Click for Bruce's Party Wall Cyclopedia

Raising a Party Wall Downwards

Out of interests I attended an organisation event where I witnessed a seemingly serious discussion on whether it was possible to raise a Party Wall downwards.  At the front of the hall the grandees sat and advised the assembled throng – this resulted in the following post on the subject, “Raising Downwards”

 

It is illiterate to state, “a Party Wall (or indeed any other wall) can be raised downwards”, and therefore it follows, non-sensical, absurd, counter-intuitive, irrational, un-educated and oxy-moronic which is why of course the Party Wall Act does not allow something  which is not possible. 

 

The following nonsense poem is dedicated to the “raising downers”,

 

 “There exists Party Wall Surveyors, Who are convinced they are cleverer than they are, they read the party wall act poorly, without knowledge of English history and state, ‘raised is the equal of razed surely!’”

 

·        Raising downwards is a contradiction in terms; you can only raise upwards.

·        Previous case law which has no relevance to the Party Wall Act should not be relied upon.

·        The Party Wall Act allows for underpinning and raising a Party Wall

·        Section 7(4) requires the permission of the Adjoining Owner for special foundations which section 20 interprets as “special foundations” means foundations in which an assemblage of beams or rods is employed for the purpose of distributing any load;

Party Wall Surveyor serving Thanet and London

Third Surveyor serving England and Wales

Bruce Spenser MSc LCGI
Bruce Spenser MSc LCGI