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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think noisy building work starting at 7am this morning isn’t on?

39 replies

Embelline · 28/12/2022 08:45

We’ve had building work from a neighbour all year, usually at unsociable hours such as evenings and early weekends. It was happening all Christmas Eve as well.

I was hoping to have a bit of respite over the Christmas break, looking forward to lazing around and watching films and playing with DS but it started again at 7 this morning, banging, sawing, and it’s so loud! No chance we will be able to chill and watch the tv as won’t be able to hear it over it.

added to that it’s chucking it down so hardly weather to go for a nice walk to get away from it either.

whenever I text about it they just say oh yeah sorry it won’t be long.

AIBU to think this is totally not on?

OP posts:
TheThirdKit · 28/12/2022 08:46

YABU, it's a normal working day.

Whaleandsnail6 · 28/12/2022 08:47

I understand your frustration, my next door neighbours had a huge extension project that lasted 2 years! The noise, constant blocking of my drive, dust and disruption drove us mad.

However, today is a normal working day so they aren't really doing anything wrong.

pisspants · 28/12/2022 08:48

yes op very thoughtless of them. Although it isnt a bank hol.today they should have had the awareness that lots of people are off between xmas and new year and work shouldn't start till 9am earliest but really 10am I would have said

AlwaysLatte · 28/12/2022 08:48

7.00 is very early for the noisy stuff, I wouldn't be happy either!

TheLittlestLightOnTheXmasTree · 28/12/2022 08:52

It's back to work as normal for most

The 'Christmas break' is the school hol ... life goes on

They have done nothing wrong!

Original poster
Embelline · 28/12/2022 08:54

Maybe I am being unreasonable then, I thought building work wasn’t supposed to start til 8.30!

OP posts:
PAFMO · 28/12/2022 08:58

Yep. Normal working day. The builders on the house opposite ours started as usual at 7 yesterday as well.
Local by-laws regulate what time noisy work can start, but if it's just people in their own home knocking it about, I think you'd be hard pushed to make a case. And by the time you had, they'd probably have finished. It's recommended that noisy building work starts at 8 on non holidays, but unless it's an actual firm doing it, I doubt there's much you can do. I'd certainly prefer them doing it at 7am than at 7pm tbh.

GeekyThings · 28/12/2022 08:59

Your local council may have noise restrictions around home DIY as well as building sites - most usually set the start time at 8am, so you would legally be entitled to get an order taken out against them if they keep doing it regularly before then. They also generally have rules in place for it to finish in the home at 7pm, so if I were you I would contact the local council to find out what the local restrictions are.

mdh2020 · 28/12/2022 09:00

Our builders never started before 8.00am and never played music. I thought 8.00am was at least a bylaw if not a law.

TheLittlestLightOnTheXmasTree · 28/12/2022 09:00

Depends on your local authority,they vary

TinySaltLick · 28/12/2022 09:01

What does your council say about hours noisy works are acceptable? It might say from 8am so you could ask them to wait until then to start tomorrow.

Building work is a pain for everyone involved sadly but it is just a necessary evil for houses to be maintained. Noone enjoys it but it won't last forever

user12345678213 · 28/12/2022 09:01

I moved house because of this.

I lived about 200m away from a multi millionaire, he would build build renovate constantly, only stopping when he was staying there and when not building, he d be fucking mowing his golf course with an old industrial mower.

One easter, builders started cutting concrete on Good Friday and finished on easter monday.

When i moved, he d just bought an old bungalow nearby, i drove past recently, still only getting the walls up, another 2 years before its done.

So you are not being unreasonable.

TheLittlestLightOnTheXmasTree · 28/12/2022 09:02

Your op only said banging and 'sawing' and as you said rain I assumed a handsaw?

Original poster
Embelline · 28/12/2022 09:03

No it’s inside the house and really loud. It’s a building company next door have got in as they are completely renovating and not living there at the moment. I presume it’s a saw that’s what it sounds like, but it’s very very loud!

OP posts:
luckylavender · 28/12/2022 09:04

TheLittlestLightOnTheXmasTree · 28/12/2022 08:52

It's back to work as normal for most

The 'Christmas break' is the school hol ... life goes on

They have done nothing wrong!

I don't think even on a working day that 7am is acceptable. There are regulations about this sort of thing.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 28/12/2022 09:04

It’s not a normal working day.

I don’t know anyone who’s working over Christmas.

GeekyThings · 28/12/2022 09:04

Anyone saying there aren't restrictions is mistaken, I'm afraid - there are more restrictions around building sites, where the hours are usually set from 8am to 6pm mid week in most local councils; but must now have restrictions around home DIY too, usually the hours are 8am to 7pm mid week (although you have to check with your local council on that one).

If you're starting earlier you can be fined for it now in many places, so if you're doing loud building work outside of those times you do really need to check with your local council, otherwise you might find yourself with some hefty fines to pay!

thelobsterquadrille · 28/12/2022 09:04

Different councils have different rules around noise. 7am is early but not horribly so.

LolaSmiles · 28/12/2022 09:04

Today and Christmas Eve are normal working days.
If they're using very noisy power tools at 7am that's unreasonable of them, but if it's smaller tools then you're probably being unreasonable.

thelobsterquadrille · 28/12/2022 09:05

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 28/12/2022 09:04

It’s not a normal working day.

I don’t know anyone who’s working over Christmas.

Of course it is.

It's a weekday and it's not a bank holiday. It's just a normal Wednesday for many working people.

uhOhOP · 28/12/2022 09:05

It might be a normal working day, as people are saying, but 7am is a bit bloody early, isn't it! Even if the time is in line with what your council says is allowed, it's nevertheless very early to be making noise on a residential property when there are neighbours.

PAFMO · 28/12/2022 09:07

Well, if it's a building firm, then, yes, generally speaking, recommendations are 8-6 on working days. You'd have to complain to the council who would investigate.

TheLittlestLightOnTheXmasTree · 28/12/2022 09:07

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 28/12/2022 09:04

It’s not a normal working day.

I don’t know anyone who’s working over Christmas.

I am!

augustablighted · 28/12/2022 09:07

Our local authority states that the permitted hours of work are 8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-1pm with no work on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Your neighbour is taking the piss starting at 7am but most councils are bog useless.

I feel for you - our party wall neighbours have been hollowing out their semi for months now and even started trying it on by working past 1pm on a Saturday until we yelled at the bellend arrogant eldest son down the phone to make it stop.

Stripedbag101 · 28/12/2022 09:07

It’s un neighbourly.

I have taken no annual leave over Christmas but am still ill off work as we got mon tues wed off.

i would Say a lot of office based folk are off - so yes the shops are open but it’s not a normal working day for a lot of people.

I have been doing building work and would dream of having loud work done today. My neighbours have been great and they deserve their Christmas