Anyone done building work at the weekends?

[lotsofchooksnducks]

I need an old garage knocked down (this is becoming a bit dangerous because the roof is about to fail) and replaced by a larger brick building so I can work from home.

All the builders around me are booked up for years (nearly!) but a friend of a friend might be able to work weekends to get it done.

I know my neighbours will be pissed off with any building work - but as they work from home at the moment / retired surely it doesn't make too much difference?
It won't be until the autumn/winter so I won't be ruining any summer weekends in the garden.

Would this be unreasonable?

No more unreasonable than doing it yourself around work. Go for it.

Check your council website, some areas have restrictions on builder working hours. For example in my area the council says reasonable hours are Mon-Fri 8-6 and Saturday mornings only.

It depends how many weekends you’re talking about,

@minipie

Check your council website, some areas have restrictions on builder working hours. For example in my area the council says reasonable hours are Mon-Fri 8-6 and Saturday mornings only.

This ^ in case neighbour complains to the council, if you were having building works during the week, they would need to comply. Good luck OP, I know it’s not easy to get tradesmen at the moment.

Just warn them in advance and make sure it is over as quickly as possible.

Because we have had horrendous noise issues over the years locally, many of the people living near me get noise shut down very quickly. I've seen them giving out reminders around 11am letting them know only an hour left and go back ready to phone at the cut off time. Cameras out, notes taken the works.

Unfortunately my neighbours are not happy with me doing any work at all (they have both had a fair bit of work done at their houses - but I've been told 'that's different')

They might agree that the work needs to be done and will be done, so the noise has to happen regardless of which day of the week it is?

All my life I’ve worked on my own properties, days off,Sunday’s,holidays,bank holidays. Ive worked hundreds of sundays on other peoples properties. Never once have I had anyone complain, and neither would I complain if someone else was .

plenty of people where I live work weekends on their own houses.
I’ll never understand why some people think they have to keep the neighbours happy all the time ?? Sure if your having wild parties till 4 am every weekend that’s different, but working on your own property to improve it in normal daytime hours!!

Just crack on with it ,if they don’t like it …….. tough ! 👍

It's not unreasonable but probably not possible. If it was DIY you can do what you like when you like near enough. Professional builders though, work won't be allowed on a Sunday and only until lunchtime Sat in almost every local authority.

Like @Chumleymouse we've done loads of fairly major (DIY) house renovations over the years and never had anyone complain.

Since moving from England to Wales three years ago, DH has set up a property renovations business with a partner (who is Welsh) and worked on lots of clients' houses, some rural - where there are less neighbours - and some in built-up areas. All work has been during reasonable daytime hours, weekdays only. They always speak to any neighbours first, DH is more courteous and personable than I'd be, lol!

One cottage (owned by a London couple who plan to retire there) was in need of a full programme of refurbishment which would take some months. Before work began, DH visited the only resident neighbour - a woman in her eighties - to reassure her they'd only be working from 9am till 5pm each day and that they'd be conscious of keeping noise close to her attached house to a minimum.

DH's partner - a Welsh speaker like the old lady - later told DH she'd had a conversation with him where she moaned about the excessive noise, that the building work was taking an unreasonable amount of time and that the owners - like all the English - thought they were better than everyone else!!! Charming 😮

Fortunately she's in the minority.....

To be fair to the elderly neighbour, no matter how much notice I was given I would be pissed off hearing building works 7 days a week 9-5.

People pulling stunts like this is why we have rigid noise restrictions where I live.

FIVE days not seven!!!

I'd never countenance DH working at someone else's property on a weekend, lol!

Stunts??? I guess you've never done a full property renovation? This was a six month schedule of works to drag a barely livable property into a comfortable home fit for the 21st century.

To be fair, how else is someone that's purchased a virtually derelict property supposed to get it renovated???

They always work within the local restrictions and - unlike most builders - don't have annoying music blaring out all the while they're working either.

Oh, and when they'd finished, they presented the neighbour with a big bunch of flowers.... I can't imagine many other builders doing that 🙄

Oh confused because you posted each day, not Monday to Friday.

Stunts yes because locally it was 7 days and often 8-8 because the works need doing, cannot be living on a building site.

And omg yes the blaring music. At one point we had 3 different building sites, all 7 days a week and all playing different music.

One dragged on for 18 months. Great awesome we all thought. Less than 3 months later more works. Another projected 6 months on the same property. Not mansions, farm houses, derelict properties. Just normal 3 beds.