If you have a big extension to your home, AIBU to think you should consider the impact on your neighbours?

We knocked down two extensions and rebuilt them (to the same footprint) before we moved into our house. It took a year. Two houses in our street are currently undergoing full refurbishments. It’s very common nowadays and if they’re not breaking the law you’ll just have to make the best of it. The houses around here date from 1900 so it would be unreasonable not to expect it.

Buy a house assuming that your neighbours will extend to the amount allowed by law/any empty spaces nearby will be filled with more houses?!

Its just the way life is unfortunately. We have just finished an extension that two of our neighbours objected to on the grounds of noise/loss of view. We did ask if there were any small changes we could make to the plans and they basically said single storey not double, which was too much compromise for us.

Buying and extending was the only way we could afford in the area. Funnily enough, both neighbours had purchased extended houses so were benefitting from larger spaces than our house, so I had limited sympathy.

In the same vein, I suck up their kids banging a football against the fence all day at the weekends and don't complain. It's suburban living!

@Gonners DH did suggest they might just be saying “could you pass me the mallet please?” but it’s amazing how one can tell swearing in any language!

The neighbours are going to prioritise their needs over their consideration for you. But thats why there is planning permission. Didn't you object if its upsetting you?

Exactly. We live in a new build estate and it makes me laugh when they all get up in arms because the fields all around us (which have been in a local development masterplan for decades) might have houses built on them. Such a nimby attitude, when they bought new build homes themselves.

We have a housing shortage. People complain about new houses being built and taking up green spaces, but then also complain about others renovating or extending existing homes. Presumably all whilst continuing to have children who, one day, will need a home themselves.

You can either let building noise annoy you, or just get on with it.

@ThatEdgyRobin I know swear words in at least 4 different new languages.

So it's not ALL bad then!

It's not that councils don't care - it's just construction noise can't be considered because where would it end? If they said noone can make building noise then noone could extend or build houses near to other houses, noone could fix their buildings... councils will have policies on drainage though so a comment to the case officer can deal with that if its a problem in your area. I feel the posters pain but I've been on both sides of this - had to have major subsidence fixed in our house - weeks of drilling and noise for the neighbours - I was v embarrassed but what other option is there? Equally our neighbour did an extension so they could have a music room - right against our fence took all summer - no sitting out, no washing on the line - just had to live with it and keep it friendly! Now they let my son use their piano so it's all good..

If they’ve got planning permission and are doing everything legally then yes you do have to suck it up

YES! Going through exactly this. My neighbour is in year THREE of an extension - doubling the size of the house. They’ve fallen out with 3 building teams so far - with huge gaps between old ones being ditched and new ones starting. I know swear words in at least 4 different new languages. Noise, deliveries, filthy windows - I’m sick of it. And the thing that most annoys me is that they’ve gone on holiday for all the really noisy months.

They couldn't care less. Every house up from me has been bought by relative newcomers to the UK (not that that is relevant other than they seem to have loads of money for this kind of thing) , people move out then about 2 y ears of completely redone including internal walls and the roof whilst they are living the life of riley in rented or with family whilst we have had 4 years in a row with their noise to which they themselves are not subjected. Thought that was all done but house opposite now wants something even worse - removing the whole house which is presumably going to be even worse and will take us to years 5 and 6 of works. When does it end?

I think it's wildly unreasonable to think you can/should have control over other people's properties above/beyond the UKs existing planning regulations- we have quite limited rights compared to lots of places. If they're in line with planning regs they can do what they want. You buy the property and land and it's totally reasonable to reconfigure it to meet the needs you have, and it's how we progress too otherwise lots of properties would still have outside toilets etc! We need to be able to modernise and expand existing housing, we can't just keep building new.

You are NOT being unreasonable if you mean they should have spoken to you, discussed the builders timings, explained what disruption there would be and mitigated it as much as possible. I think they owe you some wine, flowers and a thank you/apology.

It's about being courteous and sympathetic to neighbours, and discussing ways things can be shielded or views can be protected and minimising disruption. It's not about just banning all construction/modernising/expanding of homes people own and have bought with their money, and whilst they're abiding with all existing UK laws.

