Elderly neighbour v house renovation

[shazwee]

I've inherited a house which had tons of damage, needed new roof, re wire, concrete base new ceilings etc..basically almost has to rebuild, semi detached dormer bungalow. House has been empty for many years. Some things have been done since March, new roof etc..elderly single lady next door is not coping well with the noise of the workmen. It's been difficult as I don't have a massive pot of money to put it right so relying on family and friends etc trying to keep noise to minimum at weekends ( although this is really only the time hubby and I can spare to do bits) I have sent flowers to neighbour, kept her informed etc..gave her some doors etc she wanted , basically I have tried to be as accommodating as possible. Yesterday the plasterer was in and she came round complaining its was a holiday and didn't want to noise ( she is round every time a trade is there complaining about noise) I dont know what else I can do. There is possibility months more of noise to come, plumbers, patio to be laid, new kitchen the list is endless...Yesterday she asked us to tell her everytime noise is going to be made...impossible for us as we're not always there and cannot ask workmen to do so...what can I do, I don't want to fall out but I can't see a way forward..she has had silence from the house for years. I didn't think a plasterer would make any noise 🤔 please help MN friends x

Reroofing is a noisy job. Concrete mixers are noisy.

But what " noise" does a plasterer make? Or a plumber?

Yes, I currently depend on Sundays as the only day I can invite friends and relations over and not be disturbed by next door's incessant building noise.

If the rude and obnoxious way your treating me is anything to go by I really really feel for your neighbour!!!

If you were being reasonable and considerate then your neighbour wouldn't be complaining! So you clearly are not being!

Attached is a standard handout that some Local Councils provide.
( Some provide nothing but are prepared to take decibel levels from the highway if there are complaints late at night.).

But you did have the plasterer in on a bank holiday. You don’t think it would be noisy but you weren’t there so you don’t know.

She said 'elderly' not 'older' and as this woman is there every timer a contractor turns up, I don't think it's ageist to assume she's retired.

she lives alone & doesn't have family or friends popping in & out. So it's hard to see why one Monday (bank holiday) isn't much like another. I don't think that's ageist just factual.

she was complaining about OP's DH using a domestic power tool at 3pm on a FRIDAY.

Yes, noise is annoying, yes she's elderly and it appears she can't easily take herself out for the day, BUT that still doesn't entitle her to absolute silence 24/7, she's got used to while it's been empty, but the house needs work done, so it is what it is

Please note OP
As the noise is not constant for your renovation. ie non stop, high levels for many days / weeks at a time late into the night you cannot be accused by the police of causing a nuisance.

Exactly having work being carried out in weekends and bank holidays is really unfair!

The neighbour needs to know when then noisy work is being carried out and this should only ever be done between 9-5 on working weekdays. Or else how can the neighbours get any respite. I imagine there has been at least some noise on the weekends even without power tools being used. It's easy to not realise how much noise you are making.
Frankly even having people working on site on the weekend would have you on edge anticipating noise if it's been noisy in the week.

But the key to all of it is communication. If you popped round on a Sunday afternoon with some flowers and a list of the times in the week there was going to be noise and work going on and were seen to be being proactive about reducing the disruption then she would stop complaining.

In most parts of the UK, unless it is emergency work, you are not allowed to do household construction on a bank holiday - because it is disruptive.

I hope OP is otherwise keeping to appropriate quiet hours for building (between 8am and 6pm weekdays, 9am and 1pm Saturdays. Only emergency works on Sundays and bank holidays). Otherwise her neighbour is 1) entitled to be upset and angry and 2) well within her rights to raise with environmental health and have a noise abatement order slapped on the site -- a breach of which results in a very hefty fine.

To clarify, those are the house building work is allowed to be conducted. Earlier/ later, or any time Sundays and Bank holidays is not permitted unless there is an emergency (usually related to plumbing/ electrics).

She has my sympathy- my next door neighbours got a loft conversion done and then built a yoga studio in their back garden. Two summers in a row of constant banging and drilling to the point where I didn’t want to open the windows, when I was pregnant and then had a young baby- it was a bloody nightmare. They dropped all sorts of shit from the loft conversion into our garden too which we’re still finding a year later!

It truly is

This is a code,
not the law and
almost impossible to enforce unless the noise level exceeds 80db and is constant.
plasterers don’t make that level of noise or anywhere near it.

Provided there is not noise before 8am or after 5-6pm I don't think she should be complaining. Plastering does not make a noise. She probably sees a tradesman arrive and thinks she will complain. A lot of DIY is done at weekends and bank holidays. My dh finished tiling a floor for me yesterday. It did not make a lot of noise but it had to be done.

It does not harm the neighbour to report, as I am sure that other actions described do meet that level of noise.

Also, not sure where you are, but it is absolutely enforced where we live.

Obviously if OP is following the code, then there is no issue.

Like I said it needs to be fairly constant.
If a builder is using a circular saw or a large set of drums outside in the garden for a few days then yes the Council would send someone round to check on it.

Or if it was late etc then the police might pop round and ask for it to stop but only if they are satisfied that it is a nuisance or / and a health hazard. Again it needs to be fairly constant, noxious, above db rates etc.

Doesn't sound like they are doing anything like that sort of work though.
Plastering, electrics, fitting kitchen etc. No.

Also it doesn’t really matter where I am it’s where I’ve worked.

Ps.
I did a scheme next to a Recording studio on Greek st in London ( planning required ) and we had to have the noise levels for every activity checked constantly.
Demolishing entire floors and solid walls and playing Bat out of Hell on full blast with the windows open tipped the bar.

Keep the heavy machinery to daytime hours OP and get the job done as quickly as you can OP, that’s the best you can do to help your neighbour.

Plaster: nail gunning on boards, hacking off old plaster, mixing adhesive, sealant, filler and plaster with a drill, plus work in an empty unfurnished room increases the noise.

Plumber: lifting floorboards for access and reinstating them, cutting pipes, drilling walls for fixings eg for radiator brackets. Ditto the empty room echo.

About the only non-noisy trade is painting. And possibly having a seamstress round to hang your curtains.

That's the thing, isn't it? And to know that there's a reasonable end date. If we know when the noisy work will take place, it's easier to cope.

I feel so sorry for her. 86 years old, no family, doesn't drive or go out so no escape which the OP has as she's not there. What a way to live her last years.

The "it could go on for months, years even" is what made my stomach drop. Does she know this?