to think that undertaking major building work in a terraced house every weekend is a bit out of order?

[CAS77]

The new owners of next door house are doing complete refurb - fair enough, house needs updating. But, in addition to the building work done in the week, they have work done every weekend for the last month. We're not talking a bit of hammering here and there - rather full on banging, from 8.30am until 6pm, both Sat and Sun. It's pretty impossible to be in the house and relax, watch TV etc, baby can't nap either, so we've been going out all day all weekend.

Got no problem with the work done in the week obviously (it's annoying of course but they've got to get it done). But AIBU to think all weekend, every weekend is a bit out of order in a terraced house?

DH and I are tossing up whether to say something if it happens again this weekend but are worried about getting off to a bad start with new neighbours.

Well I think it's pretty shit for you TBH, especially as you have a baby. I would ask them how long it's going to take and ask them to do quiet jobs only on Sundays. I think that's fair enough. Then I think I'd go out a lot...

What exactly are they doing that involves constant noise for several entire weekends? Surely there is painting etc on it's way which won't bother you though?

It won't be forever, and I don't think stopping at 6pm is the end of the world, I agree on going to introduce yourselves tho, take baby with you - they might not even have noticed or considered naps if they don't have kids themselves (in all honesty it's not the first thing that would spring to my mind)

I can only assume they are knocking down walls, ripping everything out....how long is that likely to take - it's not even a particularly big house!

They know we have children (3 yo + baby). They don't have kids so perhaps don't realise the hell of overtired kids!

Will try the chit chat route.

What are the builders doing then? Sounds very weird to me. I would have a word.

I think it would be reasonable to let them know that it is incredibly noisy on your side of the wall and you would appreciate having Sundays as a designated "quiet" day. Doesn't mean they can't get on with some stuff but perhaps quieter stuff like painting rather than jack hammering? Good luck, bloody hateful having someone else's building noise all the time.

If the work needs doing, then it needs to be done, preferable ASAP. All houses need renovating, and the amount it needs depends on how much was done in the past. Its not like they are playing music super loud or having midnight parties.

If their only free time is Sundays, then they don't have much choice. Be comforted in the fact that it won't last forever. And remember if your house has any building work done, it will be just as noisy.

If they're knocking walls down then perhaps they're taking a chimney breat out too - in which case they should have issued a notice under the Party Wall Act.

The hours of work don't seem unreasonable for a Sat but unacceptably early start for a sun.

When we carried out noisy work we always told our neighbours beforehand and took them a bottle of wine.

Tread carefully - you don't want to fall out with your neighbours!

You have all my sympathy. I have had six months of noise from my neighbours builders (weekends and I work from home) plus rubbish dumped in my garden, plaster knocked off my walls and no attempt to bide by the party wall act. I understand people have to do work on their property but it is also up to them to apologise and see what they can do to minimise inconvenience to their future neighbours. I don't buy into the "don't complain you've got to live next to them argument" . They have to accept they have to live next to you and the best approach would be for them to keep the lines of communication open.

I suggest you mention how hard it is to get your baby to have a nap etc. if they have not lived in the property they may not know how much structural sounds travels. It is perfectly reasonable for you to enquire how much longer you will have to put up with this.

I hope it does not drag on too long for you. If all else fails would the 3 year old like a drum kit for Xmas?

I hate complaining neighbours. I never complain about mine even if they are annoying. I'm of the live and let live brigade and prioritised buying detached

YABU.

Maybe the owners are doing the brunt of the work themselves, but have full time jobs, so weekends are the only option (aside form late week evenings)

Plus, you say you are happy for them to do the work during the week, but baby can't nap at the weekends because of it....are you at home with the baby during the week? This wouldn't improve that.

You should be glad that you have (1) neighbours who own their home and are prepared to invest in it (2) neighbours who are decent enough to work during daylight hours only, and not affect your evenings and nights

I live in a terrace. It's par for the course that noise from either side (and above/below if in a flat) can be heard.

Don't think I've explained things very clearly - builders are in all week (every day, all day) so about 45 - 50 hours of work is getting done during the week. On top of this, they are coming in at weekends and working all day both days. In other words, 7 days per week.

Agree noise is par for the course in a terrace but I still think this is a bit inconsiderate. We've done building work in a previous property that needed a complete refurb (was a wreck) and never had work done at weekends - even though we were desperate to move in due to finances.

But, I asked if I was BU and the consensus appears to be that I am so will leave it for now and see how things go over the coming months.

our neighbours had a massive extension built over summer, it was hell but i didn't complain as when builders were not there they had other jobs to do to finish, however i did have a few words with the builder who lifted up the fence and wandered into my garden to get a bit more room. i was in my pj's in the conservatory!

I would go and pleasantly ask them how things are going, try to get the conversation round to how long they think it will take and then go from there. If they say, should be finished next weekend, great, problem solved. If they say, another 6 months, then you'll have to negotiate some quiet times. The only danger is if they overreact to your reasonable request. You can see them coming round in the future complaining that your DCs have woken them up at the weekend when they were trying to have a lie in (wouldn't that be a shame .....)

YANBU it's not much fun but it's not forever.

I don't think it would be unreasonable to ask if it was possible for them to do quieter stuff on a Sunday. You certainly don't sound as if you would ask in an aggresive way and they might not realise the noise levels they are causing. They won't want to fall out with you anymore than you will with them unless they are pratts in which case who cares if they take it the wrong way. We had extensive building work done, my neighbour complained a few times but at the same time she understood I had to get the work done. I asked our builders to do the noisier stuff from 9am and not 8am (they were only in Mon-Fri). It was not a big deal but she could see that i had listened to her and done at least a small thing to help. so asking for a quieter Sunday or nap times might work..

If it was just the owners doing it themselves whilst they were home from work then I would say YABU but given it's a team of people in EVERY day I would definitely say something & at least ask them to limit heavy/noisy jobs to the weekdays.

We had this in the summer except it was all week and DP works from home. It was a buy to let situation so the owner lived elsewhere but we did contact her and she talked to the builders. They were a bit snotty with us but they did try hard not to start before 8.30 and not to do too much on a weekend. It is very difficult though, if you have a baby.