noise problem, help, I really need some advice.

[RoaringGhoulies]

Firstly I know I have lost all perspective and this will be long and I have got to the point where I really don't know what is the best thing to do.

We have lived in our 1940's semi detached bungalow for 9 years. We
did not hear the previous neighbours, despite having suspended floors,
cellar and pot block walls.

We have new neighbours who promptly gutted the building, added an
attic, stripped all floors, removed walls and chimney breasts and
turned the accommodation around so their living space is against our
bedrooms. We've had to move ds out of his bedroom and onto the other side of the house.

We can hear them washing up, running the tap, closing kitchen drawers, feeding the dog, high heels, conversations etc and when they use the stairs it sounds as though we have our very own upstairs. They wake us up when they come in, basically we might as well live with them because that's how it feels.

So far we've had two teenage drunk parties and sat listening to them swearing and shouting through the walls and singing along to Oasis over and over again.

We are no longer on speaking terms so doubt very much if neighbours give two hoots, they are so noisy that they don't seem to hear us.
Relations broke down after they left piles of broken asbestos ceiling sheets outside, feet away from our bedroom, I should have just bloody rung the council then. There's loads more but you get the general gist. I'm now so angry that I don't trust myself to speak to them which isn't exactly helping the situation I know.

I have spoken to building control and there are no building regs for any of the work that's been undertaken but where does that leave us? I don't want, can't afford to start some expensive legal neighbour dispute.

Has anyone had this degree of noise coming through from neighbours and do any of you have any ideas on how best to reduce it. We realise that in order to stay sane we will have to soundproof our house and have read up a bit on flanking and noise transference. Any guidance would be very gratefully appreciated.
Thank you for wading through to the end.

Won't building control prosecute?

I'm going to have to ring them again aren't I - wibble.

We've been so scared of confrontation that we've made it worse.

In our previous house we could here everything from next door, least of all her shrieking voice - clicking lights on and off, television, radio, banging wardrobe doors, running up and downstairs, dogs fighting and barking, etc, etc...they might as well have been living in our house.

We paid £2000 to have the whole party wall upstairs and downstairs soundproofed. This lessened day to day noise.

It did not stop her being a shrieking harridan so we sold up and moved.

I suggest you get a company that specialise in sound proofing to come out and take a look so at least you'll know what the problem is before calling building control.

NB if you do decide to move you'll probably be asked about any disputes with neighbours or noise complaints.
I do feel for you, inconsiderate neighbours should all be rounded up and made to live next door to each other!

I feel for you. Were things like the chimney breast on the party wall? Did they have party wall agreements for the work?

Thanks everyone.
GemmaTeller yes to all that and tbh at the minute I would pay almost anything to make the noise bearable, sorry you still had to move.

I had to go and ask the son to turn down his music as it was so loud I couldn't hear my own radio and was told that it wasn't his fault, sigh.

burnished Yes, am on the hunt for one, the closest has recently ceased trading but wondering if a good surveyor would be able to help.

So far all complaints have been 'chat's' no recorded dispute. This was going to be home for the long term but not so sure now. So, yes good point about neighbourhood disputes Million although at the minute I don't think anyone would buy our house once they had visited

The party wall has a shared chimney wowfudge and there were no party wall agreements. They have not once informed us of what they were going to do, we just assumed it would be kitchen, bathroom and a lick of floor varnish much as we have done ourselves.

I don't understand why someone would do all that work without the appropriate building regs etc no ones going to buy it are they.
And yes to rounding them all up and live together.

Because, unfortunately for you, they see themselves staying there for a long time or simply don't care. Or think they can just buy an indemnity at some point in the future.

If you can keep things civil and keep communications open then next time there is noise like the son's music you need to get them to come into your house and hear it for themselves.

Keep a diary of the incidents - dates, times, nature of the noise and duration.

Have a chat with environmental health at the council too.