Hang on - October already? It doesn't feel like a month ago since I returned from a couple of weeks out of the office, but the long hot summer feels a LONG time ago now!
So far this autumn I've been working on a number of projects locally, starting with an interesting conversion project from commercial to residential in Dorking, which has been going through Planning and Building Regulations. Another local company negotiated the initial Planning consent for this project, but the layout changed a little and a Non-Material Amendment application was submitted to regularise that. We have Building Regulations approval now, so hopefully we can get some prices in from builders very soon.
I've published a couple of very different Party Wall Awards this month as well: in Croydon and Horsham. When carrying out work to your own property, it's well worth checking whether the proposals fall under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Simply put: if you're excavating within 3m of someone else's building, or working on the dividing wall between your building its neighbour, you should notify the owner next door at least a month in advance (in some cases two months). Please get in touch if you think you might need advice or assistance on this, and don't leave it too late: Party Wall surveyors can work quickly, but we cant turn the clock back a month if the builders are starting on Monday! I'll do a more detailed guide next week, so look out for that.
The enquiries keep coming in, which is great to see, with a few very interesting projects on the horizon. However, if you are planning some building work at home or work, or need a survey, please let me know!