Party Wall & Property Surveys in Islington

We’ve been asked to handle party wall matters relating to the remodelling of a Victorian terraced house to the east of Islington, towards De Beauvoir Town. The house has a lower ground floor level but the floor to ceiling height feels slightly claustrophobic. As part of the works, the building owner plans to underpin the party wall under section 2 of the Act so that the floor level can be reduced. To further open up the space, an extension is to be added to the rear and both chimney breasts will be removed from the party wall.

We were recommended to the adjoining owner and it has been agreed that our senior surveyor, Justin Burns, will act as the agreed surveyor. Underpinning is at the upper end of the party wall scale in terms of risk but with an engineer produced method statement and a contractor with the skill to execute it, the risk can be mitigated to an acceptable level.

Our skilled surveyor, David Breeze, carried out a RICS Level 2 (Homebuyer) Report on a two-bedroom property in Islington N1. David assessed all areas of the property, including the communal spaces.

David found the property to be in excellent condition overall. The ceilings, floors, and walls were noted to be in good condition with high-quality finishes, he noted descriptions of the materials used within the flat.

One minor issue David identified were the worn mastic seals around the windows. Although a small concern, he recommended that the client address and replace the seals to avoid any future issues.

David assessment was documented in our easy-to-understand report, which uses a traffic light and number system to indicate the severity of each element’s condition. Elements marked with a red 3 symbol require urgent attention, those with an amber 2 symbol are advisory, and green 1 are in good condition.

The client was highly impressed and commented on the prompt service he received.