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?

I would hate it if my Dc were put in this situation as would everyone on here on behalf of their Dc.

I suspect they asked you in the hope that pushing back the works might be feasible but I’m sure they don’t expect you to lose out significantly financially in order to do so.

Sounds they have means, so will likely find some alternative arrangement for the girl eg temporary accommodation elsewhere.

But if I were you, I would explain the situation to them so that they don’t perceive that you are unsympathetic.

So it's a semi, you are spending £550 Euros renovating a semi and you said it had nine bathrooms eh?

£550000

Again, as you well know or you lack comprehension skills, no one is expecting the OP to pay 30000 to her neighbour. The OP's neighbour asking to delay for three weeks is a reasonable question, the answer was - "no". TBH at the prices the OP is being charged to renovate a semi detached home I would want the builders to get on with it as well!

Oh dear!

You’re way to angry and over invested and throwing out way too many insults on a thread you don’t believe!

Making up lots of scenarios for various posters, who you actually know nothing about.

Maybe get out for a walk, this must’ve taken up
far too much of your time,

very few people are suggesting that the neighbours were unreasonable to ask if the works could be delayed (although their comment with regards to shelter for their bikes possibly is indicative that they may becomes unreasonable), but they are saying that the op is not unreasonable to apologise, say that it’s not possible to delay as it will cost £30,000, and offer the use of a nearby office. The question was “am I being unreasonable to continue with the building works” not “is my neighbour being unreasonable to make a request” . The OP has indicated a great deal of sympathy for the neighbours - as you said to me, do you lack comprehension skills? 😉

We had some substantial building work done a few years ago. I managed to WFH through most of it (apart from the day they drilled through the walls to fit a new RSJ - or something like that). No pets died of stress.

You've had some great advice on this thread OP, just crack on with your building work.

Wouldn't not would.

The parents can hugely influence how unsettling this is for the daughter. By setting an example and saying that it isn't ideal, but this is what can be done, maybe providing good snacks and drinks for the office, and generally just making the best of it.
My kids school does allow them to go in during study leave, and provides dedicated study areas. Some of them choose to go to school because it's less distracting than home, and some prefer to study at home. If for some reason they can't have their preference on a given day, they make the best of it. I am studying for a degree in Computer Science, so I am well aware that studying can be stressful and distractions difficult, but it's a waste of energy to try to change everything to suit you, as the neighbours are doing.
An office to study in is an excellent offer, and the parents could easily check it out if they have any concerns about safety. When I took my GCSEs my parents had no quiet space for me so I had to use a spare office at my dad's workplace. It was fine, if a bit odd for the soldiers who didn't know who I was or what I was doing there.

Yes dear, ok! If you say so.

👍

And advice not advise?

Sewing division? Not sure what that is?

Specifically in this story, the neighbour

Yep, same here!

Couldn't agree more, when people say now young people lack resilience this is the kind of thing they're talking about

depends on the school, my DD's school had no exam leave, they were expected in school every day, if they weren't in an exam, they were in class having ongoing revision lessons.

I'm surprised the neighbours DD is at home.

I have experience of having a recent extension which you don't appear to have or you would know this. It absolutely does take that long. Reputable builders are the ones who are booked up- its not a good sign if they aren't! And they don't work with developers because that's not the type of work they do....

This.

I would not postpone the work but I might purchase a set of noise cancelling headphones for the teen as a goodwill gesture. And ask the builders to be considerate re timing of noisy tasks and radio/ shouting etc

They’re not wrong for asking as it coild
bw posisble in some cases (relaxed builders who are able to move things around), but if it can’t reasonably be put off or you’d lose money they need to find a way around it- surely she can use the library at school/college/ university or the public library to study?

😂😂😂
People on MN are insane.

OP, the ndn are being unreasonable. Yes, its a pity that the work is taking place now but that's life. It would not even have crossed my mind to expect my ndn to take my dd into account and I certainly would never have approached them about it. The level of cheek is just too much for me!!

There are loads of other places to revise.....go into school and revise there. Thats what we had to do.
Also, whoever said that libraries in Unis are some sort of havens....I can assure you, that in the 2 unis I went to, they were not. They were like every other library I've ever been in where the librarian hushed anyone making noise!

Sorry, 30K is just too much. Get on with the work and try not to think about it.

It's extremely unfortunate but it's not your fault. There are lots of solutions and it was nice of your husband to offer some office space. Maybe going out of her comfort zone and thinking outside the box will prepare for uni - where study conditions aren't always ideal.
She can study in school, in the library, in his office, a friend's house, maybe another neighbour, the city library, the local university has public access. Even churches or community centres will probably let you use a quiet room for studying. She needs a quiet area and I don't think that it's impossible to find one.

School library or white noise through her headphones. The world does not, cannot, and SHOULD not stop because she has exams. They need to learn that while their daughter might be the most important thing in their world, she isn't in anyone else's.

Also, most of my son's mates finish their A level exams on 11th or 12th June and the majority of GCSEs are over by then from what I can see.

She’s doing the Irish Leaving Cert, which runs from June 3rd to 23rd.

What?