Neighbour problems - renovating. AIBU?

[FunkyChunk]

I would really like some opinions on whether IABU, after an incident today I'm really shaken up and upset.

We bought our first home in March, a complete doer-upper as its all we could afford. It needed gutting, new electrics, plumbing, boiler, staircase you name it.
Our next door neighbours moved in the day after we got our keys, they are renting the other half of our semi-detached.

In the first couple of days, we were working in the house in the evening (around 7pm) when neighbour (lets call him A) knocked and asked us to not work later than 7 as his son goes to bed at 7.30. Fair enough, and we packed up - haven't worked past 5/6pm again.
Looking back now, its a little strange that he knocked as we were only stripping wallpaper (not noisy at all). He also didn't introduce himself or anything, was right into complaining. I was the one who actually stopped him and said "oh, nice to meet you by the way, what's your name?" Etc.

We have had noisy work done since, as is to be expected. We've told neighbours about what we are doing and are apologising every time we see them! DP and I are mostly doing all the work ourselves which means the weekends. We don't do evenings considering the noise we can make at times.
Our other neighbours are lovely, very much "don't worry, do what you need to do" even going as far as offering their drive for us to put a skip on!

Now, A is starting to come around EVERY time we work. Every time we have accommodated his requests as I think we are considerate and would like to keep things friendly. We've previously packed up at 3.30 (after only starting at 12) because he was having family around for dinner, for example.

A couple of weeks ago he collared me while alone in the garden and made me feel so uncomfortable I went inside and cried. Complaining along the lines of "we only have weekends here too, we've had enough" etc.

Today it came to a head. We started to work around 11.30. We realise its Sunday and people would like a lie-in (including us!) so we start late.
DP was screwing plasterboard to the ceiling in the living room. It wasn't actually that loud at all, as it was cushioned by the existing plasterboard and DP has a specific quieter drill that he can use. Its heavy and uncomfortable to use but he does to try and keep the peace! I wouldn't say it was louder than a TV being on.

We had only been going for 20 minutes when A FLEW to the front door and started shouting and swearing.
"I WAS IN BED AT 11.30 AND I CAN HEAR YOU START AGAIN! MY ONLY DAY OFF AND I DON'T GET A LIE IN! YOU'RE SO INCONSIDERATE, YOU'RE TAKING THE PISS!" etc.

He wouldn't let us speak, just swore and shouted and left. I've been feeling sick to the stomach all day.
We've really tried to bend over backwards to be considerate:
Not starting work until 10.30/11 at the earliest.
Packing up by 5ish and no evenings.
Keeping people informed.
We've even gone to the expense of adding thick, insulated plasterboard on each of the party walls to try and soundproof for them.

We haven't actually worked every single weekend. There have been days or even full weekends when we haven't been there at all.

I honestly don't know what more we can do, I'm absolutely gutted about today and don't want to go back really.

Do you think we are BU? What would/have people done in our situation?

He sounds awful. However, where I am the local regs are pretty clear. Noisy work can happen 8-6 on weekdays, 8-1 on Saturday and not at all on a Sunday. As I am in a terrace and both my neighbours have done basement excavations, and I am now in year 3 of this, I do actually insist on those rules being adhered to otherwise my life would have been intolerable.

So you might want to check your local regs.

Noodle, that's interesting thank you.

He did actually shout "you aren't allowed to work on Sundays at all!" at me today. I had wondered if the rule of no "construction" work on Sundays covered DIY.

DP just told me that he needs to bore holes in the walls to put in extractor fans in bathroom/kitchen. Argh!!! Dreading it.

I'll make sure he sticks to the Saturday regs as above just incase.

I would just carry on with the work at this point; you've been reasonable and accommodating, and he's being entitled. Smile politely, but be firm. And mention his barking dog every time he comes over to complain about your work which is taking place during reasonable working hours.

to be honest, you should let yourselves and the neighbours have Sunday off. if i'd been listening to building work all week i would definitely want a day off from it.

as for a previous poster judging the neighbour for having a lie-in...none of anyone's business if he dances in sparkly tights til 3am, let alone wants a bit of a kip.

i agree he does sound like an arse. but, compromise is easier than constantly being on edge.

I would look on your local council website, or contact them and see what your local guidelines are. That way you know what you are going to face if he goes to the council and if you can show you are working within their rules and keep a note of what you do and when it gives you some leverage.

also disbelieving lols at 'remind him he's only renting'. i 'only' rent - i've been here 3 years and if as my neighbour you make lots of noise i am certainly entitled to talk to you about it.

Your neighbour is an idiot. Contact the landlord and explain he is abusive. If he comes around again tell him you will contact the police if his behaviour continues. You don't wish to fall out with your neighbours but you have BOUGHT your home and you need and WILL be doing work to it until it's finished.

OP It's worth mentioning the dogs asap. My neighbour had three dogs, one of whom barked constantly if we so much as opened a window. I could quite cheerfully have murdered it by the time she moved. Using my garden now is blissful!

I hate a dog barking at me more than the sound of construction, personally. Stick to the rules, be considerate but, don't let him bully you.

His dog ought to be under control- what is between you and it when you are at your front door? My neighbours' neighbour was forced to put in an extra barrier to keep their dog away as the hedge and gate weren't sufficient when the dog was flinging itself against them every time they, and even I one door down, opened the front door.

I am shocked that everyone on here is saying that YANBU.

