A head's up would have been nice.

[SoleLavender]

So I've just been woken up to a hell of a lot of noise. Someone setting up a ladder and banging on the roof with music blaring from a work van. The sawing and hammering sounds like it's right in the ceiling above me 🤬

My next door neighbour (semi-detached), is having some work done his roof (I assume).

AIBU to think that the polite thing to do would be to at least give me the heads up that someone was coming at all?

'Better type of Trades'- e.g, more conscientious.
One family were away all Summer, and their house backed on to ours...Their 'builders' blared a radio, were looking their phones most of the time, and built and dismantled the same wall three times...

I think it considerate to tell neighbours about building work for all sorts of reasons. Shift work, working from home, children or pets who might be stressed by the noise (also you might want to keep pets or children indoors if they might get in the way and hurt)

We've had some really nice workmen and builders around over the years and some who have been a bit of a challenge, but overall it's been ok. I think there are more good ones than bad. I think that sometimes they do forget that you have to live around other people though. Time is money to a lot of them and they don't have to live with the neighbours after they have gone!
There's a lot of skill involved in building which goes unnoticed too. It's a shame the bad ones ruin it for the good ones that do want to go a good job for people and are reliable.

I would always tell my neighbours and they would always tell me. It's just normal courtesy.

9am isn't an early start though.

Had no idea the flat directly below mine was having work done on it until they started at 6am one day. Yesterday they turned our water off without telling us.
YANBU - I work nights and they start before I even finish!

Yes, of course they should have told you being as your houses are actually joined together.

Obviously they didn't have to, but it's rude that they haven't.

I don't agree with having music/radio playing out loud. They could either work in silence or wear headphones. Maybe some music for an hour per day but not the whole day. Music/radio all day would be okay in a rural area with no neighbours.

I always tell my neighbours (terrace) if I'm having any work done. Likewise they always tell me.

We are neighbourly: characteristic of a good neighbour, especially in being helpful, friendly, or kind.

If I lived in a property that was attached to another, I would definitely mention it an adjoining neighbour.

I totally agree. You’re getting positive responses! I posted about a year ago as was in similar position (under different username as I’ve just changed it now to start a thread on something sensitive). I got horrendous replies. I was heavily pregnant at the time and very ill with HG and the work started at 8am Saturday. People were calling me “entitled”, “hard work” and “who the hell do you think you are”. Just to point out they knocked on my door at 8am as they wanted me to let them into my garden as they needed access. So no you are not being unreasonable it’s the neighbourly thing to do to give a heads up

What would you have done if they had given you the heads up? Slept elsewhere?

I would have told you in advance. I think it's the polite thing to do - especially for a semi-detached buiilding and noisy work. I appear to be in the minority though.

It would have been nice yeah, but not everyone thinks that way. The builders are at the house next door to me at the moment. They start at 7.. but they arrive about 20 to and stand shouting between the two vans while they eat their breakfast

Check council web site, most have rules that building (not DIY) work can only be done 08:30-17:00 Monday to Friday and 08:30-12:00 Saturday, no work Sunday or bank holidays. I know usually by the time you report it and the council inspectors come round the work has finished but it helps if a particular neighbour is prone to this inconsiderate behaviour, they will be warned by counicl not to let it happen again

The time isn't unreasonable but it's quite a shock to have people banging about on your roof. Common courtesy to warn neighbours......

I wouldn't be so bothered about the banging and work noise but the music would piss me off.

I do think that in 'normal' times it's not as bad, but when people are stuck at home more it's horrendous.

Yes it definitely would have been polite to give you advance warning and an estimate of duration.

The loud music is such a pain. Since when did it become mandatory for seemingly all tradesmen to have loud music blaring out on a high volume while they are working? More people than ever are working from home atm and it's really inconsiderate. (And surely they can, when it's safe to do so, listen through ear pods?)

Definitely to those whose neighbours are working at 6am check the council. In my area it's 7.30am the earliest noisy work can begin in the summer months and 8 from Oct-April.

I'd give my neighbours a heads up out of courtesy since you never know if they're WFH right now even if you know they're not a shift worker. I wouldn't mention it. It's just one of those things that comes from having neighbours in hearing distance.

one of my neighbours lets me know says sorry aswell if its early her husbandis in a wheelchair so theyre having house adapted

i guess they dont have to say anything

What would you have done if they had given you the heads up? Slept elsewhere?

^Eh? It's not rocket science to slightly stretch your imagination and think for 30 seconds how having loud tradespeople working on your house, may impact on your neighbours fhs!

We've moved our business in to our dining room for the time being so that vulnerable colleagues can take turns to use our proper office. We wouldn't necessarily sleep elsewhere as the builders aren't there at night, but we might arrange to work elsewhere or reorganise our working day which might range from renting an office space in town for meetings for a week, or arranging Zoom meetings when we know the workmen/women take their lunch break.

Having to put up with constant noise and disruption over several days where you live or work is not a particularly pleasant thing (especially when you have no control over it) so it helps if you are prepared for it in your mind and anticipating it, rather than just having it imposed on you suddenly.

Also, it's just basic manners to let your neighbours know in advance. Even if the builders don't give you a lot of warning ( as sometimes happens) a brief note through the door or a quick word over the fence costs nothing.

Basic manners = seeing things not exclusively from your own viewpoint but thinking of how your actions may impact on others such as those working from home, shift workers who need to sleep during the day, parents trying to look after napping babies or toddlers, carers looking after the elderly or sick. There's a whole host of reasons why people may not be thrilled at having loud workmen next door.

As someone who works night shifts, I disagree with the people who think that 9am on a weekday isn't antisocial.
Do you really want to be treated by a healthcare professional who was kept up all day because their neighbour was having work done to their house? Because sleep deprivation is a torture. it makes us make poor decisions and causes patient harm. So yes, I think this neighbour was being incredibly selfish. Not just impolite.

YANBU

it's basic manners to warn your neighbours, especially in a semi-detached.

It doesn't matter if 9am during the week is an acceptable time, it doesn't cost you anything to be considerate. Sadly so many people are selfish and rude, just read this thread.

It's not acceptable at all to have loud music, which is an unnecessary nuisance. You can report CF builders to the council, there seem to be a crack down on these! Work noise is part of the work, loud music has nothing to do with it.

[quote bridgetreilly]@DartmoorWilderness No, we have. We just know the normal rules about loud work are that it should be done between 8am and 6pm on weekdays, and that other people who are not working night shifts are entitled to live their lives accordingly.

And, you know, if you work a night shift, start wearing earplugs.[/quote]
I understand that people are allowed to live there lives- I'm not advocating stopping the work.

But it works in your favour if you tell night shifters you are doing noisy work- I would sleep in a hotel.

The alternative is healthcare professionals who have been awake for 24 hours plus going back for another 13 hour shift.

The science shows they will make mistakes.

And, you know, if you want to increase your survival chances as a patient in an emergency situation, just spend 30 seconds letting your neighbour know so they can arrange to sleep elsewhere.