How to Take Care of Your Neighbors During the Construction Process

So you’ve decided to start a renovation project on your home.

That’s great! Time to get everything in order. You already know to obtain the proper permits, finish the plan with your contractor, and figure out your ways for your family to seamlessly live around construction.

But what about your neighbors? Have you talked to them about your renovation plans? You should! It’s important to include your neighbors and make them aware of the changes that may affect them. If you don’t want to be one of those inconsiderate ‘nightmare’ neighbors, here are a few things that can help you keep a good relationship with those in your neighborhood.

First Communication

After you and your family have decided to embark on a renovation to your home, your next step should be to let your neighbors know firsthand about the impending changes. Letting them know before the construction starts will give them time to prepare for noise and construction workers be in the area. It is a great time to bring up whether they need to move their cars or if the street will be blocked off at a certain time. The more communication upfront, the better. Take them a meal, cookies, and earplugs as a little care package. How can they be angry with you for taking the time to be thoughtful?

Coordinating Working and Quiet Times

When you are working on the construction of your home, it is important to be sympathetic to your neighbor’s quiet times. In your first conversation, you may want to get their opinions about preferred working hours. If your neighbor has a home-based business, the construction might be distracting while they take client calls and write reports. If they have young children, the consistent drilling and hammering might interfere with their designated nap time, causing the kids and the parents to be cranky. You might have a hostile neighbor on your hands if construction starts earlier than 7 a.m. and they have to start their day way before they intended because of the noise. You don’t necessarily have to plan your renovations around your neighbor’s time frame, but it is important to be aware of the inconveniences that might crop up for the people around you.

Keeping the Site Clean

Keeping the construction site clean is especially important to the neighbors that live closest to you. Ask the professionals to keep the area as clean as possible to avoid unwanted debris blowing into your neighbor’s yard. If they have pets, you would not want them to get a hold of the trash that could be potentially harmful to their well-being. No one likes to come home to a trashy yard!

Building a Great Relationship

If you already have a good relationship with your neighbors, the construction process will most likely be a breeze. Just keep the line of communication open and attempt to address any problems before they arise with empathy. If someone is being inconvenienced, they just want to be heard and let know that their experience matters. This is the perfect time to forge a great relationship with the neighbors you don’t know so well. Let them know you want to avoid any further inconvenience on their behalf and that you don’t want to become their neighborhood ‘nightmare’ story. Being open and considerate with your nearby residents will earn you respect during this process!