I am planning a kitchen extension to the side of my house which will come within a metre of my neighbour's fence and will be right under their bedroom window. It is a fairly big extension (5 metres by 5 metres). I am also considering a loft conversion which should not affect my neighbours but the work is going to be on their side. So, there is going to be a lot of disruption for my neighbours for a few months.
I am really pleased to be doing this because it means a kitchen window facing my neighbour's house will be removed and replaced with double doors close to the boundary. I used to put blinds up but they blocked the light into the small kitchen. The thing is their bedroom window is positioned over the kitchen so I do feel a bit self conscious when I'm eating at the kitchen table. So the extension will solve that problem as the new french doors will be right by my neighbour's fence.
I live on my own and am frankly nervous of my neighbours call me a wuzz but, to be honest I am quite intimidated by them! Don't get me wrong they are pleasant as long as I don't cause them problems. I wish sometimes that I had some support when dealing with the husband as he can be quite dominant.
I am a fairly confident person, run my own business and brought my kids up as a single mother. They use my drive to get their house for which they have to pay me a contribution for maintenance. It takes all of my courage to ask them and nearly always they make it difficult for me to ask but they pay in the end, after a lot of prevaricating.
I try to be a good neighbour but they have complained about my dog barking (she died this year), my burglar alarm going off (fair enough) . I do understand and try hard to get along with them. On the whole we get along mainly because I keep myself to myself and I don't complain.
I have started working from home and put a sign up advertising my business and my neighbours immediately concerned if it would affect them. I live on my own and a few people coming to my home a few times a week is nothing really. Once my neighbours realised that my small business doesn't affect them they've backed off.
There is just the two houses and my neighbours have many visitors, their dog gets into my garden regularly but I don't complain. I just want an easy life.
The Architect says that I need planning permission (I want some cladding on the extension) and I mentioned my worries about my neighbours (who seem to watch my every move!) and he suggested that I visit with the plans of the extension to put their minds at rest. I plan to do this asap but I am pretty certain that they will object because of the extension taking up most of my garden at the side, right under their bedroom window.
My neighbours seem very light sleepers (they have complained to me many times about noise - even though I live on my own, no animals, no children) and appear not to like any change to their lives.
I am really keen to have the extension, have lovely kitchen and extra bedroom in the loft but if it is going to create tension with my only neighbour..is it worth the risk of bad relations? I'm sure the planning permission will be granted as it is pretty straightforward.
It is at times like this that I wish I had a partner for support but doing this on my own, dealing with neighbours I just find so stressful.
I plan to call and see my neighbours with the plans (they don't invite me in on the odd occasions that I call with post or parcels), show them and ask for their thoughts.
I do so want to go ahead with the extension and it would be lovely if I had their agreement but I am very aware that the this will affect their view over my garden and will change from a lovely green view to large brick building.
Has anyone had to do this? What was your approach? Were you successful?
I really don't want to blow this because my attempts to get my neighbour's co-operate with me in the past have failed miserably.
I know I come across to them as a nervous wimp and they run rings around me.