What to do about next door’s building work

[FortunesFavour]

Hi Mumsnet

I have a dilemma and would welcome your thoughts on what you would do.

Last year a new neighbour moved in next door and gave us notice of extensive building works to remodel his house. We are in a 3 story Victorian terrace and share a party wall. He has bought whole house next door, our house is divided into 3 flats with me and partner in middle flat.

Fair enough - new homeowner want to do work on their house, we understand and will tolerate any disruption under normal circs. We signed party wall agreement etc. All amicable.

Now here’s the problem - the timing! Partner and I are both wfh full time til Sept. no choice - both of our offices closed til then due to Covid/non essential travel. Lots of TEAMS meetings and teleconferences. DP is working from bedroom, I’m in lounge in our 1 bed flat. Not ideal but we’ve been managing. (No kids, I have no idea how parents wfh have been able to cope, I am lost in admiration for them!).

Anyway, NDN’s builders started work yesterday. Scaffolding up, 6 builders, angle grinders, cement mixers, internal wall demolition, the lot. The noise is unbearable. I had to drop 2 calls yesterday where there were 15+ attendees because the drilling noise was drowning me out and so loud it was unpleasant for other down the phone line. This will go on for around 4 months.

Sigh. WWYD? On the one hand I like new neighbour, don’t want to fall out and don’t want to be unnecessarily obstructive. I understand he wants to do up new house, I’d feel the same. Plus the noisy builders are all nice, friendly etc and just doing their job - impossible to be quiet really. I’m pleased they’re back at work, needs to happen, I support that.

But but but, the bloody noise!! Aargh!! It’s only been 2 days, but since they’re right next door with shared party wall and the flat is shaking with each hammer blow and ringing with drilling, radio and chirpy builders banter (quite like that last part).

Wouldn’t matter if we were at work of course, but we can’t go to office (both companies confirmed offices closed til 1 Sept earliest). We have to work and just can’t with this level of noise.

Don’t know what to do. I don’t think we’re unreasonable to want to be able to continue our jobs - bottom line is full time wfh or no job. But he’s not unreasonable either in his building either really, aargh.

How would you approach this wise mumsnetters?

Thanks

No advice but I expect to be in the same position in sept when next door start demolishing their garage and rebuilding 4 ft from my desk. I will be delivering live lectures and have no idea how I will manage.

Ear plugs or headphones would be my suggestion.

You've had some great ideas, but in the meantime, could you move your office space to a room that isn't adjoining to next door? It probably won't help loads, but it might be good enough until you can come up with a better solution.

Escape to a quiet coffee shop for meetings?
One of my former fellow students had to do this for Zoom meetings.
So sorry!

We’ve had building work next door since Feb. Prior to lockdown we were working in offices so no probs. Apart from 4K of damage to my car due to the builders blocking their own access so a delivery drove down the side of my car.

Since lockdown we’ve been blocked in daily (there’s ample on road parking but the precious darling can’t seem to walk more than three steps). Our access to the back has been constantly blocked with materials and equipment, they’ve not cleaned up after themselves leaving nails on our drive and access (new tyre anyone).

Our neighbours also haven’t lived there throughout any of this so have a lovely new house with none of the pain.

We’ve asked them not to work weekends so we can have some peace and quiet.

We've just had 5 months of building works next door, with them starting at around 7am (even on weekends, when on one occasion it was 6am!) with loud conversations and van doors slamming.

Was really pleased when the last skip was collected and lots of sweeping up was observed. And then the house over the back of our garden started removing trees and screening and then arrived the NOISIEST FUCKING SCAFFOLDERS I have ever heard IN MY LIFE!!!!

So, here we go again! Happy summer.

OP you mentioned that you are one of 3 flats. Are your flat neighbours also wfh? If they are have you spoken to them to ask how they are handling it?

May be worth doing that before speaking with renovation neighbour who may get annoyed about receiving 3 different phone calls about the same issue. If all the flats are struggling then maybe only one should phone on behalf of everyone.

Also your flat neighbours may have good suggestions on what is working for them which you could also try

Oh that is a really tricky situation. Clearly you can't work there. Could you and your partner take leave while you isolate and then safely move in with your mum? I bet she would love the company? Maybe do some jobs/house improves for her in the eves too?

we have some software we use for work, cuts out external noise, ie anytihng other than your voice. I think. I havent really put it to the test.

I cannot locate it! But there are several of these apps about, which will cut out the other noises so you can do your teams meetings.

Plus yu may find the really noisy stuff is not that long.

Ask them nicely if they can tell you when the quiet times will be so you can schedule your calls, then they might give you a long dinner break every day of no loud noises?

