When you’re planning a renovation, there are many steps to take in the planning process. However, one that is often overlooked is getting your neighbours ready for the renovation! Your renovation will be disruptive to your daily life, but it will also affect your neighbours. In this blog post, we’ll talk about some of the aspects of your renovation that may affect one or more of your neighbours.

Assuming you want to keep peace in the neighbourhood, you’ll want to minimize the impact your renovations will have on your neighbours. Smaller projects, such as bathroom refacing or simply painting your main floor, will have very little impact on anyone, including you. However, larger home renovation projects can introduce issues with parking, noise, and safety.

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Parking Issues

Depending on how your contractor works, you may have several cars parking on your street, and there may even be a dumpster in your driveway, forcing you to park elsewhere.

One of our clients had a total of five people living in her home, all of whom had their own vehicles. We don’t typically use dumpsters because they are disruptive to family life. We take away all large debris from demolition on the day the demo is done. Can you imagine what it would have been like to park a dumpster in the driveway?! At least three of the vehicles would have had to park elsewhere. On top of that, there would have been at least two or three of our own team members vehicles parked on the street.

Now some neighbours don't care if there are additional cars parked up and down their street. But other neighbours, particularly those who don't like people parking on the street in front of their house, may not take kindly to having all of the extra vehicles parked on their street. If your project is large and many areas are being worked on all at once, you could have 2–5 extra vehicles parked on the street.

During certain phases of the project, you may even have cargo trailers or larger trucks parked in the driveway, briefly blocking part of the sidewalk, or parked along the road. Check with your contractor before the project starts so you can have an idea of what to expect during the project.

If your street is particularly busy, having extra vehicles parked along the street can cause traffic congestion. There really isn’t much you can do about this, so the best way to deal with it is to inform your neighbours in advance. Have a friendly chat with them about what they can expect for extra vehicles in the neighbourhood. A nice letter dropped off in their mailbox can go a long way as well.

One of the things we will do for larger projects is compose a letter and drop it off at 10–15 of the neighbouring houses. We introduce ourselves in the letter and let the neighbours know what they can expect. We provide them with our contact information, so they can get in touch with us if they have any questions or concerns. It lets the neighbourhood know that we are also concerned about their well-being.

Noise Issues

Especially during larger renovation projects, there will likely be some noise coming from your home. Demolition and construction equipment will make noise, and sometimes lots of it. Although most of it will only be heard inside your home, some tools are used outside, and your neighbours will hear it.

Picture this: Your neighbour is off work on holidays and decides to make it a staycation. What he doesn’t know is that you’re starting demolition on your main floor renovation that week. Not exactly the quiet, relaxing staycation he was hoping for! A little forewarning could go a long way toward preventing an angry neighbour who wasn’t expecting to live close to a construction site during his holiday.

Very often, renovation workers like to have the radio playing while they work. It really helps pass the time and makes the day a little more pleasant. I’m very firm with my team that their radio should not be any louder than would be heard within the room they are working in. However, not all renovation teams are like that. Make sure you make it clear to your contractor that music and conversation are to be kept at a respectable volume.

We also have very firm guidelines about foul language. We are extremely particular about the type of people we hire, so I know I generally don’t have to be concerned about cursing or swearing on site. However, not everyone is like that, and your neighbours certainly don’t need to hear foul language coming from your home. Make sure these rules are spelled out for your contractor.

Safety and Security

Even if your contractor is extremely careful and has a great team that actively cleans up everyday (this is what our team is like and something I proactively enforce), construction will sometimes leave situations that will impact safety.

For example, nails and screws can sometimes end up in the driveway or even out on the street. This can especially happen when you are getting your roof replaced. If your neighbours are aware that the project is happening, they can be on the lookout. You can also do a quick check of your driveway and street to ensure nothing dangerous has made its way out there.

Security can be an important issue during renovations. We did a renovation several years ago for a longtime client. She went away on a European vacation and gave us the keys to the house to complete the renovation while they were away. However, she didn’t tell her neighbours.

We arrived on the first day to start demolition, and about 2 hours later, the police arrived. The neighbours were looking out for our client, knowing she was away, and thought she was being robbed! We were able to straighten things out with the police, but then we took the time to go to each of the neighbours and introduce ourselves. A quick conversation with the neighbours before leaving for holidays would have prevented lost time on the job, and the neighbours needn't have worried for their friend.

The Neighbour’s Reactions

You can expect different reactions from your neighbours when you approach them to let them know about the renovation. The emotions range from curiosity and excitement to indifference and even outward hostility. These reactions are completely fine and acceptable. All you need to do is be ready for the different responses, listen attentively, and be empathetic. That’s often enough for the situation to calm down and return to normal.

One of our clients had a particularly hostile neighbour who insisted that the renovation work only be done on Saturdays and Sundays because he was working from home during the week and would not tolerate any noise whatsoever. This obviously wasn’t practical, but our client handled it very well. She purchased noise-cancelling headphones for him to wear during any noisy times, and they solved the problem.

Once the renovation wraps up, make sure you visit all your neighbours and offer your sincere thanks. While it is not necessary to bring any gifts to them, a bottle of nice wine or a bouquet of flowers goes a long way towards making sure your thank-you carries weight.

In summary…

Getting your neighbours ready for your renovation project ahead of time can go a long way in helping to minimize the inherent disruption.

A quick phone call or kind note left in the mailbox can inform them of the project and express your concern that their lives will not be disrupted as a result of the renovation.

One of our clients decided to have a neighbourhood party after the renovation was completed. We were renovating her kitchen, so she had a wine and cheese party after the renovation was done. She not only got to show off her beautiful new kitchen, but she also showed her appreciation for their patience during the project. She sent the invitation at the same time she dropped off the letter letting them know the renovation was taking place. Not only were her neighbours happy to be informed in advance of the renovation, but they also had a great party to look forward to afterward.