Homeowners continue to add basements to their property, often because it is a cost-effective alternative to buying a bigger house, and options for building higher or outward might be limited. The process of constructing a basement is actually quite straightforward … Find out more
Dealing with party walls and neighbours are often not considered by homeowners when they are planning works, renovating or have a project on the go. Most people know they will need planning permission and building regs/control, but many haven’t heard … Find out more
Poorly installed cavity wall insulation can cause problems. In July 2020 the Chancellor announced a Green Homes Grant to give up to £5,000 in vouchers for insulation (BBC News, July 2020) A few years ago, we wrote this article about … Find out more
It happens all the time. You serve a party wall notice, wait and then… nothing. So, what do you do? Well, as far as the Party Wall etc Act is concerned there are 14 days to reply (in writing), after … Find out more
A large proportion of Collier Stevens’ work is serving party wall notices, agreeing awards and resolving disputes. We have a dedicated section in our Advice Hub that may help you answer any other party wall related queries. We’re often asked … Find out more
The Party Wall Act sets out what information a properly served party wall notice must contain. There is no standard format, but many party wall surveyors use standard templates to ensure that the notice provides the required information. It is … Find out more
We’re seeing an increasing number of homeowners considering home improvements rather than moving. People want to increase the size of their current home rather than taking the next step on the property ladder, or they might want to push up … Find out more
One of the most common questions we are asked is: “How long does a building survey or Homebuyer report take?” The answer is usually: “It depends.” It can take anything from 1.5 to 6 or more hours, depending on the … Find out more
We are often called by homeowners asking what they can do when their neighbour starts building work without telling them. Quite often your neighbour doesn’t have to notify you, but here are some situations where they are obliged to. This … Find out more
Asbestos is identified in quite a few of the properties in which we undertake surveys. We particularly find it in those houses that were built between 1930 and 1980 and older flat conversions. Asbestos can appear in the most unlikely … Find out more
Whether you have bought a property to ‘do up’, or you’re planning to do some renovation work on your home rather than moving, you should always make sure you have the right insurance in place. You will need to think … Find out more
Between 2012 and 2017 the UK and Europe saw a surge in the domestic use of power generation from solar panels (see this article for more information). It has tailed off a bit, but the chances of buying a property … Find out more