an agreement (known as an award) which is binding on each party. In addition, a schedule of condition is usually prepared. There are variations on the theme; for instance, an Adjoining Owner might be content to allow the work but nonetheless require a schedule of condition to be prepared. 

For the Building Owner

Are you intending to undertake relevant work, such as:-

• Build a new wall near or on a boundary line.
• Repair an existing party structure.
• Alter a party structure, such as demolish and rebuild, raise or lower, build in beam-ends, cut into or away from etc.
• Underpin.
• Temporarily expose a party structure to the weather.
• Excavate in close proximity to a neighbour's property - up to 6 metres distant.

For the Adjoining Owner

Have you:-

• Heard from a neighbour that he/she intends to undertake relevant work and seeks your permission
• Received a written notice from your neighbour or his/her surveyor
• Found out that your neighbour is undertaking relevant work without informing you. 

If so you will need to quickly decide how to deal with it.

Site Sage will:-

• Advise you on your options.
• Respond to the neighbour on your behalf.
• Act as either a jointly appointed surveyor or the Adjoining Owner's surveyor.
• Prepare or check a schedule of condition.
• Examine the neighbour's proposals in detail and consider the implications.
• Engage with the neighbour's surveyor to agree matters.
• Deal with compensation and other monetary issues as may arise.
• Check the award during its progress from the drafting stage to ultimate signing.
• Inspect the work as it proceeds.
• Assess damage that may arise to your property.

Generally

Whilst the foregoing are broad descriptions of functions Site Sage might perform, if circumstances dictate, the service can be restricted to particular individual tasks.

Why choose Site Sage?

Party Walls is a specialist subject. Site Sage have an extensive knowledge of construction (both the technology and practice) as well as long experience and a thorough understanding of the Act. 

What does it cost?

Site Sage pay attention to detail and take their duties seriously. Whilst we are thorough, we are ever mindful of the need to deal with matters as efficiently as possible. Fees are competitive. If you are an Adjoining Owner, in almost all cases, your surveyor's fees will be met by your neighbour.

Site Sage are specialists in preparing access agreements to enable building owners to carry out maintenance or improvement works to their property.

In most cases access cannot be obtained without the express consent of the adjoining owners. Access can be obtained by statute in two situations. The first is where access is needed in connection with specific building works to which the Party Wall etc Act 1996 relates. The second is where access is needed to carry out works that are essentially repair and maintenance, under the Access to Neighbouring Land Act 1992.

WHEN YOU NEED AN ACCESS AGREEMENT

Building in London and the Home Counties often means working close to the boundary. You may need to put scaffolding on or over a neighbour's land, swing a crane over their roof, put up hoarding or protective screens, take plant and materials across their site, or dig trial pits and ground anchors on their side of the line. None of that can be done as of right. The neighbour is entitled to be asked, to be protected, and in most cases to be paid.

A properly drafted access agreement, sometimes called a scaffold licence or crane oversailing licence, sets out what is allowed, for how long, what protection and insurance will be in place, what happens if damage is caused, and what the neighbour receives in return. Without one, work can be stopped by injunction at short notice and at great cost.

WHAT WE DO

We act for building owners who need access and for neighbours who have been asked to give it. We agree the scope of the access, prepare or review the licence, record the condition of the neighbouring property before work starts, and check that the property is handed back in the same state at the end. Where the works fall under the Party Wall etc Act 1996 we deal with the access as part of the party wall process, so there is one surveyor and one set of paperwork.

Dennis Brett MCIOB FFPWS LCGI MPTS has over 40 years in construction and is a Fellow of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors. For an initial discussion about access to a neighbouring property, please contact us.

PRINCIPAL DESIGNER SERVICE

Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015

Site Sage has provided CDM Coordinator service in accordance with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007, since 2007. We now provide a Principal Designer service under the revised Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The key aim of CDM 2015 is to integrate health and safety into the management of the project and to encourage everyone involved to work together.      

We have worked on projects ranging in value from £30,000 to £2 million. Current clients include property developers, architects, main contractors and property management companies.

As professional consultants within an industry where risks are often high, and the consequences of any error far reaching, we reassure our clients through meticulous attention to detail.

We believe in forming and maintaining close relationships with our clients, through regular communication. This ensures the steady flow of vital information, one of the key factors for effective CDM coordination. We see our role as one of catalyst, ensuring that risks that can be affected by design are identified, effectively assessed and where practicable controlled.

Our skill lies in meeting the necessary statutory requirements effectively, yet minimising bureaucracy and unnecessary paperwork. We adopt an integrated team structure, which gives us the ability to group our resources and experience around large scale and more complex commissions.

In an industry beset by technical language and terminology, we ensure that our communication is clear and comprehensible. Having completed numerous courses within the Health and Safety Industry, and having had experience working on a myriad of construction projects, we are not only able to understand the intricacies of each project that we take on, but explain in plain and simple terms how the CDM Regulations will affect it.

Other Services

Construction Traffic Management Plans

With road usage volumes at their highest ever levels, the management of traffic flows at construction sites requires careful planning to ensure the safety of drivers, pedestrians and site access. Many local authorities are now requesting a Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) as part of their standard pre planning process. 

