How To Survive a Neighbor’s Construction Project (and Remain Neighborly)

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Most of us have neighbors who like to tackle projects around their houses. And you’ve likely learned to live with the occasional clacking and banging from their smaller DIY undertakings. First, there was the birdhouse construction, then the installation of the backyard playset, and finally the racket that produced a grill gazebo. But now, with all that experience under their tool belt, your neighbors are going full-on Bob Vila and adding a family room that extends into the backyard. Or they’ve hired a contractor to tackle the job.

Construction is loud and dirty, which are big annoyances if you live in a quiet and tidy neighborhood.

“Having construction going on at your neighbor’s house is never fun for those who live next door,” says Morgan Venetos, a Realtor® and member of The Home Collective in Arizona. So how will you survive all the noise and dust?

Whether you like it or not, your neighbor’s renovation jobs may be inevitable. So here are some survival tactics to help keep your sanity intact.

Talk to your neighbor…

Understanding the project’s scope ahead of time can be helpful to work around the noise, dust, and general disruption. So get in touch with your neighbors before the project begins (if they don’t approach you first).

“It is not asking too much for your neighbor to stay in regular communication with you,” says Julie Busby, a real estate agent with Compass in Chicago. “Request that they reach out with any scope or timeline changes.”

Haley Hart, managing broker at R1 Colorado, stresses that your initial conversation shouldn’t be combative. Instead, Haley suggests concentrating on gathering info, including the expected completion date.

But what happens if a neighbor isn’t reasonable or won’t communicate with you? Consider contacting your homeowners association if you have one. The HOA should be able to gather information on your behalf.

… and the general contractor

Obtain the general contractor’s name so you can contact them—not your neighbor—if there’s an issue, especially if the neighbor is away when the project occurs.

“Get their cellphone number,” says Lindsay Barton Barrett, licensed associate real estate broker with Douglas Elliman in Brooklyn, NY. “You want to be familiar and friendly with the contractor because that’s the person that most directly controls the outcome of issues.”

And this way, you don’t have to have uncomfortable discussions with your neighbor either.

There are also situations where the neighbor gets along better with the contractor than the client.

“If your neighbor treats you badly, they might be mistreating the contractor,” says Barrett. “So find an ally in the contractor.”

Demolition and dust

Plan to be away from your house as much as possible during the messy demolition phase, if there is one.

“Ask your neighbor to give you an advanced warning,” says Busby.

Demolition also creates lots of dust. So request that the contractor wet the construction site every day to dampen particles and keep them from flying into your windows.

“A good contractor will assess the site and see if there are going to be any issues with dust and take the necessary steps to protect the neighboring houses as well,” says Venetos. “Don’t hesitate to speak up or point things out that they may not see.”

Handling the construction noise

We know: All that pounding from construction can seriously get on your nerves. Just as they (hopefully) did about demolition, your neighbors should notify you about building noise, down to the days and times.

Of course, not all neighbors behave neighborly. And that’s why getting in with the contractor matters.

“The contractor should also be aware of your neighborhood or local sound ordinances and only cause noise pollution during the appropriate business hours,” says Venetos.

You can also check with your local building department to find what times construction noise can start and end. Find out on what days of the week noise is permitted. (Many places don’t allow construction on Sundays, for instance.) If your neighbors work outside of the allowed times, lodge a complaint. Local police departments generally handle noise complaints.

Keep calm and carry on

You’ll likely miss waking up to the sound of birds chirping for some time, but know that construction is temporary. So try not to let every little thing bother you.

When it gets noisy, consider putting on headphones (noise-canceling ones would be nice) and playing music. Or, during the height of construction, get outside and take a nature walk. If you’re working from home, plan to go to the local coffee shop for a few hours to concentrate and grab a cup of joe.

“Construction is a part of life, and it’s always good to remember that your neighbors’ home improvements are increasing the value of their home—which then increases the value of yours as well,” says Venetos.

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