Working with neighbours on building projects

Although home builders have the right to design and build the house they want, their building project definitely affects their neighbours as well. This is why it’s important to coordinate with your neighbours if you’re planning a renovation, new home building, or extension.

When to approach the neighbours

In some cases, you can get a DA or building approval without talking to your neighbours at all. This happens if you are building in a heritage-listed area, a place where all buildings comply with a specific style, or if your design fits easily with a neighbourhood scheme. There may be pre-determined approaches, called overlays, on aspects such as the type of roofing material or a range of colours that make council approval easier to get.

However, you might need to get approval from your neighbours if:

• Your building will be located on a larger block of land than the average;
• It is outside of the accepted range of “setback” specifications, that is, closer to surrounding property lines or the roadway;
• Its height will block your neighbours’ views.

If your house plans are outside of normal local regulations, expect to be asked to provide a “public notification” of your intentions or risk having your plans denied.

Public notification

Public notification means you need to notify any parties potentially affected by your building plans. The word “public” means that instead of notifying people individually, you broadcast your plans to as wide an audience as needed. This could mean actions such as placing an ad in your local paper, setting up signs in front of your property, or sending out a written notice to your immediate neighbours. If no one raises any objections to your proposed development in a specified time period, your plans can be approved, and you can then lodge an application for a building permit.

Taking a friendly approach with your neighbours allows you to deal with any issues beforehand and enables you to work out a compromise if they do have any objections. You definitely don’t want to build something that doesn’t comply with local regulations or doesn’t fit with the character of surrounding properties. The worst-case scenario is that you’ll end up being fined and forced to remove the offending structure. Remember that good communication and considerate projects make for good neighbours.