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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to feel overwhelmed by neighbours' building work all summer?

103 replies

marshallzumarubble · 23/07/2026 16:40

We live in a semi-detached bungalow and the adjoining bungalow is having a huge extension, they are literally stripping everything back and redoing the entire inside. No problem. There is currently no-one living in the property and they have a company overseeing the work. They started this work a few weeks ago and the noise is insane. They start at 8am every morning with drilling, banging, including on the shared wall which happens to be the wall of both my kids' bedrooms. This wasn't a problem when we all up for school etc... but now it is the holidays and they are being woken every morning, Monday - Saturday.

On top of this, they have scaffolding up around the back of the house and are often on the roof, shouting, swearing, playing music loudly. It feels like our garden isn't our own. When they are on the roof they are literally overlooking us. They are friendly and sometimes say hello but it just feels a bit awkward and intrusive when you are trying to enjoy a coffee in the sunshine. We have had brick dust over the clean washing on the line. Straw blowing all over the garden from some sort of insulation that are removing from the roof.

Today, DD (age 11) was in the garden, practicing cartwheels and gymnastics, and one of them shouted 'Keep going love, you'll get there'. It was an entirely innocent comment and meant to be encouraging but it has made her feel embarrassed and upset as she now thinks they were watching her practice, especially as she was in a leotard.

I don't think I am being unreasonable but realistically, is there anything I can do?

I don't want to be that neighbour and, I get it, building work is noisy and that is unavoidable, it needs to be done.

Is it just a suck it up situation and accept that this summer isn't going to be one we get to enjoy in our garden?

OP posts:
TheRealMagic · 23/07/2026 16:47

You're not being unreasonable to be upset by it, but nor are they doing anything wrong, so there is nothing you can really do. Some parts of the work will be quieter than others, and they won't always be on the roof, so it won't be consistently this bad all summer but it is likely to have a big impact. If the music is a big issue then I think it would be fine to ask for it to be turned down. I wouldn't ask them not to speak to the kids as that will inevitably make things very awkward which might things worse not better for you.

outerspacepotato · 23/07/2026 16:45

Have your kids do a lemonade stand around lunchtime.

Velvetandleather · 23/07/2026 16:42

You can have a word on keeping the music down and not to talk to the kids, but past that no there is nothing else you can do if it’s permitted or approved development.