If you have a big extension to your home, AIBU to think you should consider the impact on your neighbours?

[angelos02]

Neighbour is having a huge extension - so much so, we have found out that they are moving out for 6 months. It will have a huge impact on my life - noise, scaffolding etc. At the end of it I will have lost a huge amount of view - they will gain everything and the only person to be negatively impacted is me! So do I just have to suck it up as it is just the way things are now?

The thing is, we almost all live in homes that would have inconvenienced someone at some point when they were built, and which may well have inconvenienced someone at some point since. I've never done any building work at all to a property I lived in, but I'm sat in a garage conversion/extension that the previous owner of this house did and which improved it greatly. I live on a road built in the 70s. It was fields before, and I'm sure they were mourned, and the road being built would certainly have affected views. There aren't many houses on the street that are left with the original 70s layout and footprint, and those that are in a bit of a sorry state. Building, updating and adapting housing is part of life and while it is difficult to have drawn the short straw of living next door to that process, it is ridiculous to suggest that it should just stop entirely so that no one is inconvenienced.

My neighbour is having the back of their house re-insulated and called me last night to discuss it. She needs my consent because the builders have to put the scaffolding in my garden in order to do it . I have a pergola at one end of the garden and told her that I don’t want them getting building materials all over it. She said they would cover it. I also told her to cover up some piping that I can see from my balcony and garden and she was fine about it. Actually I’m glad she’s having it done because it will look better and probably add to the value of my place!

Perhaps this poster thinks that when Jesus preached to love your neighbour, he primarily meant by not doing any building works? Maybe they think that the whole issue with the moneylenders in the temple was that Jesus was very concerned about whether proper change of use process had been followed.

Where is that laughing emoji!

This kind of attitude is hilarious. To think that people would have to consider neighbours issues and restrict their plans is crazy . If it is allowed and legal you are soo unreasonable to try and alter things to your own convience . Work in winter so you can open your window in summer ??? No way would I allow anyone to try and control my build like that . Where do you think you are living ? In a National Trust property ?. And who do you think you are ? More important than the homeowners ? An Englishman 's home is his castle and MN proves this over and over . No parking in front of my house , no looking in my window , no noise in the garden except my own . Entitled much ?

We lived attached to a building project for a year - I was attached to my noise blocking AirPods when working from home. We are moving now and will need to do work to the new detached house. I am very conscious of selecting a well recommended builder and ensuring they are considerate to neighbours/park considerately, clear up mess promptly etc. I think if the builders are considerate there’s not much more you can do. Our build should reduce overlooking if we get permission so we hope benefits neighbours ultimately.
There are other noises that can be worse. I find endlessly screaming children more grating.

I think there's a balance to be struck but ultimately, building work is noisy and there's no real way to make it otherwise and builders seem genetically hardwired to like soft rock radio stations at volume. However, it is time limited. The trend towards WFH is ironically on both sides of the argument- WFH makes an extension more likely as people need more space but other people's extensions are then more disruptive. If you're out at work all day you'd likely hardly notice. Weirdly I don't really mind building noise but find barking dogs and bass super stressful.

Have they got planning? You need to put in objections about light at the planning stage.

It's frustrating and I wouldn't be thrilled either.

So basically try to be a spiteful busy body to get revenge because you cant handle just getting on with your life while others do the same?
Not positive personality traits to promote.

I've just remembered that about a year after I reported the man who built an extra storey on his house, we had our ancient and very dodgy roof replaced. Then I got a letter from the council saying we needed to get it signed off - the roofer, who we know well, said this never happens! Anyway, the same chap from the council came round, had a look from outside, said "Very nice!", went up into the loft to confirm that we'd had it properly insulated (we had) and we got some sort of building regs certificate. It was no big deal, but I vaguely wondered at the time if Third-Storey-Man had reported us. 😄

YANBU the house behind us had a huge extension on the entire width of the back of their house taking up half their back garden then complained in the summer when we had a BBQ that the smoke was going in their kitchen through their open bifold doors 🙄

YABU.

It’s their plot of land so the size they’re extending by is really irrelevant if the plot of land can accommodate it.

