Issue with raising party wall

egleeson

Hi all, I am not looking for legal advice but would like some feedback/general advice.

I live in an end of terrace and when I moved in here I put up trellis/wood panels etc as the party wall with my neighbour wasn't that high and we didn't have a huge amount of privacy. This was never a problem. With the winters/wind/rain/awful weather over the last years the trellis has been a nightmare to maintain/paint etc. A number of months ago we removed (twas an awful job!) all the ivy that was on the wall....it was a nightmare and a huge job as it was there at the very least 10 years and it was going into said neighbours garden and growing on the roof of her barna shed. I had discussed replacing with wood panels/trellis. We are having work carried out on our garden and after enquiring into replacing the trellis, I decided that it would be easier to build up the wall and this would reduce the amount of future work involved in maintaining.

As I said, I had mentioned to my neighbour that I was replacing the wooden panels/trellis etc and she was happy that this was done for her privacy also. However, I changed my mind re: building up the wall and didn't consult her.....I know this is not the way I should have gone about things but it's done now.

Now my neighbour is not happy and is concerned about the safety of the wall. I only went up two bricks and it's around the 2m height so within regulations. The original blocks were laid standing up so I continued this and built up the pillars on my side. I think the regulations now call for 4" blocks to be laid on the flat? Now it turns out she only has one pillar on her side. The original blocks were 4" blocks and I continued with these. As I said, she is concerned re: the safety aspect but I was ensured by my blocklayer that this was ok and he recommended not going any higher than two blocks as this would lead to a planning issue and also a safety issue. My neighbour would preferably like the wall taken down to the original height. I really don't want to do this and I am happy to build pillars on her side. She is of the opinion (after asking a family member whho is in the building trade to look at the wall) that the original foundations are not adequate. There are other walls on the houses backing on to us in the estate that are as high and higher.....9 x 4" blocks high (my new height) and others have their walls higher than this.

Can anyone confirm what I really should do to rectify this as I don't want to take the wall down but don't want to fall out with my neighbour either. I am happy to increase the foundations on her side and build up three pillars. She has been told that there should be pillars every 8 ft but our original wall has they about every 13/14ft!!!

So sorry for the long winded post but I am really addled today and want to get as much info/advice etc and get this sorted to a satisfactory conclusion for both our sakes. I don't want to fall out with my neighbour and would like to resolve this as soon as possible.

DOCARCH

Your neighbour, I'm afraid, sounds right to be concerned!

A 2m high wall in 4" block would not meet any sort of code of practice for the building a garden/boundary wall (at 2m high, it should be 9" block with piers).

Biggest risk is the wind (blowing over the wall).

I would advise you get a structural engineer (a.s.a.p.) to inspect and suggest remedial works/reinforcement of the wall.

egleeson

DOCARCH wrote: »

Your neighbour, I'm afraid, sounds right to be concerned!

A 2m high wall in 4" block would not meet any sort of code of practice for the building a garden/boundary wall (at 2m high, it should be 9" block with piers).

Biggest risk is the wind (blowing over the wall).

I would advise you get a structural engineer (a.s.a.p.) to inspect and suggest remedial works/reinforcement of the wall.

Hi Docarch....There are three piers the lenght of the wall on my side and only one on her side. The wall was the original garden party wall when the house was built about 20 years ago and I have added two 4" blocks on top to bring it up to about 2m in height now. I am happy to add two or three more piers on her side for stability. The neighbour adjoining her on the other side seems to have the piers on his side of the garden also. Would adding piers meet safety standards?

sydthebeat

http://www.garden.ie/gardendesign.aspx?id=477

Piers

Walls built of 10cm thick blocks are not safe over 3 courses without piers. The maximum safe height recommended for 22.5cm blocks is 1.8 metres with piers at least every 3 metres. For safety, walls over 1.8 metres high must be designed and built by a professional.

egleeson

sydthebeat wrote: »

http://www.garden.ie/gardendesign.aspx?id=477

Hi sydthebeat, I am not sure what "over three courses" means? Can you explain in layman's terms? From a quick reading I had thought that 2m was the max height? Bummer, I really don't want this to be an issue, especially a safety one, and have to take down the wall.

DOCARCH

egleeson wrote: »

Would adding piers meet safety standards?

Possibly...but...you really need a structural engineer to advise. I wouldn't worry too much what others have done. Protect your own interests. If the wall falls/blows over, you could have a problem on your hands!

egleeson

DOCARCH wrote: »

Possibly...but...you really need a structural engineer to advise. I wouldn't worry too much what others have done. Protect your own interests. If the wall falls/blows over, you could have a problem on your hands!

Absolutely and that's what I don't want....I also do not want to fall out with my neighbour over this. I am just gutted that I may have to take down the wall and the cost involved etc in what I have spent already putting it up and getting it taken down. Is it expensive to get a structural engineer out, do you know?