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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have told the builders to go away?

170 replies

highroadtothedangerzone · 02/04/2021 10:45

The house next has had major building work going on for over a year. So all the way through lockdown with a very short break of maybe two months in spring last year.
It's annoying but I accept it as part of everyday life.
But, the local laws state that building work is only allowed between 8am-6pm, Monday to Saturday. Not on Sunday's, not on Bank Holidays.
They've had a really annoying habit of starting at maybe 7.45 fairly regularly. Skips get delivered very early. Or they start to gather outside the house chatting from about 7.15.
They turned up on one of the bank holidays last year and started banging at about 7.40am. I told them they had to go home (they did)
There have been quite a few occasions where I've told them to stop whatever they are doing as it's not 8am yet.
DH forgot it was BH today, so when the builder told him he was coming to do some work today he said ok. I wasn't happy, so he messaged him to say please don't start before 10am. 7.30, chatting outside and emptying lots of glass bottles into the recycling bin. 8.30, sanding or something that we could here in all our bedrooms
We told them to stop. They got arsey, denied they'd been noisy early. But they have stopped. For now. We messaged the owner who was pretty unhelpful and said they wouldn't do anything noisy till after 10am. But they shouldn't bloody he here at all!!!!
I'm just so sick of it. DH is much more laid back than he and thinks if we just let them get on with it the end they'll finish more quickly. But I just want them to follow the bloody rules. I work bloody hard. I just don't want to be woken up all the time by sodding building work?
AIBU? Or just slightly unhinged and making a fuss out of nothing? MN jury, give it to me straight.

OP posts:
BeagleEagle · 02/04/2021 15:06

ITT: Middle class handwringing

Oblomov21 · 02/04/2021 15:25

I bet living with it for a year has been horrendous.

WitchQueenofDarkness · 02/04/2021 16:18

@highroadtothedangerzone

He's building a house from scratch next to us. Very very slowly and very very noisily.

Original poster
highroadtothedangerzone · 02/04/2021 16:25

@Oblomov21

I bet living with it for a year has been horrendous.
Yep it's not fun. But if that's his long it takes then it is what it is. It's the home stretch now thank god. The house will be lovely once finished. All I ask is they don't start early / work on BH's. Other than that they can crack on.
OP posts:
Grapewrath · 02/04/2021 17:47

Erm I would say yanbu but I think asking them to start after 10 is a bit extreme- half the day is gone. I think after 8 or 9 would be more reasonable.
Saying that, 7.30 is too early to start but asking them to keep it down would’ve been more reasonable as sending them home is a bit dramatic imo

gottenhaitch · 02/04/2021 17:53

I'm surprised they left on your say so, considering they're not even working for you.

AliceMcK · 02/04/2021 18:43

[quote highroadtothedangerzone]@AliceMcK that may be the case but the laws about 8-6 Monday to Sunday are to minimise the impact that significant building works has in the surrounding neighbours. They needing to pick their kids up doesn't mean it's ok for them to break the law. I really don't think I was unreasonable for telling them to leave at 7.40 on the bank holiday last year.
The rules are there for a reason. It's not fun at all living next to a building site. They are there to give us some respite. [/quote]
You asked for an opinion and mine is your being unreasonable. I can understand why your neighbours aren’t helpful if your the reason the job is dragging on longer than it needs to because they can’t get on with the work.

Original poster
highroadtothedangerzone · 02/04/2021 18:45

@Grapewrath they are not supposed to be working on bank
holiday, full stop. Last year when they kicked off at 7.40am (right outside my bedroom window, I'll add) I had every right to tell them to stop.
Today we asked for a compromise (BH again, so they shouldn't have been here at all unless they were painting or doing doing equally low-noise). They turned up early anyway and started some very much not-quiet tasks. We put up with it everyday except Sundays. As I keep saying. The laws are what they are for a reason.

OP posts:
Original poster
highroadtothedangerzone · 02/04/2021 18:47

@gottenhaitch

I'm surprised they left on your say so, considering they're not even working for you.
Well as I mentioned earlier, I guess they left when I asked them to because they were fully aware they shouldn't have been there but were trying it on and got called out on it. Otherwise they could have just said tough, we're staying.
OP posts:
AIMD · 02/04/2021 18:50

If it was a short job I’d say you were being unreasonable. However for building works doing on that long it is reasonable to want them to stick to decent hours, so the work doesn’t impact too much on you.

daisypond · 02/04/2021 18:53

They’re not allowed to work at all. There’s nothing to debate here.

