Neighbours extension during lockdown

[snuggie]

Our neighbours, who haven't moved in yet, are building an extension and having a total refit of interior. During this time I can't seem to understand how they think it's acceptable to allow droves of workers to continue the work on the property. The construction people arrive 2/3 per vehicle and up to 4 vehicles are there most of the day. Our other neighbours are giving off but no one feels able to say or do anything. The property is owned by NHS doctor which makes it all the worse.

If you're concerned about the workers talk to their employer. Other than that it's not really your business.

more twats who are so special the rules don't apply to. he's a dr, so what ? still a twat to be letting the work go ahead.

It's not really your neighbours fault. Talk to them/their company.

Plenty of medics have little common sense, the nurses are there to remind them where the decimal point goes half the time

It doesn't make it worse that the property is owned by an NHS doctor. They aren't Gods you know, they have social responsibility like the rest of us.

Report to whoever you think you should report to.

Can their employer claim 80% or are they excluded?

Most builders are self employed. Maybe if the government put support in place for them that would kick in before june they wouldn't feel the need to work now.

I work within construction and a majority of sites have not closed down, and the ones that have closed are about to re open next week.
This includes new builds and refits. Builders have little choice but to continue working as they are not covered with their wages by the government.
One particular site that I know of is for a government council has not closed for even one day!

Building sites and many work places are still open. Work is classed as essential. I think that's stupid but there you go, we are all slaves to capitalism.

My MP had to send out a newsletter reminding people that building work and DIY shouldn't be undertaken at this time due to the impact of noise on everyone particularly those isolating and shielding who can't go for a walk to escape from it.

Your best bet is to contact the doctor and complain about the impact of the building work on your day-to-day life. Also politely remind them that due to their own job they should be aware of the impact on construction workers of Covid-19 as they can't distance to work on their property.

I think it’s a bit of a grey area to be honest. People are still allowed to work if that work cannot be done at home, and the lockdown wasn’t exactly planned for so some work had to continue. We are mid renovation and have stopped for now, but we carried on for the first week or so, just to get the house to a point where stopping for 6 months would be ok to live with. The builders had been with us for weeks by that point and were spending all their time at our house or at home. That said, why don’t you ask them what their plans are re: continuing during lockdown? You might find that they’re just looking to get to a certain point. Most merchants are shut now so getting new materials isn’t possible in most cases

Is there a new law about not doing building work then? I thought construction was okay as long as distancing was observed. Our road is being dug up at the mo. - has been for two weeks. Coronavirus hasn't stood in the way of that, and it is extremely dirty, dusty and noisy.

If you can’t do your job at home, you are allowed to leave the house and do it. The house owner may have no say, if he’s paid them to do the work and they want to carry on, that is their decision. We are having building work done to repair flood damage and had a real fight to stop the builders coming, despite us living in the house. The insurance company threatened that we would have to take the pay out and sort the work out ourselves later, which would have left us out of pocket as the rates they give you to cover the work are incredibly low. Thankfully they backed down in the end but the sub contractor doing the work for the insurers is really angry about it.

The point of most people isolating is partly so that others don’t have too also - loads of building projects are continuing. The government hasn’t said every single business whatever it does has to shut, only certain businesses have been told to shut. Loads of business like manufacturing is still running - and it has too, this is hard enough for the economy to sustain this as it is! A lot of construction is outdoors too. But they should try and ensure spacing etc. And yes people forget that those people who are self employed don’t have the same options as people who are employed.

YABU. They aren’t doing anything wrong here.

My neighbours started their extension last Monday. They're living in the house with their 2 young children while it's being done.

I'm amazed it's allowed.

I've posted on something very similar.
I think there is an issue that noisy building work in normal time is fine and something to be generally tolerated as long as it's legal.
The issue is that we are not in normal times - when you are trapped in a house all day with two small children doing a full time job - surely you have a right to have your mental health protected

Where I live all building work ceased yesterday. On Monday essential building work, which requires a license, is the only building work which is allowed.

Last weekend someone round here had a pneumatic drill going. I can only assume they were preparing a patio

This is allowed so I don't see the issue

I’m working from home
House opposite (unoccupied) is being virtually rebuilt
Lots of workers all appear to be trying to stay 2m apart
The comings and goings relieve my boredom
No news story here

Cousin runs a company providing construction workers at a site in London, it's a government contract but regular buildings (not a Hospital site) and he was told that if they missed even one day on site they would be penalty charges.

Some neighbour has just started to knock down their entire back wall and some small building with it. I didn’t think this would be allowed?