To build extension? Neighbour thinks so

[namechangenelly12]

Last year DH and I bought our dream house. It's a semi, decent sized and on a lovely street. Neighbours all seem lovely. Not moved in yet as it needed completely renovating which we are on with.

After going back and forth for a while, not being sure we could afford it, talking about how lovely it would be we decided that actually we wanted to build an extension on the back to make the kitchen diner into more of a family room, and give us a utility room as well.

We got our plans drawn up and submitted and went to show the neighbours, we'd told them before but wanted to be decent and show them the plans so we could discuss it if they wanted to.

Basically neighbours are not happy at all, as it will spoil their view from their kitchen window. Their view is basically into our garden, which to be fair won't be there anyway as lots of the trees are old and dead and conifers which we hate so after we'd finished the house we were going to completely redo the garden too (once we've saved up again)

Neighbours are very early 60s and have mentioned before to us that they have considered moving to something smaller.

I feel really awful to be honest as they seem lovely people and were really quite upset by it, saying they would be heartbroken etc, and I hate the thought that I've upset them. So I do feel really bad but at the same time I don't want to not do it. It wouldn't be an option to make it smaller, basically any extension we built in that spot would have the same effect, and we can't build an extension anywhere else.

WIBU to still go ahead and build the extension as we have it planned (assuming we get permission), even though I know they would be upset by it?

The house next door to us was changed hands last May. For the entire glorious summer we were treated to a complete renovation project. It’s detatached so it wasn’t through the wall but the noise was constant from about 9am to 9pm, dust covered our windows, laundry etc every day, we were often blocked in by the number of contractors vans parked up on the pavements and so on. There was scafffolding round the house that gave the contractors a full view into our completely enclosed back garden. The new owners lived elsewhere while it happened but we were pretty much stuck with it.. I work from home but most days had to decamp elsewhere, at one point even renting offices by the hour as I couldn’t tele-con from home because of the noise. It was horrific but we sucked it up as it seemed the right and neighbourly thing to do and I feel it’s important to avoid neighbour wars over trivia. The family finally moved in in end November, after 5 months, and we could finally hear ourselves think. A month later we are informed they are building an extension, starting in May. I won’t lie, I cried as well. I don’t give a monkey’s about whether they have an extension or not, but don’t underestimate the impact of the disruption your (necessary and reasonable) work will have had on your neighbours for months. Just when they think it’s over, you tell them there’s more.

I'd build it. 'The right to look into your neighbour's garden' is not a right enshrined in UK law. You're not being U.

YABU, especially so since you haven't even moved in yet.

I am biased as I help people build extensions for a living (architect) but it is common for neighbours to be upset about change and then when they see it done they realise the huge problem that they have built up in their minds isn't anything like what they were envisioning and actually has very little impact on them.
Of course there are people who build horrendous developments and ugly overbearing extensions but these are in the minority and it sounds like the OP has some awareness of her neighbours so is unlikely to be one of these people ( they usually don't give a monkeys about anyone else so wouldn't usually talk to them in the first place)
I always advise to keep neighbours in mind, making an extension as small as possible to achieve what you need. It always tends to keep costs down when people are obsessed with more space but don't think about whether they really want or need it. Also keep neighbours in mind when detailing areas adjacent to their property that will need maintenance in the long term. (Paintwork, gutters, repointjng) pick low maintenance that can ideally be maintained wholly from your property.

I've been on both sides of situations like this, more than once.

Essentially, unless you're lucky enough to have bought a stately home in its own sprawling acres, you're living quite close to each other. Nobody is able to do any building work without it having some sort of impact on the neighbours. The best you can do is be friendly and respectful, maintain good relationships, don't do work late at night, early in the morning or at weekends, and keep them in the loop about timescales.

The best they can do is accept that someone will buy a house that's been left unrenovated and they will want to change it and do building work. It's simply inevitable, I'm afraid. That may mean that some things change, including their view into the OP's garden. What should the OP do - buy the house and just let it fall down so as not to upset the neighbours?

So yes, I think you should go ahead, remaining as friendly as possible but do not be railroaded to an extreme degree by what the neighbours want. Everyone needs to show a degree of give and take but within sensible reason.

Good luck.

You have to do what’s right for you OP. I understand where they are coming from and I’m sympathetic. But they don’t have a right to a view, or a right to stop you doing what’s right for your property.

They will likely object, but they have to have legitimate grounds. You could try and ameliorate the process by asking them what you can do re the design to mitigate the impact on them, but you aren’t obliged to do this or to accept their suggestions.

People often catastrophise these things - they will be imagining it as much worse than it is because nobody really likes change. Once it’s done they will likely realise it’s not nearly as bad as they thought!

'I was taken back by such an emotional response' - thats lacking empathy some what!

Smile and wave and get on with it as quickly as you can.

We've had neighbours block the lane and cause noise with their extensions, annoying but that's life.

We will do our work one day and annoy them.

It would be better not to do it. What do you want us to say? That their enjoyment is valueless? That you shouldn't give shit?

also I think you want it both ways. You went to show them the plans so you could "discuss" it but you must have realised that you were going to upset them. You may have a right to build the utility room but you don't have a right to be liked for doing so.

"I don't understand why you bought the house in the first place if it wasn't big enough"

Sometimes the nonsense I read on here makes my jaw drop in amazement. Do you seriously not have enough imagination to think of any reasons why someone might buy a house that needs some work doing to it?

