Neighbours constant house improvements

userbrains · 2024-03-20T21:57:19+00:00

Anybody else wish their neighbours would give house improvements a break for a year. Our neighbours are constantly having work done over several years. It's nice that their houses don't look horrible but there is never peace. There seems to be no regard for people living around them as long houses are constantly improving and I mean constantly! Don't get me wrong we have had work done and plan to again in future but with our neighbours it's all the time. Then it starts all over again constant vans and workmen. Is it just me?

Koulibiak · 20/03/2024 23:17

I’m afraid it’s you 🙂. The housing stock in this country is very poor value and in a very poor condition. I applaud people who take steps to improve their homes. We’ve done it, and we also have a constant flow of home improvements on our road, including the two houses opposite us for over a year as they are digging basements etc. In the long run, they are adding value to your home even if you do nothing to it, as house prices will shift up in your area. Maybe think about that when you are feeling down from the noise and dust?

NostalgicFreak · 20/03/2024 23:19

It’s you.

Is it a semi? Are they working at 3am?

ranoutofquinoaandprosecco · 20/03/2024 23:20

Ooops, am I your neighbour? I promise we won't have any work done for about a month now!

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 20/03/2024 23:21

It's you

Dont you work, go out?

Are you not pleased for them making your road, the house next door look better?

Seriosuly, are you a bit envious and want the new bathroom, oak floors, state of the art kitchen, floor-to-ceiling glass wall etc?

ClematisBlue49 · 20/03/2024 23:28

I understand how disruptive it can be, especially if you live in a terraced or semi-detached property. In my street there is always work going on. Barely a week goes by without scaffolding going up or coming down somewhere. Also neighbours on both sides have had extensive works done, so I do sympathise. Ultimately there is nothing you can do about it except move, or try to mitigate it somehow. Medication and noise-cancelling headphones have just about kept me sane. Ironically perhaps, I am about to move to a property that I have been renovating. I've done my very best to minimise disturbance to the neighbours, and I won't be doing anything more for a very long time, if ever. There's a lot to be said for doing everything in one go, rather than piecemeal.

@Koulibiak makes a good point about the poor condition and unsuitablity of much of the housing stock in this country.

Original poster

userbrains · 21/03/2024 17:46

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 20/03/2024 23:21

It's you

Dont you work, go out?

Are you not pleased for them making your road, the house next door look better?

Seriosuly, are you a bit envious and want the new bathroom, oak floors, state of the art kitchen, floor-to-ceiling glass wall etc?

Not envious as we have a nice house and do improvements and are pleased others in the area keep their houses nice too.
The point of my thread is being missed I think. I don't begrudge and not jealous but it's 'constantly' not once every year. With some neighbours it's every month something is being done even weekends so there is never a break or a nice summer day to enjoy the garden. Some neighbours have done things and then decide they want a change not that it is needed so there is constant noise and sawing.
I don't get how that wouldn't bother others on here.
Point of living in a nice area is that your house already nice, some improvements reasonable, but it would be lovely to hear the birds tweeting not builders, chainsaws etc.
Also some builders are inconsiderate to others and park selfishly etc.
What I don't get either is alot of people live in fairly big houses around our area but have constant extensions which isn't an essential part of maintaining the house. Boxes stuck on top of each other. Kids growing up or flown the best but still more boxes needed to be stuck on top of each other. Bizarre and look rubbish.

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Original poster

userbrains · 21/03/2024 17:47

We do work full time but when off never get to enjoy the outdoors or peace.
Come on there must be others out there who agree with me?😂

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Original poster

userbrains · 21/03/2024 17:48

ranoutofquinoaandprosecco · 20/03/2024 23:20

Ooops, am I your neighbour? I promise we won't have any work done for about a month now!

Hope longer than that.

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Original poster

userbrains · 21/03/2024 17:48

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 20/03/2024 23:21

It's you

Dont you work, go out?

Are you not pleased for them making your road, the house next door look better?

Seriosuly, are you a bit envious and want the new bathroom, oak floors, state of the art kitchen, floor-to-ceiling glass wall etc?

Floor to ceiling glass wall😆😆😆

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Original poster

userbrains · 21/03/2024 17:49

NostalgicFreak · 20/03/2024 23:19

It’s you.

Is it a semi? Are they working at 3am?

Not at 3am but every weekend

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Original poster

userbrains · 21/03/2024 17:50

Koulibiak · 20/03/2024 23:17

I’m afraid it’s you 🙂. The housing stock in this country is very poor value and in a very poor condition. I applaud people who take steps to improve their homes. We’ve done it, and we also have a constant flow of home improvements on our road, including the two houses opposite us for over a year as they are digging basements etc. In the long run, they are adding value to your home even if you do nothing to it, as house prices will shift up in your area. Maybe think about that when you are feeling down from the noise and dust?

