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Original poster

Neighbour building work and newborn

93 replies

Icreatedmyusername · 17/07/2023 10:57

I’m due a baby in less than 2 weeks and my neighbour has begun building work today that will apparently take up to 6 months to complete.
I had no idea until I saw vans pull up and drilling and hammering started. We usually have a good neighbourly relationship so I’m a bit annoyed they didn’t prewarn us.
I understand work needs to be done and they have every right to, but I’m now concerned about where that leaves us with a newborn.
I know the noise isn’t likely to disturb baby, but from a personal (and maybe overly sensitive) perspective, I don’t want my babies’ early memories to be a reminder of constant banging and drilling.
We have plans for a family party to celebrate the baby when she arrives, I also wanted to video a lot of the early days (preferably without the background being sounds of building works) and it feels like it will be very intrusive to hear all day every day for 6 months.
Apparently the work will be 8am-6pm every day excluding weekends. I won’t feel up to going out much in the early weeks. I haven’t got anywhere else to stay.
I know I can’t stop the work or control anything so I guess I’m ranting and hoping anyone here has been through this and can give me a positive uplift?
My whole house is currently vibrating. It sounds like they’re in the next room and we’re only 3 hours in.

OP posts:
Flatandhappy · 17/07/2023 11:07

Your only hope is communication and negotiation. There will be hours where it is permissible to make noise so as long as they stick to that there is nothing you can really do but if you have a family event or something special on you could ask nicely if they could work around that. The nosiest parts of renovations are often at the start so hopefully after a while things will settle down.

AuntieStella · 17/07/2023 11:07

Your baby is unlikely to remember anything at all of life before they were 3-ish

Your DC are however more likely to be a noise nuisance for much longer than 6 months.

Let it go

Flatandhappy · 17/07/2023 11:08

Noisiest!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
Lefteyetwitch · 17/07/2023 11:08

How much h of your newborn days do you remember?

catsnore · 17/07/2023 11:19

I think the most annoying thing will be if it disturbs your sleep/rest or wakes the baby. You need to talk to your neighbour/builders and ask if they can inform you when it's going to be a noisy day!

Original poster
Icreatedmyusername · 17/07/2023 11:31

Like I said I’m worried it will interfere with the memories of my newborns early weeks, not that it will be an ingrained memory to them 😆
The most annoying thing is that they knew I’m due soon and actually said they planned to wait until next spring so it could be done during nicer weather (also when I’ll be back to work) but booked it for now for the sake of it. Again none of my business what they chose to do or when, but it feels a bit spiteful when it’s a cosmetic/luxury Reno and not repairs/emergency work.

OP posts:
Quitelikeit · 17/07/2023 11:33

Believe me you won’t even have time to think straight never mi d worry about the neighbours 🤣🤣🤣

Youll also be so exhausted that you could sleep through a bomb

no jokes. Come back and update after the event

shakeitoffsis · 17/07/2023 11:34

I don't think there's anything you can do here unfortunately.

Lou573 · 17/07/2023 11:38

OP, my attached neighbours in a semi detached commenced a lift conversion when I brought my first baby home from hospital. So work going on literally right above my head. I remember being so upset about it, but it really wasn't that bad. The noise tends to happen in short bursts and you're so tired you can sleep through it anyway. My second got brought home into a renovation project that we'd moved into a month before!

Remmy123 · 17/07/2023 11:40

You wouid have known surely of they needed planning permission you will have been notified.

not sure there are many builders that work up until 6pm they usually knock off at 4ish

not much you can do about it

HavfrueDenizKisi · 17/07/2023 11:44

Move out then.

Honestly there is nothing you can do. As long as they are sticking to permitted working hours. So 8-6 weekdays and 8-1 Saturdays nothing on Sundays or bank holidays then you can't complain.

Building works happens. Possibly they were booked to start next spring but his chosen builder now has the time to start this week and as such your neighbour can't say no.

Construction work is disruptive and annoying and noisy for neighbours, I get it, we've had loads of houses on out road do large projects the last few years. We've also done it ourselves. You can only communicate with neighbours and minimise disruption as much as possible.

