To go next door and punchworkmen

[nicslackey]

House next door (semi detached was up for sale and empty for 3 years) has sold but is needing extensive renovation. AIBU to feel irritated at the horrendous noise whilst I can't go out and we are working from home with conferences online etc. Think all day drilling as they strip all the walls, rip out kitchen etc. I know it has to be done. I appreciate the new owner will want to get in asap but ffs. They called in to oversee yesterday and don't know us obviously, I could have a sick child and a wee note to say how long this will take would have been nice in the interests of good future relationships with your neighbours. Quite prepared to concede that I am BU and oversensitive to the noise but it is sooo loud, like they are coming through my bederoom wall and I can't watch tv. It's been a week so far. Is this really needing to be done now or can I go in and punch them (lighthearted obviously)

I sympathise. There's been a mini digger and drills about 12ft from my living room breaking up concrete and digging for 3 days now.

They're allowed to be working though. So nothing I can do.

It's easy to see who bullshitted their tax and now have to work because they are not receiving anything...

What do you gain from making bullshit statements like this?

DH is still working because we need money to pay the bills. He did his tax return recently and got £1500 back in overpaid tax.

If you're recently self-employed (as he is) you qualify for no help from the government. But don't let facts get in the way of your presumptions

Construction work is allowed to continue as long as social distancing is observed. It does sound incredibly irritating OP. I don't think people realise how disruptive building work can be (normally it's not so bad as you'd be away at work the majority of the time). Hopefully it'll be over quickly.

It means mind your business. That’s what it means

If the noise wasn't so bad that it was actually possible to ignore it, you would have a point.

I bet the OP would love nothing more than ignoring what is happening next door, but they don't give her that choice do they....

CtrlU
Wow, where did I say they were breaking lockdown? I said I sympathised with both builders and owner. It is not a non issue for you as I have a banging headache but I totally get that it is a non issue for you unaffected as you are. Good idea about the ear plugs though, I'll just jump on the train to town....oh wait.Did you not get the lighthearted add on. Too subtle for you?

Building works are suspended unless they have a government or nhs letter.

Incorrect. And they are not breaking lockdown (so dramatic!!) if the house is empty either. People have to work to keep a roof over their head. Plenty of people getting work done around here.

We had a plumber around the other day and he said he's just as busy as normal, with people wanting work done.

CtrlU You really don't understand what it must be like being in the house and listening to their noise all day???
Unfortunately OP, there's not much you can do if they do it within reasonable times but I totally sympathise.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel Wed 22-Apr-20 12:41:24 You can punch them as long as your arms are more than 2m long.

It is frustrating OP and likely to go on for some time if they've only just started this week. My neighbour uses some sort of very loud power tool down the side of our houses ALL.DAY.LONG. It's driving me insane and making my conference calls impossible. As long as they are sticking to the required times (I think Mon-Sat 8am-6pm?) then I don't think there is anything that can be done. It would have been nice for your neighbours to speak to you though because they must realise how inconvenient it all is for you and their other neighbour.

I sympathise! DH is trying to teach his class via online video conferencing, I’m trying to call vulnerable families to check in & DD13 has school work to complete - all this whilst out neighbour across the back has decided today is a good day to cut all the slabs he needs for his new path!
Normally I wouldn’t bother quite so much but there is no escape from the noise &, like everyone else, we are stuck at home. I appreciate he may be furloughed, need to keep himself busy for mental health reasons etc but it doesn’t stop me cringing every time the grinder starts I'm half way through a call with a crying parent. 😕

We had a plumber around the other day and he said he's just as busy as normal, with people wanting work done.

but what's the point of social distancing?

I know a plumber, his wife is a nurse and has been redeployed in intensive care dealing with C19 patients. If she does get infected, it's likely he will be too - maybe they already have, hard to know without testing. He is still working and visiting countless private houses every day.
What's the point of social distancing? And I bet none of his clients know where his wife has to spend her shifts and in which conditions.

He wouldn't know how at risks his customers are either.

There was something about "emergency repairs" only, but no one seems to care...

CtrlU

what kind of earplugs are enough to cover building noise AND let you go on conference calls you need to work?

but what's the point of social distancing?

We had a leak that needed repairing, he was more than happy to do the work. Things still need to be done.

Guys, thanks for all the sympathy! I suppose the weather is so nice (and so unusual in this part of the country) and it would be lovely to maybe sit or potter in the garden and I just wanted a wee moan. Most of you understand that I understand the situation is unavoidable but needed to vent. CtrlU on the other hand seems to be spoiling for a fight and a rather angry person. Each to their own of course. Sympathy back to those of you with similar issues!! Have a great day. Sorry I don't know how to put those wee flowers etc on!!

@oneandtwenty

I’m not sure why you keep responding to me when I’m responding to the OP but since you are so clued you and obviously are here to offer advice - you look online and tell OP what earplugs do that

Total sympathies OP. We had 4 months of the next door flat renovating, then once they finished we had 3 weeks quiet before the flat downstairs started renovating - totally gutting the flat, knocking down walls, digging up the floor etc.

The noise was horrendous. They had signs up saying it would last 3 months and they wouldn't work Saturdays. The neighbours all went spare when they worked so loudly one Saturday that we couldn't hear ourselves talking to each other INSIDE OUR FLAT.

Then lockdown and they stopped working. But they started up again yesterday and my god the noise.

Oh OP.....O sooooo sympathise.....I live in a Victorian terrace where people are ALWAYS doing extensive renovations.

My new neighbours have been doing daily building work since OCTOBER ...It is horrendous.
No escape from it.
My brother lives in an area of London where people dig out underground rooms for cinemas &c and his house {semi detached} was rocked to the foundations by noise and vibration.

It is ghastly. Building work is so invasive to the neighbours...Another neighbour had that white tarpaulin covering scaffolding that sounded like a ship in a gale all Winter...

The owners of the houses move out....and are oblivious to the racket.

Could you speak with the builders and try and negotiate times around conference calls and drilling? Or are you in meetings all day ?

I am listening to my neighbours radio this morning as she likes everyone else to hear it with her

CtrlU
you are on a public forum mate, why wouldn't I reply to you?

PhilCornwall1
repairing a leak is necessary. Most work is not though, that's the point.

Op i do feel sorry for you just make sure they are keeping to the hours they are allowed to in regard to working in built up area with neighbours.

To the people who are saying this isn’t allowed then please read the government guidelines again as this is allowed! All building work is allowed to continue and will not be stopped, letters have actually been sent out thanking the construction trade for their hard work during this time. The world can not just come to a standstill!

It's easy to see who bullshitted their tax and now have to work because they are not receiving anything...

And self employed builders who pay their tax are struggling to pay bills/ buy food until June, when they’ll receive the help.

Even Multi Millionaires suffer. Jimmy Page the old Led Zeppelin guitarist is in legal dispute over his gorgeous ''Tower House'' being damaged by insensitive nearby building work by Robbie Williams's builders.
Both are detached houses, but noise /vibration travels.

The world can not just come to a standstill!

great, but why do think builders have a special status? Are they magically immune or something?