How to Maintain Harmony During a Noisy Construction Project

The Challenge

We just began handling a 16-unit townhouse-like condo on West 89th Street in Manhattan last year. There is a woman living there who owns two apartments, which are valued at $10 million. She wanted to do a renovation in her bathroom. We knew that there was going to be a lot of noise, and it would probably travel throughout the building.

The Solution

So before construction started, I sent out a warning to the residents. It said: “Just be aware, there will be noisy construction going on, so please remain patient during this period of renovation. If you have any questions, any issues, please let us know.” We typically let the residents know in advance when there’s a renovation going on. We find that really mitigates any anticipated complaints. If they know, they’re aware of it. If they don’t, then we get the complaints.

The Lesson

The key to having a peaceful existence is to communicate regularly and often. On noisy projects especially, you should be giving them regular updates, letting them know where things are going, and how things are going. Then they’re very happy. They want to hear from the agent. They want to be informed.