House works during the day

[redxlondon]

AIBU?

During the recent storms we had a combination of rising damp and roof leaking that got into our electrics and cut power out. We’ve had a builder start this week to repair our roof and damp proof course. He works 8:30am to 4pm.

Our neighbour has asked he stops working at 1pm because her husband needs to sleep after his night shift.

The problem is, rain is due to start again so we really need the work completing asap. Builder is worried that if he stops early he won’t be able to finish on time.

Thoughts?

Tell her to piss off.

Buy them some earplugs. It sounds like a brief disruption for some much needed work on your house and unfortunately the world doesn't revolve around their shift patterns.

Ive been the night shift worker through 2 years of my neighbours building work. It sucks but unfortunately its just one of those things. Ear plugs and a sleep music app was my go to.

Day to day life and noise doesnt stop just because I'm working nights.

Wow thank you for such fast responses…feeling less stressed about it today already 😃

Say tough. The work needs to be done urgently and the quicker it's done the better.

Say really sorry but the work is urgent and will be done during the day. Maybe ask the builder if there's an estimate of when the worst if the noise will be over.

It needs to be done asap so take no notice of your neighbour. It's not like it's going to go on for months.

What a disgusting attitude

Your neighbour is BU! Even if you were having something massive done, you wouldn't be being unreasonable.

NDN had an extension built, the builders worked 8-4 weekdays and until lunchtime on Saturdays, and it went on for months. Neighbour diagonally opposite started his extension a year or so later, they worked 8-4, occasionally later, all day on Saturdays and some Sunday mornings.

It was utter hell, the noise, the mess, delivery lorries blocking the narrow road for an hour or more at a time, but I wouldn't have dreamed of complaining.

Now the people across the road have got PP for a full height extension that will double the size of their house. I'm dreading that starting, but accept that it's perfectly reasonable for people to have noisy building works done.

Tell her since the builder can't work at night they will have to put up with the minor inconvenience for a very short time. I can't believe how entitled people are.

Please don’t get a chemical injection damp proof course – it’s completely unnecessary, only recommended by the miseducated and under qualified and essentially a fraud. (P.s sorry if it’s not chemical damp proofing!)

and yes, your neighbour has to put up with it.

Agree with @Didimum about the DPC

Your neighbour is being unreasonable. Their sleep patterns are not your problem.

No idea why you think I’m having it…never even heard of it.

One of the most unreasonable things I’ve ever heard.

I’d tell her so and that you can’t possibly ask your tradesperson to work half a day. It would take them much longer to do the job and they’d lose money as a result. Utter madness even suggesting it.

DH is a night shift worker. Just part of it unfortunately. Day time life doesn't stop for a night worker, its just something they have to accept and adapt to, eg earplugs.

This is not something you have a choice about. You might be able to ask the builder to do the bit nearest her house before 1pm, but that's about it.

Because your OP mentions ‘rising damp’ and a builder doing a damp proof course – which is usually suggested to be chemical (drilling into bricks and injecting with the damp proof course). It’s a logical assumption to make.

Nope, it’s a centuries old property so the solution is actually really simple. There’s nothing that can be injected into these old walls.

anyway, thank for the support on the noise levels!

Firm but fair!

I've worked nights in and off for twenty years. You just learn to sleep through the noise.

It might help your neighbour if you can get a clear idea from the builder of how long the work will take - and communicate this to the neighbour, and also tell them when the work is finished. If the neighbours husband is really desperate, perhaps he can arrange to sleep somewhere else for the duration.

This problem must come up all the time for night shift workers. You’re not BU, but tact when you’re saying sorry, builder can’t stop work at 1 pm, will ease neighbour relationships.