So, it wasn't the case of your neighbor thinking it was someone else walking around your property? If they knew it was you, then I don't understand why they contacted your contractor. I also don't understand why you can't enter your property at any time during the renovation. Was this spelled out in your agreement with the contractor? I've never heard of this myself.

Yeah it sounded sketchy when he called me, and I asked him which "neighbor" called him but he said he didn't know. Yes, the "neighbor" specifically said it was the homeowner, apparently concerned I would "get hurt" and that he (the contractor) would have issues with his insurance etc. if I got hurt. There is literally only one neighbor I can think of who might have called and frankly why he didn't get in touch with me directly is beyond me (he has my number). Nothing spelled out in our agreement about not entering the property while its under construction. Only verbal statement from contactor not to enter the house while its under construction (which I did not).

The charitable take on this is that your contractor is indeed afraid you'll get hurt, either tripping over supplies on the ground, falling into the excavation holes, entering the house when it's not structurally sound etc. And maybe he wasn't thinking you would be looking around and was taken a little off guard when the neighbor called. In my experience (two remodels) a good strategy is to schedule a weekly walk-through with them, to discuss what's been accomplished so far, what's on the docket for the coming week, any unforeseen complications/delays, etc.

I would ask him to provide a safe path to your garage which you can go through at any time. We moved a ton of stuff to our garage and would need to get things now and then, that's an important consideration when you've moved out but haven't moved all your stuff.

The neighbor angle is a little mysterious, but some folks are so non-confrontational (some would say passive-aggressive) that calling you directly isn't something they feel they can do.

Fantastic response, thank you. I can get behind everything in your reply, I was taken aback by his call to begin with so my post may have come across as "that problem homeowner" but really it wasn't my intention. I honestly didn't think about our contractor having an issue with it, and had I known I would have addressed this with him up front. I like your idea of scheduling a weekly walk though to go over the progress together (he's always said "come anytime" but I think scheduling is better for both of us). Also I will ask him to please clear a path for us to the garage, there is still a driveway intact to it at this time, and both driveway and garage will eventually be demoed as well (we're building a new garage as well). You could very well be right about our neighbors but it still irks me somewhat, I mean if you saw me there just say something, we could have avoided all this with conversation, its not like we don't all talk to each other already!

There is some nuance to this. If you are the homeowner during construction, you can’t be barred from your property. Period.

However, a contractor could have a clause in the contract that barred you from entering the property during construction. In that case, you would still be allowed to enter your property, but would be in breach of contract for doing so. I personally doubt it would be considered a material breach, but the possibility is there.

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The insurance thing is mostly B.S. You are the homeowner, it is your duty to maintain a safe home for invitees, the contractor becomes your agent during construction, but homeowners are still regularly sued for uninsured or underinsured contractors when workers are injured.

Rarely would a contractor be liable for a homeowner’s injuries during construction. It would likely require gross negligence.

Do you hold a builders risk policy for the project? If not, purchase one immediately.

The situation you're describing sounds like a misunderstanding between you and the contractor. As the homeowner, you have every right to check on the progress of your property renovation, especially if the work is being done on your house and is tied to a payment schedule.

From what you've mentioned, there’s nothing in the contract that says you cannot access the property during construction, nor were there any previous discussions prohibiting this. However, some contractors may prefer the site to be free of the homeowner while work is being done for safety or logistical reasons. This could be the source of the confusion with the "concerned neighbor" as well.

That being said, walking around your property to document the work seems completely reasonable, especially since you’re trying to ensure that the work aligns with your expectations and payment schedule. If the contractor is asking you to refrain from entering, you could have a conversation to clarify boundaries and ensure both sides are comfortable with the arrangement moving forward.

If you’re unsure about handling situations like this or managing property-related concerns during renovations, seeking guidance from experienced professionals could be helpful. Many times, professional property management services can help navigate these challenges and ensure everything runs smoothly.