Whether you are running a small site with a handful of arrivals and departures based around working hours, or a major site with traffic movements, a well thought out and carefully considered traffic management plan avoids disputes, maximises efficiency and can reduce congestion at peak hours.

The CTMP should help our clients minimise the impact of their construction on the surrounding community, both for the construction on site and the transport arrangements for servicing the site. 

Our CTMP incorporates the details such as site set up, hoarding and scaffold plans, traffic routes for construction vehicles, excavation details, material deliveries, waste management, site personnel, visitor access, storage of equipment and a programme of works. 

Our CTMP follows the best practice guidelines of the construction site’s local authority’s minimum standards for building construction documentation and if applicable, Transport for London’s Standard for Construction Logistics and Cycle Safety (CLOCS) Scheme. 

Principal Contractor – Construction Phase Plans

A Construction Phase Plan is a document required under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The CDM Regulations apply to all construction projects, regardless of size, duration, and regardless of whether they are commercial or residential.

A Construction Phase Plan details the work being undertaken, the project team and how the Principal Contractor manages all health and safety aspects of the project. The CPP should be project and site specific and reviewed and updated as the project progresses to incorporate any design changes.

The key benefit of the plan is to set out the health and safety arrangements and requirements for the project, which is communicated to the project team, so that the project team can work together to reach high safety standards and project safety goals.

The Construction Phase Plan must be prepared before works start on site and it should be kept on site for the duration of the works. Works cannot legally commence without one!

Site Visits

Other services include site safety visits, which consist of a thorough inspection of the construction site, an inspection of the site files to check whether weekly checks and other company procedures in place are being adhered to by the construction manager. Our findings are summarised on a report which will indicate whether health and safety matters on site are acceptable or require remedial action. A copy is left with the site manager and a copy is forwarded to the company’s head office. Please click here to view an example report.

Consultancy Advice and Meetings

For one off advice, we are happy to attend site meetings, interviews on an hourly rate, however we prefer to give fixed rates for set tasks, as we are aware that most clients prefer cost certainty. Alternatively, for larger sites our services can be booked on a daily rate.

For an initial consultation please contact us for further details.

Site Sage are specialist Building Surveyors based in Harlow, Essex. We provide building surveys for commercial and domestic properties, in all areas of London and the surrounding counties.

It is important to be fully informed about the condition of a property prior to purchasing. Pre-purchase building surveys are designed to provide the purchaser with detailed information on condition to allow a balanced judgement of the purchase price, and suitability to be made before it is too late!

We carry out Building Surveys, formerly known as a Structural Survey. We produce a Building Survey which is totally independent to the lender's survey. This is a bespoke service suitable for purchases of all residential and commercial properties. The survey provides a full, detailed picture of the construction and condition.

A Building Survey is likely to be needed if a property is for example, of unusual construction and condition, or where conversion or renovation works are planned. The report includes technical information on materials and construction as well as details of a whole range of defects, major and minor.

This type of Building Survey Report is much longer and more technical than the RICS Home Buyers Report.

We are also able to provide a Schedule of Condition for the acquisition of commercial leasehold premises and full Schedule of Dilapidations for existing premises where the lease has expired, been terminated or renewed.

Site Sage will survey isolated building defects upon request, such as structural cracks, sagging roofs, dampness, insect attack etc.

We will inspect the problem and prepare a clear concise report. Our report will detail the cause of the defect, and make specific recommendations about its repair.     

Independent, court ready expert reports for housing disrepair and building defect claims. We act for defendants, for claimants and as Single Joint Expert.

Who instructs us

Housing associations, local authorities and their solicitors. Claimant firms. Property managers and freeholders. Recent instructions include Hornsey Housing Trust, Spitalfields Housing Association and London borough councils, through solicitors including Trowers & Hamlins and Capsticks LLP.

What we cover

• Damp, mould and condensation
• Building defects and disrepair under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
• HHSRS hazards and Awaab's Law timescales
• Standard and scope of remedial works and whether costs are reasonable
• Scott Schedules, drafted or responded to
• Rebuttal reports and desktop reviews of other experts' reports
• Part 35 questions, joint statements and meetings of experts
• Attendance at court to give oral evidence

How we work

Every report follows CPR Part 35 and Practice Direction 35. Our duty is to the court, not to the party paying. Reports are evidence led, proportionate to the claim and written in plain English so that a judge, a housing officer or a tenant can follow them. Each one sets out the instructions, the inspection, the findings with photographs, the opinion and the reasoning behind it, with appendices and a signed statement of truth.

Timescales

Inspection within 7 days of instruction. Report within 14 days of inspection, sooner where possible. Most instructions are completed within three weeks, against a typical industry timescale of six to eight weeks.

Why Site Sage

Dennis Brett MCIOB FFPWS LCGI is a Chartered Building Consultant with over 40 years in construction. He began on site in 1985 in his father's building business and went on to qualify with the Chartered Institute of Building. That background means opinions on workmanship, cause and cost come from someone who has built, repaired and inspected the very defects in dispute. Site Sage covers London, Essex, Hertfordshire and the surrounding counties.

How to instruct us

Email your letter of instruction to enquiries@sitesage.co.uk or call 07793 056226. Please include the property address, the pleadings or letter of claim if available, any previous reports and your preferred inspection dates. We confirm conflicts, availability and terms within one working day.