Party wall advice

[Colline]

Hi,

We live in your typical 1930s semi-detached house. We are looking to build a single story rear extension but are having issues about where we can build up to.

Our next door neighbours have a two story rear extension, however, instead of building up to the middle (i.e. the midpoint on the chimney stack/assumed boundary), it was built completely to the one side (why would they do this?, and so it falls short of the boundary by 4/5inches.

If we build up to the middle, we'll have a silly 10in or so gap which means we wont be able to render the wall, and also worries us in terms of maintenance.

Our neighbour is happy in principle for us to build next to his wall (our own external wall, not using theirs for support) but worries about any future issues if he tried to sell. As it is over the boundary (we assume so as it goes past the mid-point of the chimney), are we allowed to do this (with consent)? Or is whether they consent or not irrelevant as we don't own the land?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[^woody^]

It wont need to be rendered as it is sheltered and not visible.

If you do as you propose it will not only become a party wall and of joint ownership (any future neighbour and cut into it and build on it), it will be an odd arrangement for future buyers and their advisors to investigate.

You will also need to allow for verge or gutter overhangs.

You would be wasting money and creating risks needlessly with your proposal

 

[wessex101]

You can to build your extension right up to your boundary line leaving 4/5 inch gap relatively easily. Just make sure wall will not need rendering and make it maintenance free with no roof overhang (subject to Line of Junction Notice). With neighbour's written consent you could carry your roof over the gap with abutment flashing to form a weatherproof finish to enclose the gap.

If you butt your new extension up against the neighbour's it will cross the boundary but will not sit centrally on the boundary so it will become an offset party wall. Something that you could do with the neighbour's written consent/party wall agreement.

Either option could give a neat finish but you will require written legal agreements to avoid later complications.