Adding a floor on top of the extension is still adding square footage.

Posted by: josh59x at January 21, 2008 7:15 AM in response to C of O missing - do I need it for renovations

Mrs Limestone has it right. If the OP is looking at this as an economic opportunity, then there is a price whereby the risk/inconvenience is worth it. If the OP is considering this as a "favor" for a neighbor, then forget about it.

Posted by: josh59x at January 3, 2008 9:03 AM in response to To Party Wall, or Not to Party Wall....

Your description doesn't quite make sense. If he's asking to use YOUR wall, then it isn't a party wall. A party wall is a wall built straddling the property line that allows the owners on each side to avoid building their own walls, saving space for both. If you already have a party wall, then he probably has a right to use it. If you don't, and he is truly asking to use YOUR wall, then a) you should expect compensation and B) you of course have the right to refuse.

Posted by: guest at January 3, 2008 9:06 AM in response to To Party Wall, or Not to Party Wall....

If he builds his own separate wall, that will require its own separate foundation which will likely create more structural disturbance to your existing wall.

Posted by: guest at January 3, 2008 9:59 AM in response to To Party Wall, or Not to Party Wall....

FWIW this would be likely to lower your heating bills a lot.

Posted by: Bob Marvin at January 3, 2008 10:35 AM in response to To Party Wall, or Not to Party Wall....

If you allow them to use your wall and are properly compensated, make sure you get in writing the fact that they will use QuietRock or some other sound-proofing material, and acoustically isolate the beams from your house, otherwise you will be in for a rude awakening.

Posted by: guest at January 3, 2008 12:52 PM in response to To Party Wall, or Not to Party Wall....

As a homeowner you should have drawings that tell you where your property line is. When you closed on the house, the title company should have provided you with them. If that is a party wall, than half of it is your neighbors. They can do whatever they want on their half.

If you go up to the roof of your townhouse, you might be able to tell by measuring the overall width of the house. What does your survey drawing show? There you go.

Obviously, the owner of the property next to you doesn't know if that's a party wall or not, if they are asking you.

Posted by: guest at January 3, 2008 4:27 PM in response to To Party Wall, or Not to Party Wall....

Fucking morons GET A SURVEY! If it is an existing party wall he can use it if he wants to if its not work out a $ figure every body is happy with. Again the ONLY way to tell is to GET A SURVEY!

Posted by: guest at January 4, 2008 2:20 AM in response to To Party Wall, or Not to Party Wall....

You should already have a survey from when you closed on the house.

Take it out, look at it. Is your property line in the middle of a wall, it's a party wall. Is your property line on the outer side of the wall, Your wall.

Your wall, don't let them use it. too many problems, structural and LEGAL. Yes, legal, they would be building on YOUR property.

In any case, when construction starts, make sure to always inspect your adjoining wall and foundation for cracks. And have your lawyers number on speed dial.

Posted by: guest at January 4, 2008 12:38 PM in response to To Party Wall, or Not to Party Wall....

get a survey, an architect, and a structural engineer on board. these types of questions are too complex for internet forums.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 1:24 PM in response to To Party Wall, or Not to Party Wall....

Josh59x - OP and 3:56 here. Yes, as I stated in my post at 3:56, I agree that we would be adding sq. footage. I am questioning how to go about adding this sq. footage without a C of O, and how the current owner could have added the sq. footage without a C of O in the first place.

Posted by: guest at January 21, 2008 10:09 AM in response to C of O missing - do I need it for renovations

Generally speaking, you're right -- a C of O must have been filed or the previous addition was completed without it. Keep in mind you should really review the building folder directly at the Dept of Buildings, since I have heard that not all C of O's are recorded properly online (although I have never run across this in my own experience, this is just what my expeditor tells me).

Regardless of whether it has a C of O, the DoB will have records which establish the lot size and built bulk. You'll need that to calculate the amount of area you can add.

Posted by: Smokychimp at January 21, 2008 3:56 PM in response to C of O missing - do I need it for renovations