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?

Yes and frankly we should expect more!

@Kickinthenostalgia this has been sprung on her neighbours ?
And a child ?
.
Op can do what she likes but if she can't at least manage the noise and dsys then she can't expect that teen to keep their music down /parties down when exams are over and op is settling into her nice new home 😜

We've literally done everything possible to hurry the process along. We're living in a tiny space and are desperate to get out of here. Unfortunately, it all takes so long. It's all the red tape and then finding people to do the work.

OP has said she's bought a semi-detached house, so, unlike most Irish people, she doesn't seem to be living in a thatched cottage up a boreen.

Are you just here to tell everyone how rude they’re being?

Are you the neighbour???

OP has a 2.5 year old child which is a critical period of rapid development setting the foundation for life long behaviour and learning. What’s the price on that? Her baby needs a permanent home and parents to be in a good mental space. Additionally, there is no proof that this young person will attain low grades.

This. Have some parents lost all sight of what’s reasonable and normal? School exams aren’t the be all and end all.

I’ve gone back to university age 31 and many of us revise in public libraries or at university due to our homes being noisy (central London, many have children of their own) some also have almost full time jobs on top of their full time degree, children and one of the cohort is pregnant too. We still managed to sit our exams among all of this.

But no… this girl can’t possibly pass her leaving cert because her neighbour is having building work and taking a notebook and pens to the library is too hard. Nonsense.

So nasty and so rude

OP, you’re going to have to put feelings of guilt out of your mind. The exams have started, 99% of the studying is done at this stage. There are seven exams as you know with three of these having two papers, so ten in total. There will be several days where she will have a morning and an afternoon exam, so there will be no disturbance. She will also have this weekend to study without builders noise.

Depending on her subjects, she will have the exams finished by Friday week or maybe a gap of a few days until the last few. She can study in the library on these days.

I doubt you will ever be friends with these neighbours, even if this issue hadn’t cropped up.

You sound way too nice, stop trying to appease people on here they have no idea how long and difficult it is to organise a build. My advice is step away from MN and carry on with your life. Hope the build goes well.

what a attitude and mean post? Chill
out

And yet it must be done and OP can’t afford to cancel. So that’s that.

@Grammarninja My husband has offered them an office at his work around the corner to facilitate study.

This is more than reasonable. Office + ear plugs will allow her to study easily.

I absolutely do actually but not for a different country only in England.

@Sonato This may come as a shock to you all but most university revision is done in libraries amongst gasp other people

A set of ear plugs blocks out all library noise.

Ear plugs do not block out construction work noise.

You sound like a five year old - “ I’m going to hate them forever.”

What kind of a question is this? So nobody is ever allowed to buy property that needs work doing to it incase they have a child studying? Or a newborn trying to sleep, or a child sensitive to noise, or a dog that barks at passers by? The comments on this thread are wild. She wasn’t to know there’s a kid studying there!

The exams have started, 99% of study completed. Most of the days, the girl will be out of the house sitting the exams. It would have been worse if the builders were on site during the Easter holidays or last week.

This is a non event.

even if op could find an Airbnb locally (so no change in distance to school) would you really want to pack up everything you'll need for 3 weeks to move out? would you want the neighbours living in your home, sleeping in your bed whilst you squash into their small house that quite likely doesn't even have a full sized single bed? op has a toddler and says they're squished into a small space.

they've offered the kid a place to revise. mom can go down and check it out . what op can't do is magic up 30k.

you demanding she does doesn't make money any easier to create

Exactly this.

sounds like a great idea to me! It’s lucky it’s so close.

In your shoes I think I would ask the neighbours if they can provide more details about when her most crucial revision periods are (ask them to be as specific as possible) and when she will be out of the house anyway ie at school for exams or between exams. And I would see if the builders could work reduced hours or focus on quieter work whenever she is in a crucial revision period and then do the noisy stuff when she is out at school - as far as possible. Of course as you aren’t there you will need to rely on your builders to stick to this so speak to them before starting the conversation with the neighbour.

Whilst this kind of scheduling will be a little annoying for your builders - and might cost you a little extra - it really isn’t the same as a total stop of works and won’t cost £30k. And I think it would go a long way with your neighbours.

Well I do too @Goldenbear stop being a nasty person, regardless of the time it took for building to start the world doesn’t revolve around OP’s neighbours child.

PS if it’s costing 550k there’s no way it will be done in 4 months