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Original poster

How bad/noisy is construction work?

16 replies

RepeatSwan · 05/10/2020 08:39

A site opposite my house will have three houses built on it soon, and I have no idea what to expect in terms of noise.

How disruptive will it be???? Any experience along the lines of 'yes you will hear them but you won't lose your mind' would be helpful...

The vehicle access is not going to be on my street as far as I know.

OP posts:
cupboardmonster · 05/10/2020 08:47

Get some noise cancelling headphones.

There are five houses being built on the plot next to me and the noise drives me crackers. Right now they are tile cutting for house number three which is a horrible noise. It's second only to the safety beep beep beep beep from one of the site vehicles that seems to spend half the day in reverse.

It goes on from 7.30am to 5pm.

TeddyIsaHe · 05/10/2020 08:50

Well it’s not great. I live in a flat with another block being built next to it and I had to move the noise was so bad.

Nose cancelling headphones and try and get out of the house as much as possible!

TeddyIsaHe · 05/10/2020 08:53

God typos! lived noise

Original poster
RepeatSwan · 05/10/2020 08:54

Oh god.

It is 'try to get out of house' that is the issue as of course I now WFH.

I'm going to really struggle Sad

OP posts:
cupboardmonster · 05/10/2020 09:13

Noise cancelling headphones are your friend. I also WFH which is why the noise gets to me as there's no escape. Having to shut the windows in the summer gave me rage but necessary to keep out noise and dust.
The other mystery of sites is why do they love local commercial radio so much? Just why? I heard another neighbour losing with them when they hadn't turned it down despite her asking several times and it had ruined a telecon she was chairing. Haven't heard it again since then though...

serialreturner · 05/10/2020 09:19

We've just got a new roof on (block of 6).

Pretty bad - though the main thing for me is that construction is noisy - so you have to suck it up - however, swearing (I am not averse to a good swear myself but not in front of the young kids who live here), roaring shouting for no reason and loud radios playing rave music are not on.

I complained twice in many months and the issue was sorted immediately.

My main bug bears (which you can do nothing about) are darkness caused by scaffolding, the mess and the dust.

I can't wait to deep clean my house and bribe the window cleaner to do inside and out.

serialreturner · 05/10/2020 09:20

Oh yeah we had someone recuperating from a hospital stay and many WFH so I asked them to keep the noise down as much as humanly possible, understanding that there was no way it could have been quiet.

Might be different because we're paying them a shit load of ££££££!

NastyBlouse · 05/10/2020 09:31

It varies, in my experience.

I'm in a part of London where they've been building different 'phases' of apartment blocks around mine over the last five years.

Yes, it's noisy. But at some points of the construction more so than others.

It was particularly bad when they were doing the deep-piling for foundations and digging out the underground car parks, although that's probably not likely to be a factor for three houses so you might escape that one.. And when they're using the angle-grinder for hours at a time... man alive, that was wearing.

But then other times it's just the odd beep-beep-beep from trucks reversing and the robot voice WARNING: THIS VEHICLE IS TURNING LEFT and a bit of hammering.

Noise-cancelling headphones -- yes, definitely. My B&O Beoplays have saved me this year.

And the dust is the other thing. Even if you keep the windows shut it gets in somehow. I vacuum twice a week now.

Your attitude to it will be the thing that either gets you through or doesn't. If you accept that there's going to be an amount of disruption that you can't do anything about it'll go easier.

HildegardVonBingen · 05/10/2020 09:39

we have a building site round the back where half a dozen retail units are being turned back into houses. All through lockdown when WFH. Generally I have got accustomed to the noise, but I was ready to kill them one Saturday when a concrete mixer started up at 6.40am. Luckily that was just once, but I'd put money on noisy works being restricted by planning permission to 8am-5pm, and was ready to record and complain if it happened again.

nosswith · 05/10/2020 10:20

It will vary, I have had this for the last year. It was ordained by God that building work ends at 4pm though, just as roads are never dug after 4pm even if it means temporary traffic lights for weeks.

My local one I think has access to my work diary as banging or other noise only takes place starting two minutes before a work call.

Teacaketotty · 05/10/2020 10:31

I live on a new build estate and they have built about 20 homes across from me in the last year or so.

I WFH but it doesn’t really bother me, only annoys me when the baby is napping and they get a really noisy delivery or something! Or empty the dumper at 7am on a Saturday Angry

Apart from that I don’t notice it much of the time!

Austereorange · 05/10/2020 10:40

I live opposite 3 houses which have been in the process of being built for 4 years (Yes, it’s ridiculous!!!) the issues I’ve had are the unpredictable nature of the biggest noisy bits - you can have weeks where the builders are bricklaying and that’s quiet. Or scaffolding going up/down and for some reason that’s very noisy! Tile cutting as someone said, and connection to services has meant at various times we’ve had ‘roadworks’ which also mean jackhammers, etc. Concrete pouring is another long and noisy day.

But the worst for us?

The chuffing radios they have blaring (absolutely booming out) with shit FM and then they shout to be heard over it or constantly sing along in a shouty way. And the swearing. I’m not a prude, but as I’m coming home from school I don’t need the 4yo to hear that ‘Baz is a fucking girl’ or ‘Gaz is a tossing wanker’ all in jest but very very audible.

I’d rather have the building noise!

Original poster
RepeatSwan · 05/10/2020 13:58

Thanks all! I'm going to try and be positive and not get ground down but I'll be honest that's not an area of strength for me Grin

Hope it doesn't take four years like your case @Austereorange Shock

OP posts:
NoToast · 05/10/2020 14:12

Oh god yes! The radios, the karaoke, the shouting and the swearing. I've had 3 years of site renovation next to me. Put up with a lot but went ballistic after a group of lads went wild on site all weekend. Just one example was a long, loud conversation on how much they loved 'tits' where my 9 year old daughter could hear.

I emailed and made it clear to the site owner and the site contractor that the behaviour created a degrading atmosphere and was sexual harassment of a minor and I would have no hesitation going to the police if there was ever a repeat. Other neighbours complained about noise and swearing at the same time and they don't have radios on anymore.

Your council will have working hour guidelines, record any noise or other issues following their protocols and don't put up with any crap.

Laiste · 05/10/2020 15:16

@serialreturner - ''swearing (I am not averse to a good swear myself but not in front of the young kids who live here), roaring shouting for no reason and loud radios playing rave music are not on.''

Ah. You must be living next to where my DH is working.

A joke of course, but DH and his gang does swear, roar and shout and have their rave music on really loud on site and i apologise on their behalf to all of you. He's a lovely gentle DH and father when he's home, honestly !

Laiste · 05/10/2020 15:17

I must add actually that he would not swear if he thought a child was in ear shot Shock

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