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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Constant fucking drilling

26 replies

VelvetSpoon · 25/03/2019 09:47

I live in a semi detached house. New neighbours moved in last month. Seemed fairly quiet until the last few days.

On Saturday they started drilling. At 7am. It woke me and my sons up and continued until 1pm. Yesterday they were tapping/ hammering for 3+ hours. Today they started drilling at 9am.

The noise is incredibly loud. I am 3 rooms away from the adjoining wall and can hear it clearly, over my tv (unless I turn it up to full volume). My son's bed is on the adjoining wall...on Saturday it was literally vibrating.

I am off work today but due to work from home tomorrow. I have several conference calls scheduled and am concerned how I'll manage with this noise going on - aibu to think its a bit much? I'm not even sure what they're doing as the house was fully refurbished before it was sold!

OP posts:
lmusic87 · 25/03/2019 09:53

I would look up your councils policy on building work, then go round there and ask them their plans.

NewIdeasToday · 25/03/2019 09:53

I can why this is annoying but it’s just life. You can’t tell the neighbours that they can’t do up their house as you think it’s fully refurbished already.

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 25/03/2019 09:58

My issues are the volume and duration. Honestly what can they be doing that means drilling a wall for 5 hours?! And it's so loud. I am as far away from it as possible (3 rooms separating me) and I can hear it clearly.

I will see what I can find re council. Neighbours are not from UK and I dont want to fall out with them as the ones on the other side are complete tossers. But I can't work through noise like this.

OP posts:
SummersOnMars · 25/03/2019 10:26

Early in the morning/late at night is not OK but otherwise not much you can do really other than sick it up. Ultimately it'll be short-term.

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 25/03/2019 10:29

I think starting at 7am on a Sat is too early. I dont know how I will manage to work through it tomorrow. Its been almost non stop for 90 mins now.

OP posts:
SummersOnMars · 25/03/2019 10:36

Yes 100% 7am on a Saturday is a piss-take. I would have a word with them, let them no that it very loud in your place and that 7am is too early. Also find out how long it will go on for and perhaps you can arrange to work somewhere else in the short-term?

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 25/03/2019 13:47

It's still going (albeit the drilling did stop for 2 hours to be replaced by hammering).

I have special permission tp wfh tomorrow so I can complete a specific task I cant do on work systems. However part of that is I'm meant to make sure I have somewhere quiet to work and take calls! Not a bloody building site.

OP posts:
wink1970 · 25/03/2019 14:31

Usually there is a restriction on building site noise set by the local council (ours is 8am weekdays, 9am weekends). They may not know this, especially if they are from a country that doesn't have such restrictions, so why don't you pop round & politely tell them, then report them if they persist outside of the hours.

It's miserable living next to houses being renovated, so try to control / influence it in a friendly way if you can. If you know the project timescales that will help your sanity whilst it's going on.

JacquesHammer · 25/03/2019 14:34

7am on a Saturday is ridiculous and you wouldn’t be unreasonable to complain about that.

Work during the day is part of life I’m afraid.

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 25/03/2019 14:38

The house has already been renovated that's what I don't get...it was all done 3 months ago before it was sold - completely rewired, replastered etc. Honestly what on earth can they be doing that requires 12 hours of drilling?!

I've no idea how I will manage tomorrow when I need to work. It will be impossible to do any of my scheduled calls.

OP posts:
Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 25/03/2019 14:43

Our local council dont have any real method of reporting noise disturbance. You have to keep a log for a month and then they decide if they will investigate! Useless.

OP posts:
TixieLix · 25/03/2019 14:53

Maybe the new neighbours are remodelling it - making a through lounge or something? Just because it has been renovated, doesn't mean they can't change it if they'd prefer it some way else.

I sympathise with the trying to work from home business. I WFH too and funnily enough my own NDNs are doing some DIY today, but not drilling thankfully. Truth is though that it's not the NDNs problem that you work from home and they can't be expected not to do work on their house for that reason. They should start and finish at a reasonable hour though.

