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AIBU?

Is our neighbour being unreasonable?

82 replies

busyboysmum · 01/04/2016 14:57

Dh is a landscape gardener and yesterday came home with a load of trees for our log burner.

He needs to chainsaw them up. He did some yesterday between 4pm - 6pm and came home early today to try to get the rest done so started around 2pm.

Our neighbour has just been round to tell him to stop as the noise is driving her and her son who is 17 mad. So he said no problem and stopped.

But now we are unsure how to chop them up so there's a massive pile of trees on our front drive.

I think she's being unreasonable. If there was any time she was out he could do it then but she doesn't seem to work and only leaves the house to take their dog out for a wee in the back garden.

Thing is the noise didn't bother me and dh was sawing it right next to the kitchen down the side of our house. She is on the other side so I can't see how she's got so wound up about it.

Is she being unreasonable or are we? And how can we chop up the rest of the wood? Are electric saws quieter as we could buy one of those if so?

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GrumpyOldBag · 01/04/2016 17:58

You should try and stay on good terms with your neighbour, even if she is a bit difficult.

As others have suggested - have a friendly word and say you do need to saw the logs up at some point, you are aware it is noisy and would expect it to take about xx hours in all, as you'd like to minimise the disturbance what would be the best time for you to do it from her point of view.

And maybe offer her a few logs too, if they've got a fire.

busyboysmum · 01/04/2016 18:40

Well dh has just had a word with her dh and told him he won't be using the chainsaw again. The dh said he didn't have a problem with it but she was going on and on about it. We just want to keep things amicable.

I'm not getting involved. Never speak to her as she's not very friendly. I am on good chatting terms with most of the people down our road but you can't get on with everyone can you?

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OliviaBenson · 01/04/2016 18:56

WHAT? Your DH has said he won't use it again? Why on earth would he say that? She'll think she can ask you to stop anything now.

busyboysmum · 01/04/2016 19:23

I know. What can you do? I nearly ended up arguing with him about it. I thought the suggestions on here to ask her what time would suit and keep it to an hour were perfectly reasonable and sensible. However he'd already had his chat with the bloke next door. Honestly life's too short.

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Andrewofgg · 01/04/2016 19:33

Your DH is too nice for his own good!

fiverabbits · 01/04/2016 19:34

So what are you going to do with the logs ?

busyboysmum · 01/04/2016 20:40

Ha ha. No idea.

Yes he is much nicer than me 😈

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carthorsespullcarts · 01/04/2016 20:49

Go round with some ear defenders for the son although most 17 year olds seem to prefer Beats and let her know there will be chain saw noise from x time for 2 hours.
Ridiculous to complain about day time garden machinery.

SquidgeyMidgey · 01/04/2016 20:54

We burn wood and in fairness to her it sends me round the bend when my own DH is chainsawing, it's an awful noise. However, your DH was perfectly entitled to be doing it at those times of day. Since her DH seems reasonable, and you don't want to cause a barney, could you ask him when she will be out and do it then?

PhoenixReisling · 01/04/2016 21:02

Ermmm so your DH has given this women carte Blanche that anytime, she is inconvenienced by noise etc, she will complain and then you will stop.....feck that YWNBU!

I would write a not passive, but will save face saying, that you will be using the chain saw between X and y. If she complains bitches again....nod and smile

PhoenixReisling · 01/04/2016 21:03

Write a note!

whois · 01/04/2016 22:34

Put a note through her door saying 'we will be sawing up the trees between 4-6 again today. They have to be finished by the weekend. Apologies for the noise.'

This. Just tell her when you're going to be doing it so she can go out if she wants/needs. And get it done in one session so it's over and done.

DoreenLethal · 01/04/2016 22:39

He might well not use the chainsaw but it doesnt stop you doing it.

busyboysmum · 01/04/2016 22:41

I like your faith in my dexterity Doreen. i want to go to Portugal with all digits still attached so might give that a miss

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BarbarianMum · 01/04/2016 22:48

Laughing at all the people saying "oh axes won't work". That's right folks, before the advent on the chainsaw mankind only burnt whole trees.

