PARTY WALL SURVEY

a) What is the purpose of the party wall survey?

 To prepare individual plan for each house for title preparation.

 To precisely define the boundary line through middle-third of the common
wall.
 To survey and identify the boundaries of a terrace or link houses have been
built before survey.

b) Explain the meaning of ‘middle-third’ in the party wall survey.

 Middle third in party wall survey is a boundary that run through the common
wall.

c) Describe the survey procedure to determination of ‘middle-third’ of following wall’s

house unit.

 Straight wall
o Perimeter traverse / control traverse
o Connection to existing boundary marks of the adjacent lots
o Offset to external wall, common wall, building corner and building
extensions
o Measure thickness of the common wall
o Investigation wall straightness
o Compute boundary lines within the common wall
o Plant boundary marks

 Curve / bend walls

o Perimeter traverse / control traverse
o Connection to existing boundary marks of the adjacent lots
o Offset to external wall, common wall, building corner and building
extensions
o Measure thickness of the common wall
o Investigation wall straightness
o Compute boundary lines within the common wall
o Plant boundary marks
d) Explain the steps to be taken by surveyor if it is found that there is curved wall in the
process of surveying the party wall.

 If the common wall is not in straight line, the surveyor shall further investigate
and take appropriate offsets
 If the bend or curved wall is not complicated, offsets by linear measurement
using tape is sufficient
 However, if the structure is complicated, a traverse station can be established
in the house / unit to capture offsets of the common wall

e) Briefly describe a method of surveying for party wall survey where the walls assumed
straight and right angle to each other.

 The surveyor shall investigate the straightness of each common wall

 Offset taken to the front and rear boundaries of each unit
 Offset to the middle part of the common wall (front and rear) of each unit
 Measure wall thickness
 The boundary line within the party wall can be calculated from the offsets
 The boundary lines shall be within the middle-third of the wall