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?

I agree, we did exactly that before we had work done.
Basic curtesy.
I had loads of noisy garden work done recently and gave my neighbours on both sides a heads up for which they were most grateful.
They worked in the office those days even though it was noisy from 10-3pm.

It wasn’t all legal. Planning conditions and LA restrictions will be clear on the levels of dust, noise etc. if they are banging “morning noon and night” and blocking roads, not controlling dust, you can report them to the local authority who will shut it down. If the operatives were intimidating, you can report them to the police, or to whatever federation they are members of.

If they lost light in their garden, I assume they didn’t object to the planning permission. Shaking and in tears because of building works seems a very extreme reaction. I doubt it was solely down to that.

I think it's wildly unreasonable to think you can/should have control over other people's properties above/beyond the UKs existing planning regulations- we have quite limited rights compared to lots of places. If they're in line with planning regs they can do what they want. You buy the property and land and it's totally reasonable to reconfigure it to meet the needs you have, and it's how we progress too otherwise lots of properties would still have outside toilets etc! We need to be able to modernise and expand existing housing, we can't just keep building new.

You are NOT being unreasonable if you mean they should have spoken to you, discussed the builders timings, explained what disruption there would be and mitigated it as much as possible. I think they owe you some wine, flowers and a thank you/apology.

It's about being courteous and sympathetic to neighbours, and discussing ways things can be shielded or views can be protected and minimising disruption. It's not about just banning all construction/modernising/expanding of homes people own and have bought with their money, and whilst they're abiding with all existing UK laws.

They couldn't care less. Every house up from me has been bought by relative newcomers to the UK (not that that is relevant other than they seem to have loads of money for this kind of thing) , people move out then about 2 y ears of completely redone including internal walls and the roof whilst they are living the life of riley in rented or with family whilst we have had 4 years in a row with their noise to which they themselves are not subjected. Thought that was all done but house opposite now wants something even worse - removing the whole house which is presumably going to be even worse and will take us to years 5 and 6 of works. When does it end?

YES! Going through exactly this. My neighbour is in year THREE of an extension - doubling the size of the house. They’ve fallen out with 3 building teams so far - with huge gaps between old ones being ditched and new ones starting. I know swear words in at least 4 different new languages. Noise, deliveries, filthy windows - I’m sick of it. And the thing that most annoys me is that they’ve gone on holiday for all the really noisy months.

If they’ve got planning permission and are doing everything legally then yes you do have to suck it up

It's not that councils don't care - it's just construction noise can't be considered because where would it end? If they said noone can make building noise then noone could extend or build houses near to other houses, noone could fix their buildings... councils will have policies on drainage though so a comment to the case officer can deal with that if its a problem in your area. I feel the posters pain but I've been on both sides of this - had to have major subsidence fixed in our house - weeks of drilling and noise for the neighbours - I was v embarrassed but what other option is there? Equally our neighbour did an extension so they could have a music room - right against our fence took all summer - no sitting out, no washing on the line - just had to live with it and keep it friendly! Now they let my son use their piano so it's all good..

@ThatEdgyRobin I know swear words in at least 4 different new languages.

So it's not ALL bad then!

Exactly. We live in a new build estate and it makes me laugh when they all get up in arms because the fields all around us (which have been in a local development masterplan for decades) might have houses built on them. Such a nimby attitude, when they bought new build homes themselves.

We have a housing shortage. People complain about new houses being built and taking up green spaces, but then also complain about others renovating or extending existing homes. Presumably all whilst continuing to have children who, one day, will need a home themselves.

You can either let building noise annoy you, or just get on with it.

The neighbours are going to prioritise their needs over their consideration for you. But thats why there is planning permission. Didn't you object if its upsetting you?

@Gonners DH did suggest they might just be saying “could you pass me the mallet please?” but it’s amazing how one can tell swearing in any language!

Buy a house assuming that your neighbours will extend to the amount allowed by law/any empty spaces nearby will be filled with more houses?!

Its just the way life is unfortunately. We have just finished an extension that two of our neighbours objected to on the grounds of noise/loss of view. We did ask if there were any small changes we could make to the plans and they basically said single storey not double, which was too much compromise for us.

Buying and extending was the only way we could afford in the area. Funnily enough, both neighbours had purchased extended houses so were benefitting from larger spaces than our house, so I had limited sympathy.

In the same vein, I suck up their kids banging a football against the fence all day at the weekends and don't complain. It's suburban living!

We knocked down two extensions and rebuilt them (to the same footprint) before we moved into our house. It took a year. Two houses in our street are currently undergoing full refurbishments. It’s very common nowadays and if they’re not breaking the law you’ll just have to make the best of it. The houses around here date from 1900 so it would be unreasonable not to expect it.

I think YABU, which is not to say you aren’t allowed to be annoyed - but you have to think of the bigger picture.