Maybe next time your dh could log up at the work site?

I can think of several reasons why chainsaws are better than axes btw, but that's not the same as saying that they are the only option.

MiniLop · 01/04/2016 22:57

Barbarian no, before chainsaws were invented, people used manual saws. Not axes.

JapaneseSlipper · 01/04/2016 23:00

'Laughing at all the people saying "oh axes won't work".'

I'm laughing at the fact that the poster saying "use an axe!" has gone so quiet.

usernameisalreadyinuse · 01/04/2016 23:25

As long as you're not doing it during unsociable hours and for long periods of time then I can't see that there's anything for her to complain about. I would just pop a note through her door saying we are doing x, y and z until it is done. As long as you notify her then surely she can't make any official complaint that will stand? My dad has a log splitter, they are much quieter but you definitely shouldn't be wasting your money on one when you already have perfectly good tools for the job. Tell your neighbour she can buy you one if she that bothered.

Lighteningirll · 02/04/2016 05:48

Barbarian before the chainsaw we had men who spent all day chopping wood, whose profession was wood cutter. My dh is built like a Greek god strong, as an ox and he wouldn't chop a whole pile of logs! I say wouldn't because he could if he had too but it would take a month of chopping eight hours a days it's a tad naive to suggest an axe as a viable modern alternative to a chainsaw.

Ditsy4 · 02/04/2016 06:49

The image of yourDH chopping large trees with an axe made me LOL. He'd be there for weeks if he could even get through it. My DH chainsaws given trees too. No one complains but I do live in the country where chainsaws and tractors are valued when a tree blows down and blocks the road so those that work outside the village can get to work and the school kids can get in.

I would pop around and say you realise the noise had been annoying the other day( perhaps she had a migraine) but your husband needs to get this job done before you go away. Give her two or three times to chose from. Then she has the option to go out. If she then complains just say well I'm afraid it needs doing and leave. As long as it isn't prolonged. I would say an hour to one and a half hours would be long enough. Good luck with it.

Herewegoagainfolks · 02/04/2016 07:22

I would assume the 17 yo might be studying for his exams so the noise might indeed be distracting.

You are going to have to do something gcsith the logs - just agree a convenient time.

limitedperiodonly · 02/04/2016 07:33

I'm enjoying this thread with all this talk of chainsaws and Greek godlike men making fire.

We've only got a boiler and gas central heating but after reading this, I'm going to make DH put on a lumberjack shirt every time he flicks the switch.

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MyLlamasGoneBananas · 02/04/2016 07:58

Leave the trees on the drive whilst yo go away. That will probably piss her off too. Then pop a passive aggressive note through the door upon your return asking when they are going on holiday.You will wait until then to chainsaw them and the new batch of 500 pine trees being delivered on your driveway and front lawn next week

Noise is annoying and yes we need to be considerate to our neighbours. I have 2 jack Russells living at the back of of my house that endlessly bark whilst in their garden and recently for hours at a time when left in the house alone, with a few windows open. It's regular and for prolonged periods. I am considering popping over to ask them if they realise their dogs bark when slone and how loud they are in the garden barking at 7am on a Sunday. On the other hand Karcher Power Washer Man lives next door - every Saturday afternoon he power washes all 4 of his family's cars and his driveway and the gutter and the pavement outside his house. I am aware of it but know it's just an hour or so on a Saturday and at least he keeps his cars and drive clean. Unless you live in the middle of nowhere then most of us have neighbours that will make some noise as they go about their lives. Your neighbour is being v unreasonable.

DoreenLethal · 02/04/2016 08:54

I like your faith in my dexterity Doreen. i want to go to Portugal with all digits still attached so might give that a miss

I would suggest doing it properly and safely then, but I can see you think that chainsawing is not for women as we have no spatial awareness or something. I have two chainsaws, and still manage to go on holiday.

busyboysmum · 02/04/2016 09:00

No not all women. Just me. I know my limitations and trust me chainsawing is not for me. 😊

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