If my neighbour was doing up their house every weekend, especially on a Sunday I would be taking it up with them too.

YABU!

He's a total tit. YANBU. Using a powered screwdriver to put up plaster board isn't a loud job, the loudest bit is the annoying squeek! As you say, no louder than a TV. And I don't think you have any obligation to be quieter on a Sunday; check your council's guidance on sociable hours. Does he expect you to live in a dilapidated house forever so he can have a comfortable lie-in? It was 11:30 for crying out loud!
I have to stop now because I'm actually quite pissed off for you. We are so lucky that there's nobody to complain about our renovation noise. We only have one neighbour and he is deaf.

Obnoxious creep.

Take the advice to log all of his complaints, in fact let him see you whip out a notebook and jot down his objections. Also log, and record if possible, the barking of the dog.

I say this as someone who hates neighbor noise, so I'm hardly prejudiced in your favor: This man is turning your home into a hostile environment - you need to document it and then contact his landlord. Perhaps he needs to rent a detached dwelling if he's so sensitive.

Also, agree with the PP wondering how he lies in till 11:30 if there's a kid who goes to bed at 7:30. Have you seen the child?

The dog is annoying but not currently a huge issue. Was just pointing out that they also make their fair share of noise!
He will bark at their living room window as we come in, so he is contained there. However he jumps up at the fence (low, with trellis so he can see us) in the garden. We will be putting in 6ft fences asap!

lucy presumably you'd be perfectly happy to live next door to any extremely run-down house then, and in turn have the value of your home adversely affected.

Re: the child. I think its his partners son, I'm assuming he goes to his own Dad every other weekend or whatever...

Here is no 'law' on when you can and can't work. There may be local guidelines that may be enforced by your council but there is no council that's going to say you can't work at the weekend. That's when most DIY gets done, FFS.

I'd just crack on. It's unfortunate that he's going to be disturbed but unless he wants all homes to be built then left as museums until they fall down, then he's going to have to put up with some DIY noise.

We've renovated three properties, mostly at weekends, and have never had a peep out of the neighbours. In fact, they've always been really lovely and accommodating because they know if a house gets renovated, it makes the street look nicer.

We've just finished a huge extension and it's taken us a year. All the neighbours came around yesterday for a drink and a good nose

Hello, I would really like to sympathise with your situation. Three years ago our next door neighbours bought the house next door to us, we live rurally so just two semi-detached villas. We both got on great for two years until they complained about my husband's vintage tractor (we have a smallholding) saying 'it puffed out smoke over their washing'. He decided to watch us and record our every move and unfortunately we were so fed up with it all that we had to get the advice of a solicitor. They subsequently put their house up for sale (with no for sale sign outside be cause last time someone wrote 'good riddance' on it).
Fast forward to now.. and out new neighbours have just moved in, it's been like a breath of fresh air.
Your neighbours sound like professional whingers. You must keep a log of everything that goes on and do get the advice of a solicitor. Don't get into any nasty discussions - it doesn't help at all.
Sorry to hear you're having a bad time you must be fed up.

It sounds like you are wishing to do the work in your spare time (evenings and weekends) just at the time when your neighbours are home.

It does sound like he is an obnoxious piece of work, but he may have a point about his leisure time often being disturbed by your continuing DIY work.

Is there any possibility of you doing some of the more noisy jobs during the day during the week, by taking leave days from work?

DIY every weekend would get on my tits. YABU. Spread noisy jobs out during the week.

He does indeed sound like an arse.
I've had noise (on one side) from the owners son who was re-furbishing his parenets house but could only do weekends and evenings. There were some noisy days, drilling at 7am is not how I want to be woken, but it was over quickly. This went on for a year but not full on all day.

Other side had extension/roof done so lots of people, lots of noise but shorter timeframe.

So when I had work done, I wasn't bothered , I'd put up with noise, now my turn.

He should thank his lucky stars you don't get a team of builders in, couple of vans and a truck, skips, cement mixers, noise.
They like to start early but they usually finish pretty early.
And they'd likely tell him to Do One.

I think the weekend guidelines are a good idea.
That aside my neighbours are arses. They told me my bins were unsightly in the front garden (they aren't as they are behind a hedge) wanting to keep the peace I agreed to put them in the back garden. Then it was parking inappropriately (on the street but it spoilt their view of the cul de sac) apparently I can use my allocated spot at the end of the street and carry everything up and down the road. Despite it being legal to park outside my house albeit not in my 'spot'. With that I stopped accomodating them and put my bins back in the front..

I can see both sides tbh.
We have done several houses ourselves and have introduced ourselves to neighbours, given them our project time table, asked for any times they'd like us to avoid or do quieter jobs, and advised them if we have had to move from the plan.
In this sense YABU not to have considered the impact on their lives. I would be approaching you if I was your neighbour.

He is being nasty though, and has handled his complaint completely wrong.
I don't know what you can do now tbh, maybe spread the work out more and take annual leave and work when they are at work.

I'm glad some YABUs have crept in on this page. I was starting to feel like I live on another planet!

If my neighbours did DIY evenings and weekends for THREE MONTHS I would be at the end of my tether too. How much longer do you expect it to take?

I feel very, very sorry for your neighbours. I bet they wish they'd never moved in.

If my neighbour was doing up their house every weekend, especially on a Sunday I would be taking it up with them too.

It's part of living beside someone. Otherwise we'd all live in derelict, unmodernised buildings.