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Original poster

we are being the noisy neighbours...building work

43 replies

MaryIsA · 15/03/2021 11:40

Extension being built - lots of groundworks - digger, just really noisy. We are in week 4 of noise - there's probably another two week of really noisy stuff.

As the neighours in our sitation would you appreaciate a gesture of some sort?

One neighbour is being lovely as he's about to start the same, the oher has moved out to his daughter's - lockdown related rather than the building I think.

I don't know the neigbours at the back very well...

OP posts:

4Mongrels · 15/03/2021 11:52

We took flowers and chocolates around to our neighbours.

Lochmorlich · 15/03/2021 11:55

Communication is key.
If your neighbours can see an end in sight then they're more likely to be tolerant.

MandalaYogaTapestry · 15/03/2021 12:02

We didn't get anything when our next door neighbours did an extension. It was during last lockdown when schools were closed and so both parents and children were at home the entire time, trying to work and study. The noise was awful for months, not weeks, from 8am every bloody day. I guess there was nothing we could do, but it was very disrupting and just tiring. We are doing our own extension soon and I cannot help feeling a little bit vindicated as it's now their turn to listen to yet more noise. We are moving out temporarily.

MandalaYogaTapestry · 15/03/2021 12:04

*we were at home trying to work and study

Seeline · 15/03/2021 12:07

Make sure your builders keep to the right hours.
Try to keep other noise and disturbances to a minimum - bloody radios, and why do they need to shout all the time?!
Try and make sure that the place is kept tidy - no bits of rubbish blowing into other people's gardens etc. My mum had 3 punctures during the course of her NDN building works because the builders just swept all the crap into the gutter each day so my mum was constantly driving over old screws etc.
Let your neighbours know the timetable. Let them know if one day is going to be particularly noisy for any reason etc.

NineOClockOnASaturday · 15/03/2021 12:07

Flowers and chocolate are not (frankly) enough if neighbours are faced with weeks of noise and disruption at a time when there are few opportunities to escape from it.

Candleabra · 15/03/2021 12:08

Definitely communication is key.
I wouldn't expect wine/flowers but I would appreciate a frequent update on the expected end date of construction. I would also expect you to be on top of the construction workers behaviour, parking and rubbish disposal - all things that have pissed me off with neighbouring builds. Building work is different from just noise - at least there's an end to it.

DareIask · 15/03/2021 12:14

We're the neighbours atm. Massive extension going on opposite us. I have no problem with it... we've had work done ourselves in the past, so can hardly complain.

No I wouldn't expect flowers or chocolates.. totally unnecessary.

Spring2021 · 15/03/2021 12:21

Our adjoining neighbours have been doing an extension from early July and still aren’t finished. Its been absolutely dreadful noise (from building, builders shouting and singing the radio on full volume), dust, drive blocked working 6 days a week etc etc.
Notification of a start and end date would be ideal and communication. Flowers, wine, chocolates, cleaning the front pavement and offering to pay for car washes, window cleaning and pressure wash the drive would have all been nice. But we have had no communication, no gifts, no gestures just noise, disruption and mess.

SwedishK · 15/03/2021 12:32

This last year must have been the worse in modern history to even consider doing very noisy building works. At least if you live in a semi or even worse terrace or flat.

Our neighbours on one side has just started excavating their cellar and the noise is unbearable. Both myself and DH are on zoom on and off all day and it's just impossible to have a proper conversation with anyone. They don't want to hear my awful background noise and I can't hear what they are saying. I really wish the neighbours could have waited a few months so that we could have at least a chance of escaping this. Come 6pm, when the calls have ended and the builders have gone home I am just so exhausted. Can't even bring myself to watch TV. I just want peace and quiet. We have another 3-4 months of this as there is more work to follow after the excavation.

custardbear · 15/03/2021 12:36

Yes communication, take flowers and chocolates too ... and wine if they drink 😉

Blueskyredcloud · 15/03/2021 12:37

I sent apologies, a card, wine and chocolate - it didn't work - she hated me (she did work before she moved in and her builders were arses and we said nothing).

Original poster

MaryIsA · 15/03/2021 12:40

Good thought on letting people know timescales.

