To be pissed off at neighbours loft extension work?!

[UserOfManyMonickers]

Neighbours behind us have just started a loft extension meaning weeks of noise and builders on scaffolding overlooking our garden! Gardens are only 30ft long so it’s very in our face.

I was looking forward to enjoying sitting in the garden now the weathers better. WFH at back of house (nowhere else) and can hear banging, shouting, drilling and sawing constantly.

AIBU to think they could have at least knocked and let us know in advance?

Especially considering we called the fire brigade to stop their house burning down (saw smoke coming out) when they were out last summer!

They cut down a row of mature trees when they moved again with no warning, just went in the kitchen and saw they’d taken up back fence and were cutting them down, which gave excellent screening for us and them so now even more invasion of privacy.

It's a dick move not to tell neighbours who will be affected by building work. I have a new neighbour who started a loft extension without warning and then gave me a half hour speech about how neighbourly he is and how important it is that we get along!!!

I think if your houses were attached, it would have been nice to let you know. As they're a house with a garden that backs onto you, I'm assuming this isn't the case. This is just part of having neighbours, so you'll just have to grit your teeth & wait for the building work to finish.

Yabu

YABU. What would ‘letting you know in advance’ have done? Presumably you saw the planning permission and could have objected if there was a problem.

A light yabu, they can do what they want with their house, but I do agree that it would have been nice if they had given you a heads up beforehand and also discussed the trees first, it's just neighbourly curtesy

I'm supposed to have my loft extension done later this year. No way will I be telling the neighbours.

One WFH all day but he shouldn't be bothered. The two who live next door have had loud parties etc lately (and more) so no definitely not telling them. If anything I'll tell the builders to be loud and play whatever music they like, loudly.

Sorry, but I don't see what difference it would have made to tell you...

Plant your own trees for the privacy. Other then that they don’t owe you anything. Extensions are never nice but they don’t last forever

I'd let my next door neighbours know out of courtesy, I wouldn't consider letting the ones that back on on a presumably different road altogether know.

The fire brigade comment is odd.

I voted YABU but understand how annoying it is. A neighbour a few doors down took an absolute age on doing their extension last year and it was noisy - inc early morning and evenings. As for the trees, if they are their trees then it has nothing to do with you!

Are they your trees or theirs?

I don’t see why they should have to tell you to be honest. It’s non of your business

Polite to tell neighbours.
People on the next street? Not so much.

And yes, it would have been obviously unreasonable and possibly illegal if they'd entered your garden and cut down your trees (though they can cut overhangs) So presume they cut their own trees?

Usually people soeak to the neighbours either side byt not the neighbours at the back of the garden - I’m not even sure what the door number is of that neighbours, the roads are wonky and houses all isentical so I wouldn’t even know whose door to knock on.

But I am sorry it sucks, especially in such beautiful weather.

YABVU. Why should they let you know? What’s the fire brigade got to do with anything?

They are their trees, they can do whatever they want with them.

If they knocked to warm you would it make the work less noisy in your garden?

Are they meant to tell the whole neighbourhood they’re getting work done?

Do they ‘owe’ you for not letting their house burn down?

Am sure they will be gone very soon! Builders are expensive and am sure they are not there to purposely piss you off! YABU!

We're having a kitchen extension soon. We're letting neighbours a few doors either side know, but I honestly don't have a clue what number the houses behind us are & I'm not going to be traipsing up and down knocking on doors.

YANBU to have expected them to let you know as a matter of courtesy.
Even though you couldn't do anything about it, it somehow feels better knowing when it will end.

I am having some work done at the moment (nothing like the size of a loft extension!) and as I live in a mid-terrace I let both sides know.
What time the work would start, when it would end, for how many days, that there would be a van in my car park spot.
As these things do, it's taking longer than hoped, but I've kept in touch with both sides.
I think people are more accommodating if they're kept informed.

There generally is no notification by the council for loft conversions these days (even where planning required). People are so rude, a polite note would have cost nothing!

When exactly would be convenient for them to get it done? YABU sorry.

@TheOrigRights I think most people would let next door neighbours know but op is talking about the house whose garden backs onto hers. I don't think most people would let all surrounding houses know!

Get a grip!

[quote anotherheadache]@TheOrigRights I think most people would let next door neighbours know but op is talking about the house whose garden backs onto hers. I don't think most people would let all surrounding houses know! [/quote]
Yes, I think you're right, and in fact I am sometimes in the position of the OP. I work in a garden office and am much closer to the homes which back onto mine than my neighbours during the day.

I've often had to cope with building work from those homes - literally a few feet from my garden office. As you say, I doubt it would occur to them to have informed me.

Would have been real nice and neighbourly for them to let you know beforehand 💔