Landscaping Project

Pandaology

We have a landscaping project commencing in a month time. When we gave notice / share our plans to both sides of our neighbor, one side of the neighbor really anxious about it. We would like to keep a good relationship with her but also don’t want to make her interfere our landscaping project. What should we do? 

Her concern / messages are as follows:

1. Worry about her shed and bushes near the garden boundary. Concern about deep, established roots of the bushes crossing the boundary.

2. Possible impact on her shed foundations and nearby plants which are close to boundary when our bushes are removed. 

3. Concerned about the installation of the fence would damage the roots to her bushes or her property? 

4. Concerned about dust and dirt. Whether we or landscaper will clean her conservatory and shed exterior once the work has been completed? 

5 She wants to meet our landscaper to discuss drainage of the side path and patio we are putting in.

-taff

Honestly, none of these things are your problem. The only one who know what you are doing are you and the landscapers, so if you are only working on your side of the boundary, then you can only truthfully say that you will try to make as little difference to her existing garden as possible while still going ahead with your landscaping. You might want to pay for cleaning to keep on her good side at the end of it. 

If anything is going to be negatively impacted by your works, such as shed foundations, then they weren't that good to begin with =...but you can say you will give them a chance to reinforce them if it becomes necessary...

I am not a fan of anyone planting anything close to a boundary for just those reasons, so I will never be on board with someone else's rudeness so I'm not going to be much help. 

Just one thing, have you had your bushes checked for nesting birds? 

Dustyevsky

From experience, I'd say your neighbour has a controlling personality, like a couple of mine, so the most important boundary is the behavioural one you shouldn't allow her to cross. 

I would tell her you have noted her concerns, and these will be relayed to your landscapers, whom you have chosen carefully for their expertise. They'll have appropriate insurance in place and experience of similar situations. 

However, what goes on in your garden is no concern of hers, unless it contravenes planning legislation covering works of this nature. If she wants to alter or enhance the drainage you have planned for, this must be via a separate agreement with the landscapers. You will not be instructing them to do anything differently. 

Works sometimes create dust, especially when the weather is dry. It's the nature of things. When the works are complete, you will decide if the conservatory has been made excessively dirty and act accordingly.

Don't go into much detail than this. If the neighbour makes more demands, shut these down by saying her further representations have been noted and leave it there. 

twopenny

Now I'm of a different point of view.
I don't see it as difficult but you were thoughtful enough to inform her and she has said what is worrying her. Best to know from both sides than arguments later.

1-3 I think you can reassure her on. Worth emphasising to the workmen on the start day (they forget quickly) to take care.

5 is reasonable in that she is worried about drainage because that could be a future problem.
I would explain to her exactly what is going to happen and where the water will go assuming that you have persued this with the landscaper. If you haven't then do for your own benefit.

4 sounds like she is not young and dust and dirt on her conservatory and windows is something she can't deal with. It makes a heck of a mess trying to get gritty dust off glass and double glazing. 
As a one off I would do it for her or pay a professional window cleaner to do it as they will do a good job.
No reason why she should have to pay for mess to be cleared.

I had something similar when I moved into a property that had been vacant for years.
My rose growing over a gateway where properties joined shed petals all over my neighbours bins and entrance.
Fair enough, I'd caused the problem she didn't have so now I make a point of pruning it back and taking a leaf blower round to clear up every now and then.
She appreciates that occasional half hour and gives me a quality tin of biscuits every Christmas.
She also helped me when I had a crisis. Be kind to your neighbours because you never know when you'll need them.

Dustyevsky

twopenny said:

Now I'm of a different point of view.
I don't see it as difficult but you were thoughtful enough to inform her and she has said what is worrying her. Best to know from both sides than arguments later.

1-3 I think you can reassure her on. Worth emphasising to the workmen on the start day (they forget quickly) to take care.

I agree it was good of the OP to tell the adjoining neighbours about their plans. That's what professional advisors like Planning Geek (who has an excellent website) recommend. It's also fine for the neighbour to express particular concerns, and for the OP to say care will be taken. However, that's where this should stop, unless and until a problem arises during the course of the work.

Go too far down the road of reassurance, and if something does go wrong, it's hard to avoid the blame situation: “But you told me everything would be OK” 

twopenny

But 4.....
How would you feel if she did some work and covered your new build in soil and cement dust that could easily scratch glass and block gutters.
I do think that is something simple you could do as a one off.

-taff

I would agree with the cleaning bit. I didn't realise when they were cutting briks how much dust was flyong about, next door were a bit annoyed [ she does washing every day] so in the end they were cutting them with a saw instead...neighbourly relations restored.....

Dustyevsky

twopenny said:

But 4.....
How would you feel if she did some work and covered your new build in soil and cement dust that could easily scratch glass and block gutters.
I do think that is something simple you could do as a one off.

I'll quote myself:

“Works sometimes create dust, especially when the weather is dry. It's the nature of things. When the works are complete, you will decide if the conservatory has been made excessively dirty and act accordingly.”

 Too many variables, like nature of site, wind direction, methods and materials used, but no one is suggesting the neighbour should be disadvantaged and left with excessive dirt to contend with.

Pandaology

Thank you for the helpful comments above. We’ve taken some of the advice and arranged for the landscaper to meet with her so she can discuss her concerns directly. We’ve also offered to help with any dust-related cleaning if needed.

She’s now asking for the name of the landscaping company, even though the project isn’t due to start for another two months. I’m a bit concerned that she may continue to reach out frequently to us and possibly the landscaper with further concerns.

Is it appropriate to set a boundary at this point? Perhaps we could explain that as long as the work doesn’t affect her property directly, she needn’t be involved in the project’s details?

-taff

errr....she shouldn't be involved anyway unless anything is going to directly have an impact on her garden whic I'm assuming is not going to happen.

I'd probably just say we can deal with concerns as and when they happen when the work commences. And I'd probably keep forgetting to tell them who they are until you've had a chance to speak to them and ask them whether they'd mind her having their name. 

twopenny

No, that's not entirely reasonable.
Maybe she wants to check they are legit and not some fly-by-night but you've done enough. I think you are being very reasonable.

Sounds like she's on her own and is part anxious and part lonely and wants to be part of something.
A new neighbour in our cul de sac who had an extension with some disruption to the rest of us asked us round for tea and cake and to view the result. Frankly we weren't that keen but got to say an hour was a pleasant one.
I'm not suggesting you do, I'd wait and see how it goes.
You can't beat having a neighbour who is always there to deal with parcels, keep an eye when on holiday and all sorts of odds and ends that crop up. Makes life much easier 😉