Building a new retaining wall next to boundary brick garden wall

[dodgem]

My garden is at 2 levels.

So I would like to excavate an area at the lower level to give me a patio at the same level as my living room.

I don't know how deep the foundations below the existing garden wall are but the new retaining wall I want to put in is about 700mm away from the boundary wall line.

Appreciate any advice on what I need to do before I start any work!!

 

[motorbiking]

First thing to do is to check your works require notice/agreement under the party wall act.

 

[dodgem]

Am I right in thinking the only way to check if Party Wall Notice needed is to find out the depth of the foundation?

I think if you take a 45 degree angle from the centre line of the top of the pile / foundation, into your garden, then any area below the lines is party wall notice.......

As I do not want to service any party wall notices I have redesigned my garden so it steps away from the wall at a 45 degree angle!!

 

[motorbiking]

It depends on the distance.

If the work is within 3m of the neighbour wall then its simply going below

If its over 3M and under 6M then the 45 degree rule applies

 

[dodgem]

Thanks for your replies.

The garden boundary wall is at a much higher level than any shared building foundations, walls etc.

Can I build some sleeper walls that step away from the shared garden boundary wall in a way that doesn't require a party wall agreement!

I've attached a before and after sketch.

I am a leaseholder, so if I do need a party wall agreement, then I guess I may need to ask permission from both my freeholder and my neighbour!

Assuming no one objects - how long does this take?
I had wanted to book in the work in the next 2 weeks!

Any advice much appreciated.

 

[dodgem]

Just to add that no new foundations are being proposed adjacent to the existing garden wall foundations. Just bedding for the railways sleepers.

 

[^woody^]

Forget PW issues.

What's the actual question?

Check your lease for what permissions you may need. Lease the building, the land, both? You would not normally need consent for any garden walls.

 

[dodgem]

The lease says permission is required to work on party wall structures.....but I'm not altering any party wall structures.

I'm not sure if moving a retaining garden wall in my demise, is notifiable to my freeholder

Apart from the new retaining garden walls, I want to fix a wooden privacy screen to the party wall of the main building I share with my neighbour (tenants), using a couple of bolts in the mortar joints. That's about it

 

[^woody^]

Apart from the new retaining garden walls, I want to fix a wooden privacy screen to the party wall of the main building I share with my neighbour (tenants), using a couple of bolts in the mortar joints. That's about it

The Party Wall is the wall that divides your two houses, and is between the external house walls. you can't be fixing a wooden screen to it!

It sounds like your retaining wall is really just a garden wall within your garden, and unless your lease mentions garden walls and landscaping or suchlike, it won't be a lease issue.

 

[dodgem]

It sounds like your retaining wall is really just a garden wall within your garden, and unless your lease mentions garden walls and landscaping or suchlike, it won't be a lease issue.

I was hoping this might be the case. My freeholder is the council, and they drag their heels on everything.

But I'm guessing I should serve the neighbour with a notice about digging into the ground and stepping sleepers down to lower levels of our shared brick wall?

 

[dodgem]

The Party Wall is the wall that divides your two houses, and is between the external house walls. you can't be fixing a wooden screen to it!

I have 2 main neighbours - I'm in a lower ground floor flat that's part of a semi detached house.

One neighbour nextdoor, and one neighbour (tenants/council) in flat above.

So I want to fix a privacy screen to my external wall extending up by 1m to the tenants above wall, so I can attach a privacy screen between their access stair and my garden.

When I moved into my flat, there was about 200 screws and rawlplugs, metal brackets I had to pull out, so it seems a bit ridiculous to apply to my freeholder to fix in 2 screws!

 

[^woody^]

But I'm guessing I should serve the neighbour with a notice about digging into the ground and stepping sleepers down to lower levels of our shared brick wall?

No. That's nothing to do with the PW Act.

 

[^woody^]

So I want to fix a privacy screen to my external wall extending up by 1m to the tenants above wall, so I can attach a privacy screen between their access stair and my garden.

Again, not a PW issue.

This needs to be fixed on your side of the boundary line that's all.

 

[dodgem]

I checked with a party wall surveyor.....it's a party garden fence notice to adjoining neighbour.
So unfortunately a 3m notice needed ...

Lease also says I need to inform freeholder of 'party wall' matters....so another application.

Never buy a leasehold flat again that's for sure....can't even add an electrical plug socket without consent!

 

[noseall]

Never buy a leasehold flat again

Sounds horrific.