Are you planning a building project or have you received notice?
As a specialist Party Wall surveyor, Richard Hourican will protect your interests during building works.
Are you planning a building project – perhaps an extension, loft conversion or basement – that is on or adjacent to your property’s boundary line? Or has a ‘Party Wall’ notice dropped on the doormat informing you of a neighbour’s impending works?
In either scenario, it’s likely that you will need a surveyor with the experience and expertise to negotiate the legal minefield of the Party Wall Act (1996). Richard Hourican’s Chiswick-based chartered building consultancy provides exactly that professional service, and does so in a straightforward manner.
‘I’ve often found that surveyors speak their own language,’ Richard recalls. ‘That’s why we explain the Party Wall process to clients in detail – and we always do it in layman’s terms.’ While undertaking structural modifications, the chances of encroaching onto a neighbour's property are significant. ‘With loft conversions, problems are caused by raising the Party Wall (the physical divide between premises) or inserting steel beams and, with basements, it’s new foundations,’ says Richard.
‘As surveyors, we protect our client’s best interests. We will check all the drawings, serve legal notices and draw up a Party Wall Award; this is a binding agreement between home owners that sets out their duties and obligations and serves as reference in the event of a dispute.
‘Alternatively, we can also prepare a “Schedule of Condition Survey” prior to any work starting. In those instances, we survey the properties as they stand and then, if damage is caused, there is clear proof of previously existing conditions.’
Perhaps surprisingly, the same surveyor can be engaged by the ‘Building Owner’ and the ‘Adjoining Neighbour’. This has the benefit of avoiding confusions, speeding up proceedings and cutting costs. ‘According to the law, we work for the Party Wall Act,’ explains Richard. ‘That means we are obliged to be impartial, hence we can be appointed by – and then advise – both parties involved in any project. In those cases, we are called the ‘Agreed Surveyor.’
‘It’s essential to understand all the implications of building plans,’ he adds. ‘If you don’t, it could cost thousands. Our job is to ensure everything is done correctly – and that it doesn’t!’
Why choose Hourican Associates?
We are specialist regulated Party Wall surveyors and will always ensure our clients' interests are protected during building works.
Accredited
Hourican Associates specialise in all Party Wall matters in London and are fully qualified members of the FPWS, Pyramus & Thisbe Club and regulated by RIC's, CIOB & CABE.
Thorough
We pay attention to the detail & are experts in all Party Wall matters, we ensure the protection supplied by the Party Wall Act is in place & accurately applied to your project.
Professional
We draw upon a wealth of experience and professional qualifications to ensure that we can assist our clients in the most cost and time effective way possible.
Experienced
We are specialist Party Wall surveyors with a wealth of experience working in London on projects of all sizes, always ensuring our clients are fully protected by the Party Wall Act.
Richard was a great recommendation and went above and beyond to arrange complex party wall agreements for both sets of neighbours. He worked well with our border team as plans changed and then came together and was highly professional and collaborative. Arranged monitoring and liaised and communicated with everyone smoothly. Would be a great addition to any building project.
Richard was fantastic to work with - very efficient and knowledgeable, and got the work done with minimal fuss.
Richard was excellent to work with, we have 6 partywalls to complete in a short time and he kept us up to date throughout and chased daily to make sure they were done on time.
Geeat experience! Richard engaged with me quickly and communicated well at all stages, making the whole process easy and managing any queries promptly. I'd recommend him
Absolutely brilliant service. H&A assisted us on an urgent basis with a schedule of condition. They were prompt, efficient and extremely professional. The quality of their work speaks for itself. I would highly recommend them.
Richard has been extremely helpful when dealing with my queries about my neighbour extension works even after he was informed that he was not appointed as the party wall surveyor due to some communication issues. A great way to handle such situation professionally.
Highly recommend working with Richard and his team.
Richard was first class with how he helped me with my query. Despite immediately realising Hourican Associates couldn't help me with the work i required, he spent 15 minutes on the phone discussing my problem and directing me to other trusted professionals who could help me. Thanks!!
Used for a Party Wall Agreement. Incredibly efficient, fast and very responsive to any questions. Thank you!
I found out I needed party wall awards from no less than 8 neighbours and AFTER strip out works. Richard Hourican made saving the day a breeze, meeting all our new neighbours and walking them through the somewhat complicated party wall process. I had been told that one could do party wall awards yourself, I now understand there is absolutely no way that would have been done correctly or as efficiently without the help of Richard and his team. I recommend you call him and explain your situation, he'll sort it and give you a very reasonable fee for the pleasure.
I can’t recommend Richard and Hourican Associates highly enough. From the outset of our loft conversion project, they demonstrated professionalism, deep expertise, and a calm, solution-focused approach that proved invaluable. Not only did Richard provide clear, practical guidance through the technical and regulatory aspects, but he also managed sensitive party wall matters with diplomacy and clarity. His ability to communicate effectively, mediate concerns, and ensure we remained compliant with all building approvals gave us great peace of mind throughout the process. If you're considering any home extension or loft work, especially where neighbour relations or party wall matters might become tricky, I’d strongly recommend working with Hourican Associates. An absolute asset to any project.
Provided excellent advice on handling of a party wall award - would recommend.