It wasn’t all legal. Planning conditions and LA restrictions will be clear on the levels of dust, noise etc. if they are banging “morning noon and night” and blocking roads, not controlling dust, you can report them to the local authority who will shut it down. If the operatives were intimidating, you can report them to the police, or to whatever federation they are members of.

If they lost light in their garden, I assume they didn’t object to the planning permission. Shaking and in tears because of building works seems a very extreme reaction. I doubt it was solely down to that.

I agree, we did exactly that before we had work done.
Basic curtesy.
I had loads of noisy garden work done recently and gave my neighbours on both sides a heads up for which they were most grateful.
They worked in the office those days even though it was noisy from 10-3pm.

YANBU OP

My neighbours have had building work since October last year. It’s a really small team so the noise has been pretty constant over a long period of time.
My view is that I like the couple generally and they’re investing in this street so in the long run I see it as a positive thing despite the inconvenience.
However - I think it would have been classy of them to let us know what they were planning, as a courtesy and how long it would take as it’s had a significant impact on us in terms of noise and that there’s a huge ugly assed van outside our house for months on end.
I think classy people might have flagged it up and just let us know.

We spoke to our neighbour, apologised, explained the plans and advised of the schedule of works. We knew there'd be. Certain periods of noise from foundation digging and and filling and then a section of drilling and hammering towards the end, but the actual brick laying and shell building was really quiet (we worked from home throughout). Ki

Get a video camera up, front and back to record what goes on.
Great proof of unauthorised work going on causing late noise.
Video your house, and garden back and front in case there is any damage.
Did they not havd to go for planning for such a large build?

I have heard of cowboy builders particularly when the owners weren't about.
My neighbour caught on film the builders flicking in tea bags into her garden the first week of work.

She caused the most almighty fuss, became so difficult, wouldn't move her car for deliveries etc.
They apologised profusely and didn't dare cross her again.

You would have needed to be advised about planning permission. If you didn't object then YABU to now moan about the impact

If they have planning permission, you have to put up with it. It won't last forever, just feels like that at the time.

Where I lived until two years ago people were always doing things to their houses, builders were in and out, drilling, scaffolding, cement mixers on the go, dust everywhere and skips out the front. That is life I'm afraid. We did it too.

My son bought my house from me and has done all sorts of work on it since he took possession just over a year ago. He is currently touring abroad for a few weeks during which time his garage is being converted into a room. He's had skips in the drive since he moved in!

Wherever you live, that will happen unless you buy a new build of the exact size and specification you require; there's nothing you can do about it.

You can't blame people for wanting to enlarge/improve their home, most people do. Nobody wants to be a nuisance to their neighbours but some upheaval is inevitable. Have you done nothing to your home?

That’s what we have done. Now surrounded by our own 12 acres apart from a field on one side which has covenents on it preventing any development. 😏

Why would they talk to the neighbour? What good would that do, beyond warning them on noise and dust?

OP - people are entitled to extend and renovate their own homes. Planning permission is there to help support affected people around them, but ultimately, if you want nice views, you have to buy a lot of land. Lots of people are losing views to building work, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t do it.

Whenever I see someone on instagram trotting out the line ‘Come with me as we renovate this dilapidated country house’ I always think about their neighbours.

As long as they are doing it all legally then yabu. Loss of light is a reasonable grounds to object, as is visual impact but you needed to do that at the planning stage.

Is it compliant with planning? If so then tough luck.

We live at the top of a hill, overlooking dozens of houses at the bottom of our garden. One of the residents submitted a planning application to build another house in the unused strip of land running along the side of his property. I remember when we first received a notification, I was a bit confused as to why we got this letter from an address we weren’t familiar with. Then I realised the gable and roof were going to tower over our garden. We submitted an objection online and, in doing so, saw that we weren’t the only ones pissed off about it. A few months later we were told that the application had been withdrawn. So, my question would be, as other pp’s have mentioned, did you not receive any notice of the planning application? Because that’s your opportunity to object. It isn’t a given that they’ll act on your objection, but at least you get to voice your concerns and say how it might impact you. Some people will make reasonable adjustments to their plans, even if not obliged to, for the sake of neighbourly harmony.