law and practicalities of building right up to nghbours wall

[Bonce]

I'm sure this question has probably been asked in the past but I searched the posts and couldn't quite find anything that would answer my questions so apologies if I just didn't look properly.

I'm planning an extension on the side of my house. Its a semi detached house and the extension would make use of land between my gable wall and the start of the next semi detached on our street.

The next semi detached has already made use of this land and built a garage up to the edge of the boundary.

If I were to do the same I guess I would be looking at having a small gap between the neighbours wall and mine (a few cm's). Our street is also on a hill so there is quite a change in height between my ground level and the neigbours (approx 2 foot) I know the boundary wall is their responsibility.


So my questions:

1) Is it ok to do this, i.e. essentially build right up to a neighbours wall with a small gap? The gap would only be in the region of cm's so wouldn't allow them access to their wall to do maintenance (such as repointing) (which at present they would have to enter my property to do).

2) If it is ok to do I would no doubt need to dig some foundations for my wall, which I guess would cause some risk of unsettlement to theirs. I have my doubts that they did anything in way of putting in extra foundation when their garage was built and just built straight off a concrete raft which was there as a drive (I can't be sure of this). Is there anything specific I need to do in terms of making sure I don't affect their wall.

Incidentally as mentioned above there is about a 2 foot change in ground level from our property to theirs so their property has a retaining wall for 2 foot and then their garage wall starts on top of this at their ground level. The retaining wall to me looks slightly bowed and also has seep holes to allow drainage. Is there anything I need to consider in this regards. My worry is that in the future if the wall is bowing further that they will need to do some reair on it, but any repair would no doubt currently be done via access on my land (as it would be so much easier to access - I don't have a problem with that - I get on well with neighbour etc) but my extension would cover this area making that impossible in the future. Do I have to consider this in my plans? Is there legal recourse to do so. I can't leave acess because the size of exension would be miniscule if I did.

3) In terms of building the wall. I ws thinking of using blockwork other than at the ends where it would be seen and there I would use brickwork to match the house. Due to the change in height of my neighbours ground level they wouldn't see the eaves. In building the blockwork wall it wouldn't be possible to 'point it' properly. There just wouldn't be room to 'get at the wall to do it. Is this a problem. I have seen walls built like this in other locations and often wondered about it and whether it would cause problems etc.

Sorry for the long description. Appreciate any advice anyone has.

Thanks in advance
bonce

 

[ferdinand2000]

You don't say whether your extn is single or double storey.

"A few cm" of gap is just the right amount for cats to get wedged when they fall off. Not a good prospect. Perhaps I'm being melodramatic. I hold no brief for cats, but I wouldn't like to have caused one to get stuck.

On the retaining wall, your best solution will be to make sure that it won't collapse, and reinforcing your wall so that it will do the job regardless - but what about the bow over your boundary (where is it?)?

Does their gutter overhang your side? How will you manage it?

How will you manage your gutter if you are right up to the boundary? How will you clean the leaves out of the middle?

How will you manage your dpc which will be bridged? Perhaps tank the 1st metre.

And - I suppose - how will you get your foundations under their garage ?

If it was me, I'd either go right up to it, and really sweat the details, or keep enough away for a path and avoid dozens of complications.

Blockwork like that is often when b won't allow a access so they do it overhand.

Ferdinand

 

[^woody^]

You can build right up to, but not touching the neighbours wall. 10mm would be normal and seal with mastic - with the neighbours permission

No issues with maintenance, as there wont be any required as the wall is sheltered. You can use blocks, and again no issues with maintenance or pointing as it is sheltered

You can place you foundations on the boundary. Whether the Party Wall Act applies (or whether you want to ignore it if it does) you will need to determine. Otherwise design other foundations

In short, you can build up to the boundary, but not across it. You can't fix to any of the neighbours structure without their consent, or without a Party Wall Agreement in place