HighEndGrifters · 17/07/2023 11:44

Enjoy what is clearly your first born.😀

And when you get a minute, check your entitlement.🙄

Again none of my business what they chose to do or when, but it feels a bit spiteful when it’s a cosmetic/luxury Reno and not repairs/emergency work.

SoupDragon · 17/07/2023 11:46

On the plus side, your baby may well learn to sleep through anything after this!

ShirleyPhallus · 17/07/2023 11:46

I’d be careful about being annoyed with noise from a neighbour when you’ll shortly be bringing home something that will be making noise all through the night!

MooMa83 · 17/07/2023 11:48

We had similar situation but baby was a bit older when they started the work. I did ask if they could give an idea of any particular noisy days/times....useful to know when baby is older and in a nap routine as you can take them out for a nap in the pram rather than risk them being woken up by drilling....I remember an occasion when I had tried all day to get an overtired baby to nap...had managed it and 20mins in they started drilling in the bedroom adjacent to babies...I cried!! I think that's about all you can do really.....from my experience there were very noisy times but it wasn't always constant, so hopefully you'll get some respite.

ForeverFriendsAndPierrot · 17/07/2023 11:48

Interfere with your memories??

How ridiculous!

Original poster
Icreatedmyusername · 17/07/2023 11:49

Not first born 😊and houses both soundproofed, but unfortunately building work to this extent will generate a hell of a lot of noise, soundproofing or not

OP posts:
ladyvivienne · 17/07/2023 11:49

I’d be careful about being annoyed with noise from a neighbour when you’ll shortly be bringing home something that will be making noise all through the night!

This ^ My next door's baby has screamed through the night for the last 2 years. Thought we were finally at the bloody end of it when she gleefully announced she was pregnant again.

I'd rather have building work going on next door than a baby.

Wind your neck in!

Confused19831983 · 17/07/2023 11:51

I had building work done before my baby was born six weeks ago. I was really worried it wouldn't be finished in time.
But after baby arrived I realised it would have been fine if it had overran. Yours won't be affected by the noise as they will have become used to it during pregnancy.
Mine sleeps through all sorts.
You will also be so busy and the house so hectic you'll barely notice. You'll likely have music, TV on and possibly white noise to help baby settle and most probably it will be the least of your worries.
As one poster said it's very unlikely to be super noisy throughout the entire period.
Like she mentioned, work is usually the nosiest at the start.
I can totally understand your concerns though.
Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and really hope it's not as bad as you think.
And I knew what you meant re. baby and memories! 😂

Canthave2manycats · 17/07/2023 11:52

You can be as annoyed as you like but you can't expect your neighbours to tailor their plans to suit you.

We're currently having a full refit of our ensuite and we certainly didn't consult the neighbours - and neither did they consult us when they were having building work done.

HeartDP · 17/07/2023 11:52

I’d much prefer my neighbours had building work than brought home a newborn tbh.

Confused19831983 · 17/07/2023 11:53

Also very rude not to have told you.

Rainbowshit · 17/07/2023 11:55

I slept through my dad literally drilling outside my bedroom door when my DS was wee o was that tired I could sleep through anything. 😂

Probably good for your newborn to get used to noise.

But seriously you are just going to have to get on with things and ignore as much as possible. People need to do work on their houses.

GagaBinks · 17/07/2023 11:56

Wow, there's some really harsh replies on here.

OP, I'm two weeks away from birth (or so I think anyway) and I totally get it. You long for a quiet peaceful maternity leave being able to do what you want, when you want with your new baby. I feel for you. No advice, sadly, as I don't think there's a single thing you can do about it. But ignore these harsh replies making out you're an entitled brat for wanting peace in your life 🙄

FrangipaniBlue · 17/07/2023 11:56

If it's a 6 month renovation there won't be constant drilling and hammering for 6 months.

Yes it will be noisy in the early days but will Peter out once they get into things like seconded fix.

Bricklaying doesn't actually make any noise at all, so you'll have quiet periods during the period too.

You're being very precious.