Role of Surveyor in Party Wall Agreement

[eastender3]

Hi Folks,

Neighbor started his loft conversion and I had agreed for him to remove our shared chimney stack, but I insisted on getting a charted surveyor to be appointed for both parties and party wall agreement drawn up, to ensure that it's done properly like ventilation of the chimney once the stack is removed.

Now it seems that removal of chimney stack is not mentioned on the party wall, only the chimney breast and he feels the agreement does not need to be changed.

He (Surveyor) does not want to check for ventilation for the chimney stack, saying that's not his remit. He would only intervene if there is any damage or dispute and then just visit at the end of the works. How would I know if the neighbor has taken more than half of depth of the party wall. They're nearly finishing the job.

Is that all the Surveyor required to do and get thousands of pounds;
Draw a party wall agreement, visit and note down both homes and finally visit again once the work is complete.

 

[wessex101]

How do you ventilate a chimney stack that has been removed.

 

[eastender3]

How do you ventilate a chimney stack that has been removed.

It's not ventilating a stack, it's to ensure that there is adequate ventilation after its removal, so that condensation does not build up.

 

[Footsoldier888]

So the bit on the top has gone from both sides, plus his stack in the loft but you still have yours and are concerned about ventilation?

I understand your concern now if this is what has taken place. Hopefully an expert can give the answer!

 

[wessex101]

So you want to ventilate the remaining capped off redundant flues in the chimney breast in the loft space, not the non-existent stack?

Personally I wouldn't bother. There is a very slight risk of condensation in the colder section in the loft space but if the fireplace openings are sealed up I doubt there will be any warm moist air in the flue to cause condensation. Just make sure the flues are very well swept to remove old soot before it is sealed.

Is this Chartered Surveyor experienced in party wall work? What is their designation? or is it just some estate agent friend of your neighbour?

 

[^woody^]

www.i'mconfused.com

Stack above the roof, chimney in loft space, his breast, your breast, ventilation of room or flue?

 

[tony1851]

The role of the surveyor in a party wall agreement is to screw as much money as possible out of the client, while spending as little time as possible at the computer doing pointless cut-and-paste.
Quite why these people can demand more money than architects, engineers and technicians for doing sod all defeats me.

 

[eastender3]

So you want to ventilate the remaining capped off redundant flues in the chimney breast in the loft space, not the non-existent stack?

Personally I wouldn't bother. There is a very slight risk of condensation in the colder section in the loft space but if the fireplace openings are sealed up I doubt there will be any warm moist air in the flue to cause condensation. Just make sure the flues are very well swept to remove old soot before it is sealed.

Is this Chartered Surveyor experienced in party wall work? What is their designation? or is it just some estate agent friend of your neighbour?

No Surveyor is not a estate agent friend of the neighbor. There are no fire places have been sealed up on both homes and chimney breast had been removed before. I thought they had to put some air bricks?

 

[Ian H]

The role of the surveyor in a party wall agreement is to screw as much money as possible out of the client, while spending as little time as possible at the computer doing pointless cut-and-paste.
Quite why these people can demand more money than architects, engineers and technicians for doing sod all defeats me.

Mine was good.

 

[wessex101]

No Surveyor is not a estate agent friend of the neighbor. There are no fire places have been sealed up on both homes and chimney breast had been removed before. I thought they had to put some air bricks?

Only if the fireplaces are sealed up and the old chimney stack above the roof is left in place. If the chimney stack is removed then the bit that really needed ventilation isn't there anymore.

 

[wessex101]

Mine was good.

There are some good ones out there. Sadly there are an awful lot of money grabbing shysters.

 

[eastender3]

Only if the fireplaces are sealed up and the old chimney stack above the roof is left in place. If the chimney stack is removed then the bit that really needed ventilation isn't there anymore.

Well takes a lot of worry out. So there is no need for ventilation if there is no stack left and no chimney breast. Wonder how the builder would finish it off.

 

[wessex101]

Well takes a lot of worry out. So there is no need for ventilation if there is no stack left and no chimney breast. Wonder how the builder would finish it off.

It does sound like the agreement with your neighbour is rather lacking in detail such as how are they going to seal the top of the redundant flues. Makes me wonder what is written down about making good the roof covering where the chimney stack is removed, firestopping the top of the party wall etc. Although that is not strictly the purpose of a party wall agreement so maybe it was just a simple misunderstanding that those things would be covered by the party wall surveyor.

 

[^woody^]

Well takes a lot of worry out

Does it?

Leaving a stack hanging out of a wall with no breast below it, should be quite worrying. And any redundant flue should be ventilated BTW.

Internal damp will react with the mortar and hasten the softening of the joints and leaning of the stack. I'm almost certain that would be in a PW surveyor's remit.

 

[eastender3]

Hi Wessex101, yes, the chimney stack was not in the party wall agreement, the surveyor could have forgotten to add, but he said he won't revise the agreement to include it, as the stack does not cover Party Wall. So it means there in nothing in the agreement as to how to they'll seal the redundant flues.