Parapet Wall, property line & Extension

Thanks for the replies everyone. I don’t think it’s considered a party wall because the entire parapet wall sits on my building and is structurally part of my building. The neighbor’s building is lower than mine so it is obvious that the parapet wall is on my building only. So I looked at it today with the contractor. It’s possible that my parapet wall has “settled” into their property line. I’ll have to get a surveyor to confirm that. If that is the case, are they allowed to simply build on top of the parapet wall if it is in fact over the property line? It’s weird because it’s still very much part of my building.

blaqhole

in General Discussion 10 years and 7 months ago

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blaqhole | 10 years and 7 months ago

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Hi all. My neighbor is currently adding an additional floor to their brownstone next door. I don’t really go up on the roof but I went up recently and saw that the framing they put up overlaps a portion of the parapet wall of my property. Now, the parapet walls are on both sides of my building but they sit within my property line. The neighbors and I do not share the parapet wall. This is very clear because our building are different heights and the parapet walls are part of my building. It is clear the contractors started the new walls for the extension on the neighbor’s side of the property line (right next to the parapet wall) and ran it straight back. The only problem that comes up is that the last 8ft or so of the parapet wall, there is a section of their framing for the extension that sits on top of my parapet wall and I would assume, over my property line. Now, the contractors might be building true to the property line (their wall begins and ends on their property line) and my parapet wall/building may have wandered/settled over the property line because my building is 100 years old, etc. But technically, the parapet wall runs along the border of my building so I assume the parapet wall is part of my property line. So, do I have the right to ask them to change the design so that their wall does not sit above my parapet wall? They already well into construction and I talk to the contractors regularly they never mentioned anything about this before. I find it a little odd that they can cross the property line without permission. My next question is: if they have built true to the property line (as, I assume, it was measured on a survey) but my building/wall has settled in a way that it crosses over the property line, can they still just build it according to what the property line is and ignore the fact that it is my building? Or do they have to respect the border of the building as it exists and build around the parapet wall even if it does not run in a straight line? Any help or words of wisdom would be much appreciated. Thanks!

jockdeboeraia | 10 years and 7 months ago

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You will need to hire a surveyor to determine that. They cannot just build on your side of the PL without an agreement.

resident2 | 10 years and 7 months ago

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When you bought the house amongst the title report is normally a survey, this will show you where the property line is. Even if your property does encroach on next doors property, that owner cannot just build on you building without your agreement. Call 311 and stress the urgency of the “illegal” building going on, on your side of the property line, do it now. It is better to have made a mistake on your part now than to be wrong later when you cannot sell or refinance your house because of their huge encroachment is on your property and perhaps causing structural problems to your property down the road. Call your Real Estate attorney as well as calling 311. Do not speak to the contractors only. Speak to and write to the owner. Do not procrastinate on this, the quicker it is stopped/dealt with, the less problems down the road.

AnArchitect | 10 years and 7 months ago

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Addressed in the attached DoB memorandum. All best, Agencie Group www.agenciegroup.com

catbk | 10 years and 7 months ago

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I have always understood that in most cases, the property line runs down the middle of the party wall. So if the party wall is 10″ thick, the property line is 1/2 way thru, or at 5″ in. Not sure how this applies, but often people think their property goes to the absolute edge of the last visible brick, but actually it’s half-way in.