I think that the very first thing you should do is build a fucking 6' high fence between the houses. This will block them from looking into your garden (who thinks they have a right to someone else's garden ffs?)

Then they can't complain that you are blocking their view of your garden when you build the extension.

Building Control will tell you when/if you are contravening their 'Rights'. It's what they are there for.

As for their 'Emotional response' - they have the right to their emotions, but you have the right to enjoy your OWN HOME and garden!

They aren’t entitled to a view of your garden and the kitchen isn’t classed as a habitable room anyway. So assuming you get permission there’s nothing they can do to stop the extension. They can make your life a misery though. I know someone whose neighbours ganged up on him because of a proposed extension. They made petitions against him and caused so much trouble that despite planning being approved, he’s abandoned his plans and is now selling because he doesn’t want to live next to them any more.

@ilovecherries your situation mirrors mine. Essentially, there is nothing a neighbour can do about it if next door want work done and it is approved, but frankly I couldn't understand why the pains in the ass neighbours couldn't just buy a bigger place in the first place.

In the end as a neighbour you just have to suck it up, but do not mistake what a complete nightmare it is , OP when neighbours decide they want work done. I seriously considered moving, it was so awful.

Extensions, loft conversions are a fact of life.

It isn’t pleasant for the neighbours, but as long as it is legal and approved, that’s what the planning regs are for. There is no point anyone taking it personally and IMO it is a bit unneighbourly to do so.

If they move, the next buyers may we’ll extend the same as you, anyway.

OP you seem so lovely to even be considering the neighbours feelings..you are a better person by far than I am !!! My finances and loyalty lay with me and if I wanted,could afford and was granted permission needed for anything I could do to my home then I bloody well would do it!! I appreciate they don;t like change but they arent paying for it/you so crack on and have a lovely home.Wonder if they would ask you if they were planning the same? Highly doubt it.

If they move, the next buyers may we’ll extend the same as you, anyway.

^^exactly this. Also if you don't get to extend and you decide to sell and move on they might end up with less considerate neighbours who will extend without having the consideration to discuss with them first.

You sound like a considerate neighbour.

It is always difficult when a major building project happens next door and affects your property, even when this is entirely reasonable. It does sound, however, that some obstruction of light to their kitchen window is inevitable so you should check that the angle subtended by the end of your extension to the centre of their window is within the permitted range.

Is there anything you could do to improve the appearance of the wall visible to them - perhaps grow a climber on it?

People don't like change.
Neighbours don't like disruption from renovation or building work.
You have been considerate and warned them of what is to come.
I'm sure you will get it done as fast as you can, and will try to cause as little disruption as possible.
They do not have a right to a view, especially of your garden.
PPs saying you should have purchased a different property clearly are unfamiliar with the 'location, location, location' philosophy.

Do you even need planning persmission if it falls within permitted development?

I would check with your council's planning team. Sorry if you already have.

Go for it - but when you submit yours plans get your architect to include a landscaping plan for the garden inc the fence line where you say you'd take out dead trees etc and replant - it will probably help the planning process but also demonstrate to the neighbours your future plans for the garden which may appease them slightly. Can you draw a simple plan for us showing the neighbours kitchen window in relation to your planned extension?

As Cedilla says. Build, but with consideration. Our builders worked 8.30 to 4.30, two-storey extension but no top-floor windows on the one side which would have looked into neighbour's house. We also adjusted the position of a new garage so that a tree they loved (which was in our garden!) would not be damaged. Neighbour thanked us for being reasonable. After a few years they downsized and moved anyway. New neighbour is planning their own building work and we are being understanding. Talk again to them and make small compromises - noise is the worst so keep to a rigid hourly day, informing them if it needs to extend occasionally.

Oooh yes, diagram showing their kitchen window in relation to the extension please, OP, as PP requested!
MN needs diagrams!

@MoreCheeseDear are you for real!! Everyone should buy a house big enough for their immediate needs and never extend .

And you hope she doesn't put an intrusive window in and she obviously doesn't give a fuck! Where did that come from?

But is ok for neighbours to nose into her garden which would be stopped thankfully by the extension.

You are totally unreasonable and I suggest you move to a property without any close neighbours!

@namechangenelly12, to be honest your neighbours are being totally unreasonable and it's your home, to extend, improve and make your own (subject to PP). So if they feel that strongly about noise or views, then I suggest that they move.

You've got to stand firm on this, you will massively regret it if you downsize or limit the extension.

You're property will increase in value when you've extended and the most you can do in one project the better.

Good luck and try to not allow emotional blackmail to stop you! Also tell your neighbours you don't like them nosing in your garden!

I think they will get over it after a while (or they might choose to move away sooner than planned). My neighbour had an extension built a couple of years ago, we are in terraced houses with narrow gardens. It does mean my kitchen now looks onto a brick wall (as the extension is higher than the previous fence was) and it does seem to make my kitchen darker. BUT, I only ever look out of that window when I'm washing up or waiting for the kettle to boil really, so it doesn't actually matter.

The works for hers caused a huge amount of disruption to me partly because her builders put the skip right outside my house (on the road, we have tiny front gardens) and partly from all the noise and the huge amount of dust that came over to my garden. Mine was pretty much not usable at all for about 4 months that spring and I missed the whole growing season as a result.

It's part of living near neighbours of course and couldn't be helped... but if you go ahead, try your best to be as considerate as possible if you want to maintain neighbourly relations.