Is it common decency to inform neighbours who wfh about loud noises?

[Pouche]

Neighbours have literally removed their entire hedge and whilst that is being wood chipped down on their drive there is also a drill being used for the construction of a new fence. The noise is unbelievable. Detached houses with wide-ish plots.

Am I being unreasonable in thinking the nice thing to do would be to inform next door neighbours?

Especially when you know they wfh and have young kids.

'Noise canceling headphones can do a lot for building noise.'

Not if its drilling it can't! Nor for terrazzo tile cutting or Karshering or strimming either.

is this considered gardening?

Sorry paste fail

If you have a dc young enough to be needing daytime naps, then I am surprised you can concentrate whilst wfh anyway.

YABU to think that neighbours should plan work they need doing around the fact you chose to work at home on the day that the contractors were able to get to them / do the work when the weather allows. Also, that they should have been able to predict how loud the machinery was going to be, and how much it would bother you.
If your worry is your dc's nap, then that would be the case whenever they had the work done - I can't see them being privy to the fact you have a nanny, but that nanny can work elsewhere if they know in advance there might be some noise. You really are reaching there. If your worry is about work, then anyone who needs to be on calls during their working day, needs to be able to plug in earphones if they choose to work away from their office.

I agree with you @Pouche

I think this is quite a new thing, but people feel entitled to behave exactly as they wish without considering the impact on others.

Threads on here and on local Facebook are met with: “ if you don’t like it buy a house in the middle of nowhere” type comments.

I think it’s common decency to tell your neighbours. I would! It’s really sad how people just do not care if they upset others when a tiny bit of effort would avoid it

Our next door neighbours arranged for an extension to be built and didn’t ask our permission to put scaffolding all the way down our path outside our door. The scaffolder just turned up and asked to get through our gate. Nothing surprises me anymore….

Hi OP, the WFH situation has changed the dynamics of working. WFH with young children? I am unsure how that works? Personally, I think that as the neighbour's tasks are within 'the working day, it isn't necessary that they inform you. IMO, it would be different if it was weekends/late evenings

For a day of garden works like chopping trees and putting up a fence I wouldn’t no. Just like I wouldn’t and didn’t for the driveway. It’s one day of noise.

An extension, or even just on going days of loud work sure. But one day. Nope. A late night party I would tell but at 4pm kids party I wouldn’t tell either.

This thread is one of the clearest indicators that there is significant resentment and jealousy from those who can’t work at home towards those who can

No. Maybe if they are having am extension that will go on for months but not for a few days. Go into the office if you want a working environment. You can't expect folk to go tiptoeing around just because you work from home.

You shouldn't have mentioned 'WFH'

Nah. I work from home. You can’t expect people not to just go about their business to accommodate it. It’s not their problem.

How so?

It's just general work. If it's for fence posts it will be a short blast for each post

It would have been helpful to know beforehand.

Nanny can take little one for a walk in the buggy for nap, it isn't ideal but needs must.

I hope they finish up the tasks today and don't extend into tomorrow.

I wfh two days a week and someone is always doing something noisy. There’s nothing you can do. You can’t tell them to stop because there’ll always be something. It is annoying though

It's completely irrelevant if you WFH, have young children or if you are back from hospital following emergency surgery.

Of course it's common decency to warn the neighbours. No one knows the actual circumstances of neighbours lives, the least you can do is warn them.

Sadly too many people are selfish, rude and antisocial. They'll be the first one to complain when you make noise.

You can't 'tell them to stop' anyway!

You could try asking though..

Well pretty much everyone on the street is having building work. I've never been notified and my house shakes fairly regularly, just one of the joys of working from home. So long as it's within the council-suggested hours of work 8am til 6pm no one has to let you know. You only get planning notices if you are next door. I don't know who on my street works from home or what days I work from home full time - noise-cancelling headphones work most of the time.

Nah, I work from home. OP's unreasonable. It's work noise at a standard time during a week day. Put some headphones on.

I have worked from home for over 10 years. I can say that since covid when more people started WFH, the amount of activity taking place during the day has risen dramatically.
I have always worked for myself, and am not responsible to anyone else, or tied to deadlines etc. I assume that most people who WFH are not in this position. However, they all seem happy enough to oversee all sorts of workmen during the working day. Everywhere is noisier these days.

Weirdly, I wouldn't really expect my neighbours to let me know, but I would let them know if I was the one making some loud noise, just to reassure them that it won't be too long.

So yes I guess you're not being unreasonnable

Nope. I WFH, but don't expect my neighbours to organise their lives around me.

I absolutely would tell my neighbours (both of whom WFH on one side, and on the other is a musician who keeps late nights and late mornings) about short-term noise so they could make other arrangements or at least stick earplugs in. I don't think YABU.

Longer-term projects - well, those just have to be sucked up. Can't install new drains without drilling, watcha gonna do? Round our way, we generally use the WhatsApp group to keep people informed, and sometimes that's quite helpful - people can check out the quality of your tree surgery/roofing/ground works/whatever and pick up contacts for trades that way.

If neighbours hack me off with inconsiderate noise, I always console myself that I have a cocker spaniel who often needs to pee at 5am. I can release him into the garden in which case he will yell at planes, foxes, cats, shadows; or I can put him on the lead and take him out myself, in which case he will be silent. Just sayin', like.

They don't NEED to tell you, but as a courtesy they should! Had similar during COVID, my neighbours knew I was working at home full time as we would speak over the fence and they had huge trees cut down and chipped right outside my window - I completely understand the noise you're dealing with!