Who Pays for a Party Wall Surveyor?

In the vast majority of cases, the building owner — the person carrying out the works — pays all party wall surveyor fees. This includes their own surveyor, the adjoining owner's surveyor, and any third-surveyor referrals. The rule is set out in the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 and exists on the principle that the building owner is the one disrupting the status quo and must bear the cost of the protections the Act provides to their neighbour.

The General Rule

Section 10(13) of the Act states that the costs of making a party wall award are payable by the building owner unless the award determines otherwise. In practice, surveyors almost always follow this default — the building owner pays.

This means that even if the adjoining owner appoints a separate surveyor and that surveyor charges £600, it is the building owner who foots that bill too.

When the Adjoining Owner Might Pay

There are circumstances where the surveyors can apportion costs differently:

• Unreasonable dissent: If the adjoining owner dissents without good reason and causes unnecessary costs, the surveyors may award a contribution from the adjoining owner.
• Unnecessary provisions: If the adjoining owner's surveyor insists on provisions that go beyond what the Act permits or what is reasonably needed to protect the adjoining property, costs for those provisions can be shifted.
• Adjoining owner's own works: If the adjoining owner uses the award process to get work done that benefits their own property (e.g., making good a defect in the party wall), they must contribute to the costs attributable to that work.

Agreed Surveyor: A Way to Reduce Total Costs

When both parties agree to appoint a single agreed surveyor, the total cost falls significantly — often to £600–£1,200 for a residential project, compared to £1,200–£2,000 when each party has their own surveyor. The building owner still pays, but pays considerably less.

The adjoining owner must genuinely consent to this arrangement. If they prefer their own surveyor, they are entitled to one and the building owner cannot object.

Can Surveyor Fees Be Challenged?

Yes. Either party can refer the question of costs to the third surveyor for determination if they believe the fee claimed is excessive or unreasonable. The third surveyor will then assess the claim and issue a determination.

This right to challenge is rarely used but exists as an important safeguard against surveyor overcharging. If a surveyor quotes unusually high fees before appointment, it is worth obtaining a comparative quote.

What About the Notice Stage?

Surveyor costs at the notice stage — before any dispute arises — are treated differently. If you hire a surveyor just to draft and serve your notice, that is your own commercial decision and the cost does not fall on your neighbour.

Importantly, there is no legal requirement to use a surveyor to serve the initial notice. You can prepare and serve your own notice, and if your neighbour consents, no surveyor is needed at all. Our notice generator produces the correct statutory forms for £89 — far less than surveyor fees.

Multiple Adjoining Owners

If your works affect more than one neighbour — for example, you are in a terraced house and are building a rear extension that is close to both side boundaries — you must serve a separate notice on each affected owner and potentially deal with separate surveyors for each. All of those surveyor costs fall on you as the building owner.

Cost Summary

Scenario	Who pays	Typical cost
DIY notice (Party Wall DIY), neighbour consents	Building owner	£89
Surveyor-prepared notice, neighbour consents	Building owner	£150 – £400
Agreed surveyor award	Building owner	£600 – £1,200
Two surveyors award	Building owner	£1,000 – £2,000+
Third surveyor referral	Losing party or building owner	£300 – £600

Avoiding the Cost Altogether

The only way to avoid surveyor costs entirely is to get your neighbour's written consent. Serve the notice professionally, give your neighbour enough time, and be open to answering their questions. Most residential neighbours who receive a clear, polite, professionally prepared notice choose to consent — especially when the works are for something straightforward like a loft conversion or chimney breast removal.

Start with our notice generator for £89 and avoid surveyor fees entirely if your neighbour consents.