Protecting Neighbouring Properties When Renovating

Renovations on any scale can be time-consuming and disruptive - not just to you, but also to neighbouring properties. New research has highlighted how this can even end up damaging other homes, leading to costly repairs for both sides. If you’re considering doing any renovations, it’s important to discuss the implications with your neighbours at the start of the process.

The research, conducted for Direct Line, shows that over the past five years 3.7 million property owners have had their homes damaged through renovations to neighbouring buildings. Only one third of the neighbours concerned took responsibility for the problems. There were even 30% who placed the blame on someone else.

The Cost of Damage

The repairs for these incidents involving damage have amounted to over £1.5 billion, with the average bill being £533. In 8% of cases the cost was over £1,000 to cover the repairs. Even with these costs involved, 17% of homeowners whose properties were damaged hadn’t confronted their neighbours.

In many of the cases, the problems were resolved amicably and the cost of the repairs covered by both parties. For 53% of homeowners, the cost was shared and the neighbours responsible paid at least 50% of the bill. 14% of the neighbours who had caused the damage actually covered more than 80% of the repairs. However, 19% of the property owners carrying out the renovations had contributed nothing to the repairs.

Staying on the Right Side of Your Neighbours

Renovations have become an increasingly popular option. There were 55,000 planning applications for residential projects submitted between September 2013 and September 2014. It is a good way of achieving the home you actually want without having to move. The work can be on a small scale or involve major works. There’s the option of extending the home or adding a balcony using Leeds fabricators, or some homeowners might be looking at a complete property renovation that takes many months.

If you’re considering renovating your property in any way, it’s a good idea to speak to your neighbours about your plans first. This way, you can explain to them exactly what you’ll be doing, any impact on their home and the likely time-scale of the project. By having some advance notice, it should enable them to make any necessary plans and accommodate the work.

Before you start the work, you should look into what is covered by your home insurance. If you’re going to be doing work that could potentially cause damage to other properties, it’s vital that your policy will cover you for this. Otherwise you could be left having to pay for expensive repairs, as well as covering the cost of the renovation.

Whatever type of suppliers you’re looking for, from building contractors to Leeds fabricators, it’s important to choose a professional business. They will have many years of experience in working on similar projects and have qualified workers who understand how to carry out the job safely and correctly. This will minimise the risk of anything going wrong with your home or a neighbouring building.