Your neighbours.
Neighbours can be your best friend or worst enemy.
If you only take one point from this, it’s this.
Remember council members are at the council, tradesmen will only come if there’s work that needs to be done, but your neighbours will be there throughout the whole process.
Hopefully you’re on good terms with your neighbours, can have a chat and a laugh about the renovation progress and maybe even invite them over to see the finished product once complete.
But if you aren’t, there’s nothing that some of them would love more then to inconvenience, frustrate and anger you during the whole renovation process.
Effectively drawing down on you emotional funds (and sometimes financial too).
This isn’t to try and put you off but there’s some real horror stories out there.
And unfortunately, there’s usually more bad than good.
So, how can you try to avoid it?
If you’ve been given approval and confirmation for all of your proposed renovations and are going to go ahead with the renovations, consider showing the courtesy of letting your neighbours know that you’ll be starting to renovate in the near future – No matter how big or small the size of the works will be.
Most should appreciate your notice and will understand your plans if it doesn’t affect their life drastically.
But others may be against it from the very beginning just because they can be.
If you’ve reached out and shown them the courtesy they will either be receptive and understand or decide to start making things hard for you.
Some won’t mind you jackhammering at dinner time and others will be set off by the slightest scent of paint.
Every property and neighbour is different from the next.
So long as you’ve notified your neighbours in the right manner and you’ve done what you can do to try and make things easier for everyone involved, that’s about as much as you can do to work with them.
And make a genuine effort to try and notify them.
Not just a “I knocked once and no one was home so I’ve done my job”
Try a few attempts on different occasions without overwhelming them.
Try to get them at a good time or a time that works well for the both of you.
By understanding their approvals or objections, you should also have a good idea for how they might be during the course of the renovations also.
If they approve, great! Hopefully it stays that way.
If they don’t, they might hopefully tell you what the problem is, or what the perceived problem may be so you can help rectify any concerns they may have.
If the conversation starts swaying to a less than desirable outcome, stay level headed and try to see it from their point of view.
Empathy goes a long way.
Do what you can to make the situation as easy as possible for everyone involved.
However, if there just seems to be no reasonable way to work out an agreement with them then this goes back to what we just covered.
If you have all approvals and confirmations in place by anyone or anything that needs to approve and confirm all the works you intend to complete before you do them and you play by the rules and abide by the law, there’s nothing that can be done to stop you.
You’ll just have to deal with any problems your neighbours have as they come at you.
Also, consider if you’re the type of person that can deal with what could happen through the course of the renovations.
Ask yourself, how much can you handle on top of your career and lifestyle and what’s the best option for you from here?
When it comes to renovating, things can and will pop up.
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This information is of a general nature only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. We are not financial, legal or tax advisers. You should seek appropriate professional advice specific to you before acting on this information.