We had a big extension done a few years ago, essentially doubling the size of our home. It was definitely unpleasant for neighbours - we discussed it with them extensively and were very sympathetic to their concerns. We also plied them with good meals, spa appointments, Christmas hampers etc. Fast forward a few years, it’s their turn to have their house done, and we have a year of disturbance ahead, so it’s swings and roundabouts. I have spent many hours advising them and helping with their project.

Meanwhile properties on our road are shooting up in value, because of homeowners like me who are investing in making the housing stock better.

As a neighbour, you benefit from the fact that the house next door has increased in value - it’s the halo effect.

The housing stock in England is very low quality, and not meeting modern life needs, so it’s no surprise that people want to improve it. Open living spaces, better insulation and windows, more storage and bathrooms, ventilation and energy efficient measures are needed in most homes. It’s part and parcel of home ownership - you have your parcel of land, and try to make the most of it. I’m afraid as a homeowner, you have to suck it up - there’s no point getting angry about it as it’s not within your control and your neighbours have a legitimate right to improve their home.

You may be right but, (i) you need to have the money to sue your neighbour and (ii) That's not the professional advice I was given (by 3 completely different firms) when my neighbour completely ruined our house. All said that whilst I could sue him, since no report was done illustrating the condition of the property before he created the damage, I'd have an extremely hard time proving anything and any claim would therefore be unlikely to succeed.

I couldn’t agree with you more. We’re in exactly the same position. Our new neighbours bought a lovely Victorian semi that had been really lovingly restored and maintained but before they’ve even moved in, they have completely butchered the house and are having a monstrous great box built on the back and almost the entire ground floor will be open plan. The noise has been unbearable for the last three months and has made it difficult for me working from home. The party wall award isn’t worth the paper it’s written on, and no-one has been interested on the two occasions when the builders have taken a jackhammer to the other side of the party wall and I’ve watched cracks open up across the adjacent ceilings as they’re drilling. This is despite the party wall award stating that no percussive tools can be used for plaster removal or demolition of the party wall. No-one is interested in enforcing the permitted working hours - the builders aren’t allowed to start work before 9 on a Saturday, but it appears to be acceptable for them to ignore this and start drilling and demolishing at 7.30 - the council tell me that one of their officers has to witness noise nuisance but they don’t start work until 8 on Saturdays and by the time I’ve managed to get through and reported the nuisance, it’s nearly 9 by the time anyone could get here to witness the nuisance.

as you said - why can’t they buy a house tjst is the right size and layout for their needs rather than destroying a beautiful old period property, and making life hell for neighbours.

Because this is the cheaper option for them.

You may have bought your house but you didn’t buy the view. So you have been lucky enough to enjoy a view - as a freebie - for as long as you have, but that time has unfortunately come to an end.

If you had originally bought your house because of the view then that was very short sighted. If a view is still important to you, you’ll have to move out to the sticks where less development takes place.

YABU

You need to check the deeds to the property. A lot actually state no right to light.

Not being unreasonable but I also think this is just part of living in a city. We have extended, and both neighbours have also extended, one of them needing half our side return for an entire summer to build out in to their garden. I was a bit of a pain to them during the planning process, blocking massive windows that impacted our privacy, but also having creative control over what kind of wall we ended up looking at - we now have a very beautiful brick wall that we have put lights up on and planted agaisnt - we made the best of a situatation, and frankly, it would probably be worth your time and energy doing the same - if there's nothing you can do about it, you may as well try and make the best of it. Good luck though, it is really frustrating when they decide to do it over summer, like ours - our garden was pretty much out of action from April - September when they did theirs, I didn't like them at all during the process and now we just don't communicate at all.

Communication, definitely yes.
However, what’s wrong with people going on holiday or moving out during their renovation? What difference does it make to anybody around?

Houses need to be updated,repaired, restored. We don't live in a museum. It's a normal ongoing process.

In the 14 years since I bought our home, I've had an extension built, had the roof replaced (4 weeks of scaffolding), had a conservatory and its concrete base removed, had all new windows and exterior doors fitted, added a log burner and lined the chimney.

Opposite me they are building 46 houses. We've had endless lorries coming and going for 8 months. They reversed through my front fence. They make noise from 7.30am to 6pm. They cover the road in mud.

It won't last forever. As long as they stick to planning, and health & safety, we just get on with life. There is no alternative.

Unfortunately, though, depending on what kind of work they're having done it could take literally twice as long if they do it during the winter as some work can't be done during or straight after very wet weather. Again, it's unfortunate but the problem is that 'good building days' and 'good sitting in the garden days' are the same sort of day for a lot of types of work.

Because they found a house they can make into what they want. For them. Not taking on and adapting somebody else’s work.

You will have known about this, I don’t buy the phrase “we just found out”. When they applied for planning permission/permitted development did you object or feedback? Did they revise their plans? What was your discussion with the planning officer when they did a site visit?

Because they are ruining the peace of those around them - to no benefit to their neighbours, while having none of the disruption to themselves. This isn't complicated to understand.

As a freebie? This is one of the most ridiculous thing I have ever read on MN. My access to seeing the sky and trees is a 'freebie' now? Lets just brick around people's homes and say tough - your freedom was a freebie.