Noise etc does not last forever.

People extend as it’s cheaper than buying the equivalent already done, typically.

They brought a claim against the surveyor who was representing us which went to a kind of 'surveyor court'. The person evaluating the claim said they couldn't find that either surveyor had acted incorrectly, and costs for his time in evaluating the claim were to be equally shared between the neighbours and us as no fault on either side. And yes we paid it, we were selling our house (partly to get away from these awful neighbours) and couldn't risk it being recorded as a charge or open dispute against our home. Wrong, but worth every penny to get away from them.

Apparently the people who moved into our home are even worse than them, according to someone we know who lives in our old street. Karma coming back around I think!

We live at the top of a hill, overlooking dozens of houses at the bottom of our garden. One of the residents submitted a planning application to build another house in the unused strip of land running along the side of his property. I remember when we first received a notification, I was a bit confused as to why we got this letter from an address we weren’t familiar with. Then I realised the gable and roof were going to tower over our garden. We submitted an objection online and, in doing so, saw that we weren’t the only ones pissed off about it. A few months later we were told that the application had been withdrawn. So, my question would be, as other pp’s have mentioned, did you not receive any notice of the planning application? Because that’s your opportunity to object. It isn’t a given that they’ll act on your objection, but at least you get to voice your concerns and say how it might impact you. Some people will make reasonable adjustments to their plans, even if not obliged to, for the sake of neighbourly harmony.

Is it compliant with planning? If so then tough luck.

As long as they are doing it all legally then yabu. Loss of light is a reasonable grounds to object, as is visual impact but you needed to do that at the planning stage.

Whenever I see someone on instagram trotting out the line ‘Come with me as we renovate this dilapidated country house’ I always think about their neighbours.

Why would they talk to the neighbour? What good would that do, beyond warning them on noise and dust?

OP - people are entitled to extend and renovate their own homes. Planning permission is there to help support affected people around them, but ultimately, if you want nice views, you have to buy a lot of land. Lots of people are losing views to building work, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t do it.

That’s what we have done. Now surrounded by our own 12 acres apart from a field on one side which has covenents on it preventing any development. 😏

If they have planning permission, you have to put up with it. It won't last forever, just feels like that at the time.

Where I lived until two years ago people were always doing things to their houses, builders were in and out, drilling, scaffolding, cement mixers on the go, dust everywhere and skips out the front. That is life I'm afraid. We did it too.

My son bought my house from me and has done all sorts of work on it since he took possession just over a year ago. He is currently touring abroad for a few weeks during which time his garage is being converted into a room. He's had skips in the drive since he moved in!

Wherever you live, that will happen unless you buy a new build of the exact size and specification you require; there's nothing you can do about it.

You can't blame people for wanting to enlarge/improve their home, most people do. Nobody wants to be a nuisance to their neighbours but some upheaval is inevitable. Have you done nothing to your home?

You would have needed to be advised about planning permission. If you didn't object then YABU to now moan about the impact

Get a video camera up, front and back to record what goes on.
Great proof of unauthorised work going on causing late noise.
Video your house, and garden back and front in case there is any damage.
Did they not havd to go for planning for such a large build?

I have heard of cowboy builders particularly when the owners weren't about.
My neighbour caught on film the builders flicking in tea bags into her garden the first week of work.

She caused the most almighty fuss, became so difficult, wouldn't move her car for deliveries etc.
They apologised profusely and didn't dare cross her again.

We spoke to our neighbour, apologised, explained the plans and advised of the schedule of works. We knew there'd be. Certain periods of noise from foundation digging and and filling and then a section of drilling and hammering towards the end, but the actual brick laying and shell building was really quiet (we worked from home throughout). Ki

My neighbours have had building work since October last year. It’s a really small team so the noise has been pretty constant over a long period of time.
My view is that I like the couple generally and they’re investing in this street so in the long run I see it as a positive thing despite the inconvenience.
However - I think it would have been classy of them to let us know what they were planning, as a courtesy and how long it would take as it’s had a significant impact on us in terms of noise and that there’s a huge ugly assed van outside our house for months on end.
I think classy people might have flagged it up and just let us know.

YANBU OP