They start at 9 and finish at 4. There's only been 3 days when its been noisy all day.

The radio has been turned down.

They are pretty tidy and clean and keeping mess to our plot.

Our covid rules are different so only 2 on site so I think there's going to be a natural break soon as they'll have to wait till they are allowed more on site.

OP posts:

Fedupmiddleagedwoman · 15/03/2021 12:40

I'd appreciate a note through my letterbox apologising for the disturbance and letting me know when the work is scheduled to finish.

Timeforabiscuit · 15/03/2021 12:42

Communication, a timetable, good builders and a backbone are all you need.

Everyone at some point needs inconvenient work doing on their house - be assertive in the way you deliver news, if you look like a pushover you'll just get hassle back.

savvy7 · 15/03/2021 12:42

I would take flowers/wine to next door neighbours in advance of work starting, update them occasionally on progress and keep a close eye on the builders. Rubbish is always blowing out of skips/builders tossing cigarette butts everywhere/vehicles blocking drives etc.

LondonStone · 15/03/2021 13:12

I lived through a lockdown double renovation/extension last year! Both neighbours (in a terrace) decided to have major works done, total coincidence, absolute hell. The ones on the right hadn’t moved in yet and the ones on the left moved out during the work because they ‘couldn’t bear the noise’.

I would have been grateful for a bottle of wine, keeping the builders quiet and some updates on the work schedule! In fairness, the neighbours of the left did put a portaloo for their builders directly under our bedroom window in the middle of summer so the bar is pretty low for me!

BeyondMyWits · 15/03/2021 13:23

Our neighbours have had builders doing an extension for the last 5 months. We asked if they'd turn the radio down once and that is all the hassle we've had. Though they did almost cause a riot when the window cleaner who does most of the cul-de-sac cleaned the windows on Monday morning and they cut a load of slabs Monday afternoon.... the neighbour asked and paid for the window cleaner to come back, which was very nice and did a heck of a lot for neighbourly relations.

onemouseplace · 15/03/2021 13:30

Definitely communication and timescales. The actual noise when our neighbour’s house was being developed didn’t bother me - and they actually did us a few freebies as well (replaced the boundary fence which is our responsibility etc. ). What drove me INSANE was them parking across our driveway for 8 months so every time I wanted to get my car in or out I had to go and find one of them to move their sodding van.

Candleabra · 15/03/2021 13:39

What drove me INSANE was them parking across our driveway for 8 months so every time I wanted to get my car in or out I had to go and find one of them to move their sodding van.

Yes I had this. I ended up falling out with the builders about it. It was the sheer entitlement, especially when I came home to find them parked on my drive. It was clearly not the first time this had happened either - just the first time I'd caught them. They apologised every time, but after dozens of 'words' I didn't want an apology - just bloody stop doing it!

Walesrecommendations · 15/03/2021 13:43

I would just want to know working hours and when it would end, I get really anxious about noise like that which I can't escape so that would really help me in that situation.

Blacktothepink · 15/03/2021 13:48

I work nights and this would have a big impact on my sleep! I remember when my neighbour had their driveway done...nightmare, but I know it can’t be helped, I joked to DH that I was going to cut the grass at 3am to see how they liked it 😂

Chloemol · 15/03/2021 14:08

I didn’t give my neighbours anything, but kept a very close eye on the builders by working from home and made sure noise etc was kept to a minimum. It was only a small extension though

Makemecoffee · 15/03/2021 14:59

Definitely communication! The house adjoining ours was recently renovated by investors who couldn't care less as it was just a work site to them. The most frustrating thing for us was not knowing when or how long the noisy work was going to take. I tried speaking to them on several occasions to explain how we felt and it fell on deaf ears so I stopped bothering. We were also woken at 8am on Saturdays and Sundays a couple of times which wasn't fun. I wouldn't expect a gift of any kind just a bit of consideration.

GreyhoundG1rl · 15/03/2021 15:05

I appreciate the work has already begun, but... dreadful time to choose, when people are on enforced lockdown; and working/studying from home.
I wouldn't react particular well to you showing up with a big smile and a bunch of flowers, tbh.

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