▪When someone is building a new home next door to yours, there are special issues to consider. The earlier you address them, the better off you will be.

-Drainage: Be sure that the new home construction will not create a flow of water to your home, particularly if you are downhill. Be sure to review the builder's plans before the construction starts and anticipate any potential drainage problems. Be sure the builder handles the grade and any possible retaining walls necessary to direct the water away from your property.

-Will the new home construction be impacting or killing any trees near your property? If so, be sure the builder has plans to remove them early on in the process. Talk to the local building inspector if you have concerns.

-Design: In many urban neighborhoods, there are historical preservation commissions that review architectural plans to determine whether or not they are historically consistent with the other homes in the neighborhood.

Be sure to raise any issues you have with the new home design as early as possible, possibly with the Historic Preservation Commission. For example, will the home be blocking a lot of sunlight from reaching your home? If so, do whatever you can to negotiate with the builder. Will the home be placed too close to your home? Will there be windows on the new home that will be looking directly into windows of your home?

▪If you are going to be building next door to someone else, of course you should be sure you consider the above issues as well: drainage, grading, directing water flow, hazardous trees, and window placement.

Former builder and instructor of "Save Time and Money in Home Remodeling" cont. ed. course at Emory University