building on a party wall- replacing a shed ok?

[rrrrrrrrrr]

I would also like to extend my kitchen out into the garden. I would like to build on the party wall as otherwise, the wall inside my new kitchen where the kitchen units would need to go would step in half way along and would look odd.

I have 3 questions....

1...Most of the section of party wall that I would like to replace, is in fact the back wall of my concrete shed, which was built with the house 60 years ago. Infact I think a bit of the concrete roof of my shed overhangs the party wall into my neighbours side (and has done so for 60 years) Does this give me any more rights to the wall? Amn't I just effectively replacing a shed with a kitchen on the same footprint?

2....Come to think of it, all the walls are original corpo built and as such are fairly bomb proof. Subject to a survey etc, could I actually reuse the existing wall, and just insulate it on my side, add a few blocks on top etc?


3.....Final question... If my neighbour refuses, and I then build up to but not on the existing wall, and then next year my neighbour also decides he wants a similar extension, what's to stop him removing the party wall and putting his new wall there and hence getting the few vital extra inches that he denied me? I could not tell what he is doing as the job would be going on behind my new wall and wouldn't it be petty of me to object to something I can't even see?

I haven't approached my neighbours yet, so maybe they'll be grand about it, but I'd like to have my facts straight first.

 

[AJC]

Can I ask what the difference is between a party wall and a boundary wall?

 

[Caveat]

I think it's that 'ownership' of a party wall is shared and the wall straddles both properties but a boundary wall is completely within the property in question.

 

[Home&away]

1) Don't know if you have any extra entilements over adding to what's there. Property surveyor may be able to help?

2) The foundations of the extension must match the depth/width of the existing foundations, which is critical for any extension.

3) NEVER underestimate a neighbor's ability to be petty!! Especially when it comes to building on party wall!!
We've just finished an extension where the neighbour chose not to allow us to build a new party wall, so our extension is built right up against the old timber/concrete fence - and now there's no way I'm letting them remove any part of that fence!

General advice - even if the build is small and comes in under planning permission size, get expert help. Professional drawings will help your neighbour decide if they want to allow the build on the party wall. An engineer will be able to comment on the foundations and suitability of the existing wall, and oversee the build if so desired.

Hope that helps!