Picture two identical buildings getting the same siding crew, the same scaffolding, the same six weeks of noise. In one, residents got a letter a month out, a posted schedule, and a door notice two days before crews reached their unit; the project ends with a thank-you. In the other, the first anyone hears of it is a lift outside the bedroom window at 7 a.m. — and the board spends the next three meetings answering for it. The difference isn’t the work. It’s the plan.
A resident communication plan is the set of letters, notices, and rules that keep residents informed before and during a multifamily siding replacement. The core pieces are a project-kickoff letter, a published schedule, a 48–72 hour unit-level notice, a list of what residents must do, and one named contact for questions. Everything below is a template you can copy and adapt.
Why a written plan matters
Why does resident communication need its own plan?
Because the board or manager — not the contractor — is who residents blame. On an occupied building, residents accept weeks of noise, covered windows, and lost parking when they were told what to expect and when. The same disruption with no warning produces complaints, special-meeting demands, and a credibility hit the board didn’t need to take.
A written plan also protects the contractor and the board jointly: it documents that residents were notified to clear balconies, move vehicles, and secure pets, which matters if something is damaged or a resident claims they weren’t warned.
The communication sequence
What’s the order of resident communications?
Communicate in four waves: a kickoff letter 2–4 weeks out explaining the whole project, a published building-by-building schedule, a 48–72 hour notice posted at each unit or entrance before crews arrive, and weekly progress updates. Close with a completion notice. Each wave answers the resident’s only real question — “when does this affect me, and what do I do?”
| Wave | Timing | Channel | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kickoff letter | 2–4 weeks before start | Mailed + emailed + posted | Explain scope, duration, why |
| Schedule | At kickoff, updated weekly | Posted + emailed | Show order of buildings/elevations |
| 48–72 hr unit notice | Before crews reach a unit | Door hanger / entrance post | Tell residents exactly when + what to do |
| Weekly update | Each week of work | Email / posted | Progress, what’s next, parking changes |
| Completion notice | At closeout | Email + posted | Confirm done, share contact for issues |
Template: kickoff letter
What goes in the project kickoff letter?
The kickoff letter sets expectations for the whole project: what’s being done and why, the start window and rough duration, the work hours, the broad sequence of buildings, what residents will need to do, and who to contact. Send it 2–4 weeks before mobilization by mail, email, and posted notice so no one can say they didn’t know. The template below uses a placeholder building name — swap in your own:
[Association / Property Name] — Siding Replacement: What to Expect
Dear Residents,
Beginning the week of [start date], [contractor / “our exterior contractor”] will begin replacing the siding on our buildings. This project protects our buildings from Minnesota’s freeze-thaw and wind-driven rain and preserves property values. We expect the full project to run approximately [duration] (single buildings typically take on the order of a week or two each depending on size and height; confirm the figure with your contractor), weather permitting.
Work hours: [e.g., 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., Monday–Saturday], consistent with local noise rules.
What to expect: noise, scaffolding or lifts, temporary parking closures, and crews working close to windows and balconies. Windows may be covered briefly while a wall is open.
The order of work and your building’s expected dates are on the attached/posted schedule. You’ll get a notice 48–72 hours before crews reach your unit.
What we’ll need from you is listed on the next page.
Questions? Contact [name, role, phone, email] — your single point of contact for this project.
Thank you for your patience as we protect our community. [Board / Management signature]
Template: what residents must do
What should residents do before crews arrive?
Residents need a short, concrete checklist: clear balconies and patios, move grills and planters away from walls, take down anything hanging on exterior walls, move vehicles out of noticed stalls, close and lock windows during work, keep pets secured indoors, and remove items off shared walls. Keep it to one page.
Resident action checklist (adapt and attach):
- Clear everything off balconies, patios, and decks adjacent to work areas.
- Move grills, planters, furniture, and stored items at least [X] feet from exterior walls.
- Take down wreaths, lights, satellite/antenna items, and anything mounted to siding (note items the crew must reinstall).
- Move vehicles out of any stalls marked closed on the schedule or notice.
- Close and lock windows on the wall being worked; expect temporary covering.
- Keep pets indoors and secured during work hours.
- Report any pre-existing damage to the contact below before work begins.
Template: 48-hour unit notice
What does the door-hanger notice say?
The unit-level notice is the one that actually prevents complaints. Posted 48–72 hours before crews reach a specific building or unit, it states the exact dates, the wall or elevation affected, which parking stalls close, what the resident must do by when, and the contact. Keep it to a single posted page.
NOTICE: Siding work at your building begins [date]
Crews will be working on [building / address / elevation] on [date range], approximately [hours].
Before [date/time], please: clear your balcony/patio, move your vehicle from stalls [#s], and keep windows closed during work.
Parking: stalls [#s] closed [dates]. Temporary parking: [location].
Questions: [name, phone, email].
Single point of contact
Who should residents contact with problems?
Name one person — usually the community association manager, the Buildings chair, or the on-site property manager — as the single contact for the whole project, with a phone number and email residents actually have. Routing every question to one place keeps the contractor focused on the work, gives residents a real answer, and stops the board from fielding a dozen separate complaints.
The contact’s job is to triage: schedule and parking questions get a quick answer, damage or safety concerns get logged with photos and passed to the contractor, and anything resembling a change to scope or cost goes to the board or manager. Never make the on-site crew the resident-relations channel — that’s how messages get lost and complaints escalate.
FAQ
Resident communication for siding projects — common questions
Q: How far in advance should residents be notified? Send the kickoff letter and schedule 2–4 weeks before mobilization, then post a unit-level notice 48–72 hours before crews reach each building. The early letter sets expectations; the 48–72 hour notice is what actually prevents day-of surprises and complaints.
Q: How do you notify renters in a condo or townhome community? Owners are responsible for informing their tenants, but a good plan reaches renters directly too — post notices at entrances and mailboxes, not just in owner emails. Ask the association or manager for an owner-tenant contact list so notices reach occupants, who are the ones actually affected.
Q: What if a resident’s property is damaged during the project? Log it immediately with photos through the single point of contact, and pass it to the contractor under the contract’s damage and protection terms. This is exactly why the access, parking, and safety plan should define the contractor’s responsibility for vehicles, landscaping, and walkways in writing before work starts.
Q: Can we just email everything instead of mailing letters? Email plus posted physical notices works best. Not every resident reads association email, and renters often aren’t on the list at all. The 48–72 hour notice especially should be physically posted at the affected building or unit.
Reviewed against public source material from Ben Juncker and Craftsmans Choice, without presenting their contractor credentials as this sites own.
Get a communication plan your residents will actually thank you for.
We’ll help you adapt these templates to your buildings, your schedule, and your contact structure — so the project runs without the complaints that turn a re-side into a board problem.