I think in the first instance you need to pop round and see if you can find out what their plans are and how long the work will be ongoing. Explain that you WFH occasionally and that loud noise will be quite disrupting for you.

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 25/03/2019 14:58

It's already a through lounge. The drilling seems to be on the adjoining wall judging by the fact the wall is shaking but I'm pretty sure that (like in this house) the chimney breasts had already been removed too so can't be that either.

I suppose I'll have to try and speak to them but having dealt with my horrendously rude and aggressive other neighbours in the past I'm cautious about any interactions.

OP posts:
JacquesHammer · 25/03/2019 15:04

Realistically don’t expect much. If they’re paying for work, workmen aren’t going to factor in leaving breaks for the neighbour to WFH.

Can you work in the room further from the noise? Muffle doors with blankets?

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 25/03/2019 15:12

I've not seen any workmen so I assume it's the people living there doing the work. Which is confusing as we thought they were renting (apparently not). Unfortunately the PCs are in the rooms nearest the noise. I can move for calls but not ideal if I need to check info on the screen too. Plus you can still hear it even with the doors shut. I will have to hope they finish by tomorrow.

OP posts:
CoodleMoodle · 25/03/2019 15:20

No advice I'm afraid OP but I understand your pain. We live in an end of terrace and our neighbours drill and hammer all day at the weekend, and all evening during the week. They were drilling into the walls between us at nearly 10pm the other night! Thankfully they don't wake the kids but it's still annoying. Just praying they'll be finished sooner rather than later... Hope you get it sorted soon.

Gotthetshirt23 · 25/03/2019 15:36

Setting up a cannabis factory

madcatladyforever · 25/03/2019 15:38

It's much too early in the morning. My neighbour has been renovating his house for three years as it was derelict and never starts before midday on a weekend.
I'd rather he renovated it as it was falling down taking my house with it before.

CloudPop · 25/03/2019 15:44

Nightmare. You have my sympathies, sorry can't offer any advice

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 26/03/2019 10:06

Started again this morning at 7.30 briefly, then again at 7.45, then full on since 8.15.

My younger DS should be doing college work (it's his final year) but is in bed with a migraine (his room is closest to the noise).

I really don't get what on earth requires 3 days of continuous drilling. I've done large scale renovations (much bigger than anything they can be doing next door) and it's never made anywhere near this much noise.

I looked again on the council website which says that actually there are only noise restrictions on building sites...in domestic houses apparently you can make noise any time you want. Fantastic (not!)

OP posts:
WeeDangerousSpike · 26/03/2019 10:15

It sounds like they are chasing in cables. My neighbours did the same when they first moved in. Good God it was horrific. You have my sympathy.

I was off work with flu (actual flu) and my parents came to check on me during the day. We couldnt have a conversation over the noise, they took me back to their house until I was well again. I've never felt so helpless.

I would try to be brave, and talk to them calmly. Try and find out when they plan to do it and if there's a chance of them doing something quieter around the time of your conference call(s). I expect they don't realise how loud it is for you, but they might just not care.

Failing that can you go somewhere else to wfh?

megrichardson · 26/03/2019 10:25

It is very rude of them not to have warned/consulted you. Depending on what they're doing they might even have needed to have a party wall agreement with you. You need to call round and ask them all about this - what is being done and how long it will last. And yes, they seem to be breaching council regulations about times you can start/finish work.

Sicario · 26/03/2019 10:29

I think you do need to go knock on the door and speak to them. The last lot of renovations by my neighbours completely did my head in. You might have to go and work in a cafe or something unless you can come to an agreement about keeping the noise to certain hours.

anniehm · 26/03/2019 10:30

Between 8&6 on weekdays is fair game unfortunately. When we had our new flooring installed they were screwing for 3 days solid - with electric screwdrivers which sound like drills.

urbandruid · 01/08/2023 12:28

We have drilling and banging. sounds like an angle grinder. Every day for fucking years. they bang late at night, ect. its finding out which flat its coming from too. WTF are they doing DIY everyday for years. are they being tossers, have OCD or running a damn furniture business in there.