You sound lovely, and very kind to try and keep things friendly. I’m sorry it’s so loud, must be awful. When we gutted our apartment to start again, we realised there was a uni student studying in their parents place next door during the day. We asked if they needed a work space, and we worked it out so we loaded a nice chunk on a Starbucks gift card each week for food/drink for him. As things open up, that may be a good lower cost alternative for the NDN than renting a whole new space. Just pick somewhere you can put up with the food/drink for a while, and does gift cards. I think he got sick of Starbucks about two months in and didn’t want to tell us. Also, if your NDN office is open and they’re relatively senior - maybe they could work it out so you could work there?

Swap houses with your Mum for a few weeks? Change of scene for you all? Would be an instant and safe solution!

Could you ask a local business that's suffering eg pub, cafe if you can use a room for a small fee? I'm sure they'd welcome the cash too

No useful suggestions but I love your positive cooperative attitude. I hope it pays off with the new neighbour when you have a chat.

So much sympathy OP. We had to have some essential roof repairs over the last 3 weeks. Our builders are polite and quiet, but the hammering etc. Has driven me mad. They are finished now. Thank goodness.

You seem like a nice person. I hope you get it sorted.

Like others have said, the really loud work shouldn't last more than a couple of weeks. But definitely ring your neighbour to get a timeframe while the work is going on so they can hear for themselves how disruptive it is during a call! Once it's lowered to general building levels, I can recommend these noise cancelling headphones. They've saved my sanity during lockdown! They also review better than the much more expensive Bose ones.

Do you know anyone with a caravan?

A few people have used this as an office base.

We have the same builders noise man next door talking/shouting loudly with them radio and bad singing. DH and I are working from home as are two teens. I have a headache most days now and worried I will flip out at them soon.

Also DD year 10 has dyslexia and the work is closest to her bedroom have said she can use our bedroom or front room but she likes her own space but is really struggling to concentrate.

@Splattherat

We have the same builders noise man next door talking/shouting loudly with them radio and bad singing. DH and I are working from home as are two teens. I have a headache most days now and worried I will flip out at them soon.

Ask them to turn the radio down. When our neighbours had their loft conversion done the builders put the radio on the scaffolding and turned it up to Ibiza club level while I was trying to work. I made it clear to the neighbour that unless they kept the volume lowered I'd contact building control because one of the caveats of being granted planning permission is that noise has to be reasonable. It worked.

Can you get your wifi from your car for these mega conference calls ? assuming its any quieter in the car?

Thanks Longwhiskers14 I didn’t know about that. Fortunately they seem to have been rained off today but I have booked annual leave.

Ah I sympathise OP - we've been having our roof done and the constant banging is driving me nuts! Fortunately the houses either side of us are empty!

What has helped:

• listening to music / wave sounds while working
• a close microphone should help - they use these in call centres
• noise-cancelling software - there are a couple out there but htere is one called "Krisp" that has a free version where you get a couple of hours each week so you could try it out

Morning All

The builders started up again at 8.00am but I am heartened that I have some decent suggestions to raise to NDN in a spirit of co-operation! Also the nice replies on here are cheering me up so thanks.

To answer a couple of questions above....my downstairs and upstairs neighbours are away for the duration - downstairs works overseas and comes back for the weekend from time to time. Upstairs has been staying with her mum in the Midlands since before lockdown. Upstairs neighbour has kindly offered us her kitchen table to work while she’s away, which will give us a bit more space. Still as noisy but baby steps!

As well as the practical suggestions here that I can make to neighbour, there are also some other corking suggestions for other steps I can take. A pp suggested, there are some calls less confidential that I could maybe take in the park. Also looking into local businesses who I could maybe help out in tough times by using their empty space. Or a caravan! I do have a friend with a caravan...it’s in Cornwall mind you but I’m not ruling it out!

A pp suggested a house swap with my mum. That’s a lovely idea, and she’d be up for it. I daren’t though - it’s not so much putting her in the firing line for the building noise, but she’s pathologically friendly and would make it her mission to make friends with neighbours. I worry she might pick up the virus quicker than you can say PUT YOUR MASK ON WOMAN!! (Love my mum, she’s a legend, but she’s v friendly, loves a chat and is a bit forgetful - she’s managed to abide by the rules ok at her house, but uprooting her here would be a recipe for disaster!).

Feeling more positive today because I have the inklings of a plan to helpfully suggest to NDN on Monday (involving checking the schedule, working with builders to plan when quiet times for calls etc will be, and maybe renting somewhere for a few weeks if it’s going to be very bad....many of the suggestions from you lot in fact. Vipers my arse!!).

Will let you know how I get on X

I'd consider quarantining for 2 weeks and then moving to your mum's and shielding/isolating there to remove the risk to her. Best of luck.

A friend of mine is renting a yoga studio to work in, as they're not allowed to open and need the income.

I would ask the neighbour to help you out with the cost. You've signed his party wall agreement, he owes you a bit of quid pro quo.