Send us your stories about your client's neighbours trying to shut down your project

What is it about a renovation project – even if sight lines and sunlight, etc. hasn’t been affected – that turns a neighbour into a jealous, bitter, obstructive pain in the ass?

Not all neighbours.

We interviewed some contractors earlier this year who said that the next door neighbour would feed them with veal sandwiches and, at “the end of the day” (sure), beer.

They were great neighbours, happy to see their next door property triple in real estate value.

Actually, the rest of the story was that the neighbour became angry and bitter over the length of time the construction was taking, and the noise. No more veal sandwiches.

Anyway, we are collecting some stories on different ways that you have found to get angry, obstructive, “I’m gonna get this project shut down!” back on-side.  Did it take charm? Did it take a willingness to let them rant? Did you have to make modifications to your client’s project. Did you have to do some favours for the neighbour on the question of landscaping, even building a fence for them, etc.?

Send us your stories, good and bad, and we will run the best ones in the print version of Canadian Contractor.