Build

Your closing documents should include a copy of the neighborhood Covenants.  Be sure your builder/contractor is familiar with these as they plan and undertake work on your property. The developers of our neighborhood put the covenants in place, and they are intended to protect and preserve the style, design, and overall value of the neighborhood in addition to promoting harmony. The covenants are attached to property deeds, and are independent of the homeowners association. Neighborhood property owners, independent of PFHA membership status, should be aware of and act in accordance with the covenants. The covenants also serve as an instrument to address concerns that may arise, if friendly dialogue is not effective.

 

Montgomery County's 311 service is top-notch.  Use their website or call 311 to assure you are operating with most current information relative to permits, fences, tree removal, and numerous other resources for your project.

 

 

Building in Potomac Falls

If you are building a new home or thinking about doing construction on your home, there are a lot of moving parts to manage.  One of them is the continued maintenance of the residence and its grounds, which is a big task – especially when under construction. This is so important to both the aesthetic and financial well-being of all the homeowners in the neighborhood.  Property values are impacted – both for good and for the bad – by that maintenance.

 

And while we understand that you may not yet be living in your new Potomac Falls home (and may not be for some time) due to the construction. We hope that you, too, respect and can appreciate the fact that your new and future neighbors DO live here and DO drive by your construction site multiple times per day. 

 

Responsibilities

Practice good neighbor etiquette - visit with your neighbors in advance and provide your contact details so that they can reach you if a need arises. Assure that your yard and structures are maintained on a routine basis until you move in. Items to maintain includes, but is not limited to:
  • Keeping grass and yard - including at road edge - maintained
  • Assuring that mail and newspapers don’t pile up
  • Ensuring that your contractor follows the guidelines referred to below
  • Checking in on your new home regularly to be sure your contractor is complying. 
While in the neighborhood, it may build goodwill to meet a few of your new neighbors and let them know where you are with your project, what it will involve and how long it is likely to take. 
 
As the homeowner, your reminders to your contractor(s) are the most effective way to ensure they maintain a job site that is respectful of the neighbors and neighborhood. 
 

Click to download a reference guide for both you and your contractor.

 

Living Next to Construction 

Your new neighbors are likely to want to move in as quickly as you want their construction project to be over!  The new build will only have a positive impact on home values in Potomac Falls, which we can all agree, is a good thing.  That said, it’s not going to happen overnight, and it will take some patience.  We have all had construction in the neighborhood that has taken a long time to complete and understand the frustration when it feels like it has gone on forever.
 
However, if you feel that a construction site is not following county guidelines for noise levels, grass height or sediment control or you’ve suffered damage to your property as a result of the construction it is advised that you should consider the following actions:
  • Talking to the neighbor to inform them of the issue—they may not be aware. 
  • Requesting PFHA stakes so that your property can be staked off.
  • Talking to a PFHA Board member for guidance.
  • If all else fails, filing File a complaint with the county; Use their website or call 311.

 

 

 

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