Neighbour renovation noise

[hhh0809]

Our neighbour (not yet met) started some very serious drilling/hammering/sawing on their chimney breast three days ago. It's on the same party wall with us. The sound metre reads around 90db. We don't care if they work on weekends or holiday periods but definitely can't live with the noise at that level. Our first baby is expected anytime now. Is the renovation noise harmful to the little one? From our understanding their house needs a complete renovation and possibly an extension. Chimney breast removal may just be their first step. We haven't experienced any renovation noise before but is it just a short term concern or will the noise be throughout their renovation? Are there anything we can do?

If they are removing a fireplace from a shared wall they need a party wall award and should have given you notice of the work (something like two months notice). Do you know this us what they are doing?
As for how long that all depends on the scope of the work.
You need to go around and ask them what their plans are and why they haven't got a party wall award as it is required for any structural alterations to your shared wall (and they need buildings regs for fireplace removal too).

I'd just go and introduce yourself and ask them what their plans are. It will hopefully give you an idea if it's 2 weeks work or 6 months.

If it's longer term (sounds like it might be) maybe ask them if they can let you know ahead of time if there is likely to be particularly noisy work?

Yes, you will need to find out their plans. What makes you think they are undertaking full renovation and extending? If they are there is obviously going to be noise, and for quite a while. It's likely that weekends and holiday periods are going to be the quiet times. If they restricted work to these times the renos would go on forever!

Hopefully the noise you are experiencing now is amplified due to it being the chimney breast, and other work may not be as ear splitting.

It's not nice, but it is what it is. Not much you can do except if they are working at unsociable times. Not great when you are about to have a baby though

Speak to them 🤷‍♀️