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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

New neighbours DIY/power tool use all bank holiday weekend?

69 replies

Hellskitchen24 · 21/04/2025 13:34

The sweet old lady who I lived next door to went into a nursing home a few months ago, so naturally her house went up for sale. We’ve had almost 10 years of mostly quiet bliss. Mid terrace houses. New couple moved in a couple of weeks ago. Since then it’s been non stop banging, drilling, sanding, scraping, all day. I understand they need to do work on the house but what has irritated me the most is it’s been all over the bank holiday. Had guests over yesterday for lunch, we could not hear each other speak over the noise and they ended up going home earlier as it was pointless.

Today, another bank holiday, sanding the walls since this morning. It’s deafening. Can’t even hear the TV on full blast. I’m almost 38 weeks pregnant and getting a bit stressed this is going to be going on when the baby arrives. I’m also not quite having the relaxing couple of weeks before the baby is here and it’s just constant noise all day long. AIBU?

OP posts:
Youcancallmeirrelevant · 21/04/2025 13:35

What have they said when you have gone round to complain about the noise?

Lounderflounder · 21/04/2025 13:40

Better now than when the baby comes. Sorry but people have to do work on their homes and a bank holiday weekend is a typical time to do it. If you complain then it just takes longer. You'll need to do the same in your home at some point.

99namechanges · 21/04/2025 13:42

They will be done in a few weeks, you're just gonna have to get deal with it for now.

Van34 · 21/04/2025 13:43

Is it not going to be equally as annoying to them when they can hear your baby crying through the night? Unfortunately, this is what terraced life is like.

saveforthat · 21/04/2025 13:43

Well unless it's unsociable hours, there is not much you can do. To be honest you are lucky to have had 10 years of quiet in a terrace.

minnienono · 21/04/2025 13:44

They have just moved in to an house formally lived in by an older lady (so reasonably you can expect it needs modernisation) and it’s a long weekend. Yabu to expect them not to be doing diy! Two weeks they have been in, hardly unreasonable on their part. In the walls are that thin I’m sure you will be disturbing them more once baby arrives!

Loveduppenguin · 21/04/2025 13:45

Did you do any work on your house when you moved in @Hellskitchen24?

IglesiasPiggl · 21/04/2025 13:45

Have you had a conversation with them? They really should have introduced themselves and let you know about their renovations, but if they haven't, go round and talk to them. They may not be aware how disturbing it is, and you have every right to some information on how long it's likely to last.

HuffleMyPuffle · 21/04/2025 13:45

They've just moved in to what is probably a house that needs a fair bit of work to modernise and decorate
No doubt they are also working people who can only do the work when they aren't at work.
It'll be over soon I'm sure

Rosealine · 21/04/2025 13:46

YABU it’s perfectly acceptable for them to being doing improvements in their own home. It won’t last forever and of course a bank holiday weekend is the perfect time to do such work as I presume they work during the week normally. Unfortunately noise is something you need to accept when you buy a terraced house.

as it’s been going on a few weeks already hopefully they’ll be done by the time you have a little newborn x

BacktoBeginnersFran · 21/04/2025 13:47

It's a long weekend, they've bought a new house, so of course they want to do all the necessary work to bring it up to their standard - especially if it's been occupied by an OAP for years.
I can't believe that work they're doing in their house is so loud that you can't hold a conversation in your house - such exaggerations just make me doubt that it's any way near that bad.

AgnesX · 21/04/2025 13:58

BacktoBeginnersFran · 21/04/2025 13:47

It's a long weekend, they've bought a new house, so of course they want to do all the necessary work to bring it up to their standard - especially if it's been occupied by an OAP for years.
I can't believe that work they're doing in their house is so loud that you can't hold a conversation in your house - such exaggerations just make me doubt that it's any way near that bad.

Why wouldn't it be if there's no furniture, flooring or soft furnishings to soak up the noise. I'm guessing you've never lived next door to a do it upper..... the noise can be phenomenal.

SEL0ndon · 21/04/2025 14:04

I’m somewhat surprised at all the YABU comments…!

Perhaps it varies by location but in my London Borough there are very clear DIY noise restrictions set by the council.

  • Monday to Friday, 9am - 7pm
  • Saturday, 9am - 5pm
  • Sunday and Bank Holidays, 10am - 2pm

While everyone should be able to take advantage of the long weekend to do up their house, it should be done within reasonable hours and with courtesy to your neighbours. Check your own councils guidelines and if they have restrictions just pop round and ask if you’re neighbours could stick to doing any DIY during the set times.

