Is neighbour allowed to put up 2ft wall?
Q Our neighbour, who fancies himself as a garden designer, is in the process of redesigning his front garden. There are low railings between our houses but on his side he is affixing 2ft-tall panels of marine ply with a view, I presume, to doing something decorative (I suspect mosaic) on his side. However it is very unsightly from our side. Can he do this?
A He can’t. Apart at all from the lack of consultation, which is not very neighbourly, the height of a front wall or fence between houses such as yours cannot be more than 1.2m. Before he’s elbow deep in mosaic tiles and grout, call in and discuss the matter. The height of boundary walls is a planning issue and the rules are there. If he puts it up, it has to come down.
Some newer estates have strict rules in the leases about the type and height of fences that can go up between houses. You’ll notice that some estates have no dividing fences or walls at all – and in these cases it’s unlikely the homeowner would be able to put up any fence at all, never mind a 1.2m one. Marine ply was never going to be an attractive sight from your point of view so it’s best if you attempt to come to some agreement with your neighbour about what he intends to do.
Is contract with architect or builder?
Q We are in the very early stages of planning an extension and have some names of architects (from friends) to approach. We are glued to TV makeover programmes and it seems it’s always the case that the architect shows the plans, then the price and away they go. But what about the contract? Is that with the builder? And what should be in it?
A You’ve started well by getting recommendations from friends. I assume you have also seen what these various architects have done for your friends so you know their style. Things, as you know, look very different in real life than on TV and yes of course you need a contract (they probably don’t show the contract bit as it’s not very exciting). Architects offer different levels of service – you may want yours just to come up with the design or you may want him or her to project manage the build right through to the end – it’s these sorts of details that can be hammered out in a contract. There is a standard RIAI client-architect agreement form (riai.ie) and it includes essentials such as how much work the architect will do for you and who is responsible for what, what is included and what are the additional expenses.This can be quite detailed, specifying X number of site visits, or the forms of communication with you, eg email, phone, etc.
Of course the fee should be clearly specified, as well as how it is to be paid (in stages), and what it includes. On the same site you’ll also find in the consumer section an article on Working With Your Architect which gives clear, sensible advice on how to proceed. You will also have a separate contract with the builder which your architect can oversee for you.
Your questions
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