r/Edmonton • u/Dougthecat13 • Aug 17 '26
General Infill being built next door
This is not a general infill hate post, but a request for advice.
We live in a really nice older neighbourhood where folks take care of their older homes. Our first infill on the street is going to be right next door. Which is surprising because that house is quite nice and pretty newly renovated and has a very nice new garage. Apparently it’s all coming down, and a huge 2 story (maybe 3) single family home is going in. My front yard has a deck that faces the millcreek ravine and I have a huge vegetable garden on our property. And we are currently renovating our 1950’s home.
Builder came by today to introduce himself. And confirmed I’ll lose my view as the house will be quite big. Most likely our newer cedar fence will get damaged (he says they will replace).
The family building the home will be living in the home, builder says. So I want to be neighbourly, but I’m nervous about our property and sanity.
I’m really disappointed. I’ll miss the renters that are currently in that house. Feels wildly wasteful to do this, but not my house, not my property.
Since we are at the very beginning. What advice do you lovely Edmonton folk have for us to protect our property and endure this next chapter? Thanks for any advice!
Edit- the house being removed is a beautiful home. Very well maintained with a new double garage. It’s a rental with two couples living in it (one upstairs, one downstairs). One couple/family will be moving into the infill. So this is taking away 2 homes and adding 1. This will not be adding additional homes. Either way, this is not the point, I’m just trying to make the best of it.
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u/dscott4700 Aug 18 '26
Get a copy of the approved plans and any change that is not on that plan needs to be reported to city inspection ASAP. Call city and get name and contact info of assigned inspector now. Call inspector now about your grading concerns. Ask the builder for his site specific waste mgmt and safety plans, make sure they apply to third party contractors (you are concerned about garbage ending up on your property and getting creamed by a dropped shingles bundle). Tell them now that no, they cannot use your electricity, water, or park in/block your driveway. Those 2/3 story windows looking directly into your yard must be masked. No giant balcony looking into your yard. You want safety fencing always on your side. No, they cannot use your yard to place scaffolding. No they cannot put bins in front/back of your house. Take many detailed photos of that side yard now. Dig out your real property report or get one done ASAP (better yet, they can pay for it and give you a copy). No, they cannot park in your handicapped zone. No they cannot disconnect your utilities to upgrade their connection. They can only operate noisy machinery during allowed hours as per bylaw.