HateThese4Leggedbeasts · 21/04/2025 14:08

My ndn built their own extension as their family members were builders. Slow progress was made as they obviously did it between paid work.

I had very young children so I asked them to stop loud work at 7pm as they tended to drift into evenings otherwise. I had to suck up noise during the day unfortunately. It's very frustrating for you.

Maybe have a chat and ask them what their plans are as you might feel better if you knew they would be done soon!

Lunchwoes · 21/04/2025 14:08

It's annoying but if the house needs doing up and they work then obviously they're going to use the bank holiday weekend. It's just part of life. As it will be when your baby is crying at 3am or being loud in the garden when they're older.

Shatteredallthetimelately · 21/04/2025 14:24

Totally understand where you're coming from OP if it's morning, noon and night it can be a bit inconsiderate.

I'm taking it that you haven't been introduced to each other and nothing has been mentioned about how long during the day your neighbours will spend working and can understand due to some peoples attitudes why you're maybe a bit apprehensive about knocking and asking if they could perhaps stick to set hours.

On the other hand I can see that they just want to get the work done and, if not renting out, get moved in.

Hopefully they'll be a much more considerate if they do moved in.

On a side note....
To a certain extent your baby crying will be out of your control and bares no resemblance to your neighbours choosing to work banging and crashing from morning till night without thought for those around them, so when/if baby does cry don't spend time worring as to whether your neighbours can hear the cries.

UndermyShoeJoe · 21/04/2025 14:27

Understandable that it’s annoying but honestly also understandable that people who work will do their diy on weekends.

Try a friendly chat within a welcome to the neighbourhood.

Vitrolinsanity · 21/04/2025 15:42

Maybe they’ve clocked you’re pregnant and have decided to get the big,
really noisy stuff put the way.

Obviously you’d need to have a conversation with them, but if you approach from a hello, crikey it must be a lot work that needed doing after poor Joan left perspective you’d have your mind set at rest.

Vitrolinsanity · 21/04/2025 15:43

Plus, sorry to all my neighbours that sanding my floor sounded like the Battle of the Somme all weekend. Hope you liked your Easter eggs and flowers.

HelplessSoul · 21/04/2025 16:23

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Roselilly36 · 21/04/2025 16:39

YABU, I would have expected the new owners would need to modernise. It won’t be forever, as long as the DIY is within social hours, I wouldn’t complain. One of the reason we have lived in a detached property for well over 20 years, absolute bliss, hated the noise of neighbours when we lived in a terrace.

lavenderlou · 21/04/2025 16:47

I sympathise. We are in a similar situation except the new neighbours have been doing noisy DIY (drilling, hammering, sawing) almost every evening and weekend for 6 months. I've searched to see if there are regulations but there is nothing stautory. Most councils seem to have guidance that people should be considerate and stick to the hours of 8-6 Monday-Friday and 8-1 on Saturdays for noisy DIY but avoid Sundays and Bank Holidays. We mentioned noise earlier on and they did start coming a bit later at the weekends but are now back to all day Saturday and Sunday. They started at 8am on Easter Sunday and have been there all day today as well. It's difficult because we know they are trying to do the work themselves and we don't want to get off on the wrong foot by putting a complaint into the council but it is really annoying when you are trying to enjoy a peaceful bank holiday weekend.

Dutchhouse14 · 21/04/2025 16:48

I can understand your frustration, very noisy DIY non stop for 4 consequetive days over easter would ruin my BH weekend too!
They are being a bit inconsiderate imo but understandably they want to get as much done as possible this weekend as assume they are at work right rest of the time.
As long as its not unsocial hours then I don't think there's a lot you can do, hopefully it will be over soon! Have you popped round to introduce yourself? Ask what renovations they are doing and a time frame etc.

minipie · 21/04/2025 16:49

I can understand it being annoying but… you are about to have a newborn crying at all hours. I think that balances it out.

Youagain2025 · 21/04/2025 16:53

I agree with most others here. Diy often needs to be done. They probably doing it around working. A long weekend is a good time . As someone else touched on that you have probably had diy /decorating etc in your own home . I know baby is not here yet but its a good idea to have some noise around baby when they are sleeping. When my children were babies/little I could hoover in their room when they slept. Have music on shout from down stairs to upstairs etc. If the house is to silent they can get woken to easy from the slightest sound.

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