New neighbour has asked us to stop construction on new home until daughter has finished exams.

[Grammarninja]

This is such a tricky one for me. We bought a house that needed a complete overhaul a year ago. We've finally gotten through architects, planning permission and trying to find affordable builders etc. It has been stressful.
We broke ground this week and the neighbours have asked us to stop until dd has finished her exams in 3 weeks.
I really feel for the family and can't imagine how upsetting it must be for them at this crucial time (we had no idea they had a child sitting exams this summer). My husband has offered them an office at his work around the corner to facilitate study. I wouldn't mind postponing if it wouldn't cost us 30k to do so as builders are working to a set time frame. I wouldn't even mind the extra costs we'd incur through having to stay in our current accommodation for another month if it weren't for the builders' costs which we simply can't afford.
I'm worried now that we're going to start off on a terrible note with our new neighbours which would be such a shame considering my current neighbours are like family.
Are we being unreasonable to continue with the build in these circumstances?

They're not. It's a semi-d and they're the neighbours on the unattached side.

FFS, I cannot believe some of the comments on here.

Yes, building work is bloody horrible - during my A Levels we had it next door to us (terraced houses)...and so I went into school or to the library to revise during the day. Not ideal, but perfectly manageable.

The idea that I or my parents would 'hate our neighbours forever' for building during my exams is frankly ludicrous.

‘Faffing around’ AKA getting planning permission and architects plans to submit to building controls? Ie the legal requirements?

YANBU and they are absolutely ridiculous. Tell them to get her a set of earplugs or send her down the library

What are your planned working hours? Mon-fri 9-5?

In any case if you were my neighbour I would hate you and never forgive you. My stupid neighbours have done extension work for 6 months at a time twice and they were so inconsiderate. They also have noisy parties. I do not like them because of the noise and stress they have put us under.

But if they were doings this during exam period I would hate them forever.

Some of these responses are ridiculous. OP hasn't done anything wrong and won't be doing anything wrong by carrying on with their renovations which would otherwise mean they lose £30k, and potentially more, if they delay the work. House renovations are a fact of life in this country.

She can take up the offer of an office space which you're generously offering, around the corner so easy to get to. Or headphones. Or study at school or at the library like lots of students do. She can ask her teachers if she can use an empty classroom, even, since Year 11s will be out studying primarily.

Apologise while acknowledging it sucks but there's nothing you can do about it other than offer up the quiet space nearby where that won't be any distractions either.

Hold on. These neighbors did a similar renovations and inconvenienced neighbors without a care. They have been intrusive and demanding, so you've paid for a new fence, and they've demanded input on your access lane cover--and you've acquiesed time after time.

It seems they already feel you are a soft touch and are overly comfortable demanding things from you.

Offering use of an office is already very kind. Step back.

Study leave?
you get one chance to do your GCSEs.
i can understand them being upset.

For those saying GCSEs finish next week or have finished already, this is not true and maybe depends on yr exam boards. GCSE exams in 2026 are scheduled to start from the week commencing Monday, 4 May and finish on Friday, 26 June. source BBC.

OP there’s some really OTT responses on here, it cannot be helped, you can’t postpone, fortunately most people above like @pteromum @TeaIsLovely @MaidMiriam @moderateme have more sensible advice.

They are not even the attached house🙄.
Madness entertaining this.

Grow up

Peoples lives don’t revolve around your kids’ exams

They are being unreasonable.

She can close the windows, use ear plugs, put music on, go somewhere else. I can see why it's annoying for them but of course you can't lose out £30K.

You could try saying "the builders have said they can postpone for 3 weeks but it will cost £30K. Is this so important you're willing to pay this?"

What if roadworks were being done outside their house? Or pipes being put down? Would they contact the council or the water company and ask them to stop? They're being ridiculous.

DH & I both grew up with lovely neighbours, give and take , in our wedding photos!
We moved here 20 years ago and at first thought it was us but no, these neighbours have been awful their entire adult lives. Their kids told us they weren't popular growing up in the street and it's only got worse. So many dreadful things over the years and I wish I'd gone for full nuclear years ago rather than appeasement.
We are paying a fuck ton of money for our extension this summer and every time the angle grinder goes or the lads shout, I consider it money well spent.

Have you actually explained to them that this will cost you 30K?

Any amount of cold hard cash above say £500, a reasonable person would say, fuck, this is a shit situation but it's no-one's fault and we're going to have to find a solution for our child.

But from your updates, it sounds like they're pretty pushy, and I suspect they're making this demand/request in order to throw their weight around and not necessarily because it will actually be that awful for their child.

Happy Ears ear plugs block out my DH's trombone snoring so...

I think that given the financial penalty associated with postponing, you should go ahead - but you can hopefully preserve neighbor relations by clearly explaining that you would otherwise postpone, expressing your regret and empathy, and delivering a pair of good quality noise cancelling headphones and a gift basket full of study treats for the student.

People telling you to rent a house for them...WTF this is not usual when neighbours are having work done!

And yet they are still entitled to do it.

Lol. Empathy is valid. I had kids go through this too. Saying the OP has faffed around and actively wants to make the child’s life harder, is really stupid.

Your neighbours are taking the piss

Do you honestly expect anyone to give a shit about your kid’s uni offer to the extent of losing tens of thousands of pounds?

Nowadays the kids all seem to be in school all day during exams, not like the ‘study leave’ I did nearly 30 years ago do assuming you aren’t doing work in the evenings how disturbed can she be?!

some of these posts are so ridiculously dramatic with hate forever and buy/rent x,y, z for them.

exams are important but life does not stop for anything, sometimes you’re going to have to study in less than ideal conditions, be that now, college, uni, work exams, you can’t stomp your feet and hate people, you just have to be adaptable (headphones, study somewhere else, change times you study etc) that will do her (and anyone else) in this situation lots of good in the long run, how to adapt and overcome, great skill to have.

How many properties are around you?

There must be some people living in close proximity that WFH, have very young children, ill, work night shifts. Have they complained about the noise? Doubt it

Why should you stop your building work for one student? Tell your neighbours that many students have to endure noises when studying. This includes building works. Plus roadworks, people having stuff delivered, younger siblings screaming, crying etc.

Noise cancelling headphones. Those Loop ear plugs

Some of the comments are so funny! Of course the posters stating their indignation at the OP would stop the work, would check with the neighbours when the best time was for them etc. Yeah, course you would. If you want absolute silence for an activity, including revision, you seek it out. You shouldn’t expect others to accommodate your needs or wants. Most schools will have provision for pupils who can’t revise at home, usually because of problem households, and please don’t tell me the neighbours child will be revising all day. OP, tell the neighbour you are sad that your building work coincides with the exam period but you won’t be postponing it. Your DH has offered his office, if the parents are unhappy for their child to go there on their own, they could go with them. After all, they think it’s really important for their child’s success.