To think it’s antisocial to power wash the patio today

[AirborneElephant]

Where I am today is a beautiful sunny day. It’s warm enough to sit out with a jumper. The first sunny day ALL YEAR, and tomorrow and for the rest of the week it’s going back to being wet and dreary. So I made my lunch, sat outside, and revelled in the sun and birdsong. Until about an hour later when my neighbour started pressure washing his patio, and he’s still at it now.

Yes, I know it’s the middle of the day. I know it needs doing, I will do mine at some point. I know I am privileged to have a nice garden to sit in. But TODAY? The only sun we’ve had for months? AIBU to think that’s fucking selfish?

Why would the neighbour have known anyone was sitting outside in their garden? It’s a weekday in February. Wouldn’t even occur to me to not do something in my garden in a weekday in February in case someone was sitting outside ‘enjoying the peace’.
We had someone in to chop down our conifers today.

It’s not unreasonable, but neither is deciding to clean your patio on a dry day.

Why?

Do you never take your 5 dogs out for walks? Do you not have a garden? Only a patio?

So glad my neighbours who have pets, only have 1 or 2 cats!

No jet-washing of patios here today, but I did cut the grass from the first time this year, as did a number of my neighbours!

Of course but they still piss and shit at home and 5 dogs pissing on slabs all day stinks. My garden is cordoned off so they can’t get on the grass in winter only the patio

I take it that you will be pressure washing your paving on a miserable day OP after you’ve moaned about somebody doing it on a nice day

Yes it is. It's reasonable to do outside work when the weather permits, especially if you haven't been able to do it for a while. The neightnour's not doing it during quiet hours. OP wants quiet hours to be when she's outside relaxing and that's ridiculous. Yes, she can get noise cancelling earbuds or headphones or move. Neighbour has the right to work on their property. It's not antisocial at all.

Same here, 1 large dog. Poo picked up immediately but piss smells and needs washing down. Rain has been washing it away.
Green slime has coated it, it was slippery for us and the dog. I don't jetwash daily ,but I was off today, it was ideal to get it clean. As I said, neighbours smoke weed, I have to tolerate that, they can tolerate my occasional noise. I'll be at work the rest of the week and weekend.

Piss smells so bad when it’s on patios. I jet wash it every morning and because I do it everyday it literally takes 10-15 minutes. Takes longer to set it all up and plug everything in

You can go somewhere else. He can't pressure wash his patio somewhere else.

But it’s the disappointment of peace and quiet ruined, noise cancelling headphones are a ridiculous answer to wanting to enjoy your garden. Of course he can do jobs, thus why she didn’t go and cut his hose, but she can still wish he wouldn’t do it!! On a nice day I will cut the grass but if my neighbours have their washing out I won’t light a bonfire because I don’t want to annoy them as I live next to them. Likewise they come and warn me if they are going to do noisy work cos we care about not annoying each other!

5 dogs? 🤩

What breed(s)? Or are they mixed?

Sorry to be off topic, I love dogs.

It’s fine to be disappointed. Things (well, mainly people!) disappoint me all the time. Doesn’t mean the neighbour did anything wrong though.

Of course not! He hasn’t committed any kind of crime. But when I am enjoying the garden I’m going to be hacked off of someone decides to start power tooling away and wish they would shut up. Especially on the first nice sunny day! I feel OP’s annoyance and how her peaceful time was ruined. But his need for a clean patio is just as valid.

Of course it’s not selfish of them to do outside chores on a sunny day.

I find power washer noise one of the most ignorable of all graden noises. Wouldn't have bothered me, and we're in a new build with postage stamp sized gardens.

Lawnmower noise on the other hand makes me murderous

So the neighbours should check with you when it is suitable for them to do it?

Sure between 11pm and 5 am rude otherwise seriously no!

Fair enough.

I just wondered as I've never washed a patio in my entire life (70+).

It was a weekday. Much less anti-social than doing it at the weekend.

Check your privilege. You're lucky to have been able to be in the garden. Most people missed the sun because they had to go to work.

Get a bigger house if you dont want to notice neighbours in their gardens. YABVVU

It’s anti-social to use a power washer at any time!

I think the vast majority of people would disagree. Who wants to be woken up on a slow Sunday morning to this? Most neighbours would be pissed off if it was loud enough.

Better midweek than weekend, I appreciate it is a pain, I am guessing th patio can dry and he will see the results quicker.

better that than we get people burning rubbish on a nice sunny dry day.

My neighbour's feel compelled to make racket every time there's decent weather. Power tools, remote control car, pressure washer, leaf blower...their garden is tiny but they have a lot of stuff. It really pees me off that there's never a quiet time to enjoy the garden. YANBU.