The Dangers of the Renovation Next Door

Somehow we missed this story over the weekend in the Times about renovations that threaten neighboring property. We have been surprised to see how often this issue comes up on Brownstoner. We frequently write about residents evicted because of structural damage to their homes caused by nearby construction, and the topic has also come up recently in the Forum. We are beginning to wonder if structural damage is almost inevitable when renovations involve digging around 19th-century brick row houses. (Makes sense: In San Francisco, where we are from, even an insignificant tremor can damage old, unreinforced masonry.) The story in the Times profiles a property owner in Brooklyn Heights, Elisabeth Cunnick, who is girding for construction of a 9,000-square-foot building next door. She hired an attorney to negotiate a construction agreement with the owner before any work began. She also packed away art, a chandelier, and books to protect them from dust and vibrations. Our own house, a frame house, used to shake whenever a truck would hit a pothole nearby (until we reinforced the beams in the basement). The advice in both the New York Times and our own Forum boils down to this: Do a preconstruction survey. Hire a lawyer and an engineer. “It’s always very difficult to build next to an existing residence, but the laws are specific, and just being a good neighbor is paramount,” said the construction manager of the new building going up next to Cunnick’s. Have you experienced a problem with nearby construction? What did you do?
Coping With a Neighbor’s Renovation [NY Times]
Photo by Pardon Me for Asking