Conditionconditioncondition · 02/04/2021 18:58

Think if you check the law will say no noisy work, not just banning work totally

YABU

LittleBearPad · 02/04/2021 19:02

Except it was noisy work so therefore not allowed

Mylovelyhorsee · 02/04/2021 19:06

You sound like a nightmare neighbour.

Shopaholic100 · 02/04/2021 19:14

I feel your pain op. My neighbours have been doing exactly the same for over a year now! Today they built a huge canopy at the front of their house up to the border with mine, are they even allowed to do that at the front? So not only have they blocked the light at the back, they have now done it to the front too. I so wish all these builderholics could live on a street together. After a stressful few weeks at work my husband thought he could finally have a lye in, nope they decided to drill right next to the bedroom window!

You are definitely not being unreasonable.

Original poster
highroadtothedangerzone · 02/04/2021 19:19

@Shopaholic100 you have my sympathy!
It does seem to be that all the people on here that have experienced something similar to me have said IANBU.

OP posts:
Shopaholic100 · 02/04/2021 19:31

I think those who say YABU have no idea what it’s like living with constant banging and drilling, especially when for large parts of it we have been stuck at home. Important conferences where all they can hear is background crashing, university tutorials where you are paying thousands and you can’t engage fully, the list goes on. On the one day you finally think you might get some rest, you’re awakened by banging again!

Eyevorbig0ne · 02/04/2021 19:40

Yanbu.
I've had 2 new builds being done next door since September. Absolute nightmare. Been worse as wfh and home schooling with nowhere to escape.
I've started reporting with date and time stamped photos when they're working after 1pm.sat, Sundays and typically, today. Arsehole.
The owner has tried to build on the cheap and has no access to sewer pipes. So he's asked us to dig up our garden and dtive so they can connect to our private one. No thanks.

user1497207191 · 02/04/2021 19:45

@gottenhaitch

I'm surprised they left on your say so, considering they're not even working for you.
They shouldn't be working on bank holidays and they know it. Hence why they left when challenged.
bigbluebus · 02/04/2021 20:13

I've had this 3 times (we've been built around on 3 sides)and in my experience the builders know damn well that they shouldn't be there. We had builders start up a digger at 7.30a.m on a Good Friday. DH went straight over and told them they shouldn't be working and to go home - and they did. On the larger development across the road it was a regular occurrence to see sub contractors sneaking in through the fencing on a Sunday - again when challenged they knew they shouldn't be there and packed up and went home. We also frequently had waggons delivering materials and reversing under our bedroom window any time from 6.00am. I lost count with the number of conversations I had to have with site managers over that issue. The rules are there to try and make life bearable for the neighbours so if it is bothering you OP then make sure it is enforced.

WalkinginMemphis2 · 02/04/2021 22:18

Those who are saying OP is unreasonable have never been through this it is beyond hideous and does send you mad. We had a horrible time with it a couple of years ago, they don’t sound too bad in the grand scheme but expect it is still maddening. Me and my baby were threatened on a couple of occasions by one of the builders working on the project behind us it was awful. Police didn’t do anything.

My neighbour and friend down the road is going through the same thing and it’s making her ill, like @chillychicken they inexplicably took down all the boundary trees so she has absolutely no privacy.

I do know what you mean @Bluntness100 but after a year they’re not going anywhere soon and the OP needs to start having what she feels is quality of life.

OP you have the right to quiet enjoyment of your property, the work is not going to stop but maybe report this to your local council’s environmental Heath team, they’ll be able to make sure they’re sticking to the rules.

CharlotteRose90 · 02/04/2021 22:35

You are definitely not unreasonable. I had it last year 6 months of Monday to Saturday 7.30 -17:00 constant banging away. I was too scared to confront them though . I used to dream of drills and banging in my sleep it stressed me that much. Fully agree builders should be limited to Monday to Friday 9-5 any earlier or later and they should be fined. It’s nasty and inconsiderate to the neighbours.

lioncitygirl · 02/04/2021 22:38

I would prefer them come as easily as they can do they finish quicker.

Prisonbreak · 02/04/2021 22:42

Earplug and grin and bear it. My mans a builder and he’s working the bank holiday. The more fuss you make, the longer it will take. It’s a back breaking job and having you on their case won’t help

daisypond · 02/04/2021 22:46

@Prisonbreak

Earplug and grin and bear it. My mans a builder and he’s working the bank holiday. The more fuss you make, the longer it will take. It’s a back breaking job and having you on their case won’t help
Is he doing noisy work on a bank holiday? It’s not allowed.
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