Gearing up for a remodeling project requires a lot of time, consideration and planning. It’s no wonder it’s easy to overlook the fact that in addition to your family, your neighbors will likely be impacted by your project. Rather than waiting to “mend fences” after your remodel has been completed, a little bit of thought upfront can go a long way towards keeping everyone happy.
- Inform your closest neighbors of your upcoming project before work begins. Give them a general idea as to the extent of the work and an anticipated timeline. You can also provide them with your contact information in case they should need to reach you with a concern during the project.
- Take your neighbors’ schedules into consideration. Not everyone works the same hours as you do! Many people work from home now and still others have small children whose schedules you may want to consider. Once you’ve established a work schedule with your contractor, be sure to notify your neighbors of those hours.
- If you live in an area with limited on-street parking, talk with your contractor about where vehicles and dumpsters will be parked. Your neighbors will appreciate that you’ve considered their needs and concerns, too.
- Touch base with your neighbors during the remodeling process. This will give you the chance to address frustrations rather than letting them brew. If you have neighbors that are particularly difficult or hard to please, you could even extend an olive branch in the form of a bottle of wine or a plant.