If you read my op I said we have done improvements just not constantly!!

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Movinghouseatlast · 21/03/2024 17:53

I agree with you. We only have one neighbour as we live rurally and he has been doing work to his house and garden for 4 years. He does a lot of it himself with no skill so for example he had a very noisy digger going at the boundary between our gardens for 2 years. Every time I went in the garden all I could hear was his shitting digger.

I'm expecting the digger to start again as soon as the weather is nice as he has huge piles of soil from where he dug out the footings for his extension.

heathspeedwell · 21/03/2024 17:53

OP I feel your pain. We all want a bit of peace and quiet sometimes.

Diyextension · 21/03/2024 18:30

Movinghouseatlast · 21/03/2024 17:53

I agree with you. We only have one neighbour as we live rurally and he has been doing work to his house and garden for 4 years. He does a lot of it himself with no skill so for example he had a very noisy digger going at the boundary between our gardens for 2 years. Every time I went in the garden all I could hear was his shitting digger.

I'm expecting the digger to start again as soon as the weather is nice as he has huge piles of soil from where he dug out the footings for his extension.

Edited

He must have been doing a lot of digging if its taken him 2 years ? Whats he building the great wall of china ?

Nettleskeins · 21/03/2024 19:11

We live next to a house which is in a state of decayed scruffiness and it's blissful.
Wildlife.
No noise.
No driveway...there's is one of few houses left with a front garden, albeit v overgrown...
People do live there...it's not mouldy or anything but yes I appreciate people who don't rip everything out or keep up with Joneses.
The most they do is get ladders up to hang bird feeders...
On the other side we have the leaf blower brigade. Leaf blowers, contract grass cutters (noisy petrol mowers) roof repairing, facade painting. Tbh I admire them for getting things done but the contrast is amazing. We do a bit of hedge clipping, a few repairs every five years. Yes it's remarkable how some people are addicted to renovation, above and beyond what is 'necessary".

Original poster

userbrains · 21/03/2024 19:23

Movinghouseatlast · 21/03/2024 17:53

I agree with you. We only have one neighbour as we live rurally and he has been doing work to his house and garden for 4 years. He does a lot of it himself with no skill so for example he had a very noisy digger going at the boundary between our gardens for 2 years. Every time I went in the garden all I could hear was his shitting digger.

I'm expecting the digger to start again as soon as the weather is nice as he has huge piles of soil from where he dug out the footings for his extension.

Edited

So annoying

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Original poster

userbrains · 21/03/2024 19:24

heathspeedwell · 21/03/2024 17:53

OP I feel your pain. We all want a bit of peace and quiet sometimes.

Thankyou

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ChaoticCrumble · 21/03/2024 19:27

Feel for you. We had three neighbours in a four year period at our last house and every one of them redid the kitchen, which shared a wall with our whole living/dining/study room. It was very frustrating

Original poster

userbrains · 21/03/2024 19:29

Yeah and also these are the type of neighbours who have their houses 'very' decorated for Christmas 😂😆😆 looks like home alone houses but can't even look at neighbours so looks the part of season of goodwill and all that but not really😂
And if you do happen to do something to your house they are having same done following week.

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Original poster

userbrains · 21/03/2024 19:31

ChaoticCrumble · 21/03/2024 19:27

Feel for you. We had three neighbours in a four year period at our last house and every one of them redid the kitchen, which shared a wall with our whole living/dining/study room. It was very frustrating

Yeah ridiculous but what can you do. If I say anything to some people they just say you're jealous but it couldn't be further from the truth I just would like one summer maybe it will be this year where we don't hear diy!!!
Please....😂

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Lunaballoon · 21/03/2024 19:54

I feel your pain OP! It’s literally never ending where I live. Once one has finished another begins. One of our neighbours is even planning to knock down an extension that’s only ten years old and build a bigger version.

We’ve made our own mark on our house, obviously, but it’s not a constant work in progress.

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 21/03/2024 20:38

userbrains · 21/03/2024 17:46

Not envious as we have a nice house and do improvements and are pleased others in the area keep their houses nice too.
The point of my thread is being missed I think. I don't begrudge and not jealous but it's 'constantly' not once every year. With some neighbours it's every month something is being done even weekends so there is never a break or a nice summer day to enjoy the garden. Some neighbours have done things and then decide they want a change not that it is needed so there is constant noise and sawing.
I don't get how that wouldn't bother others on here.
Point of living in a nice area is that your house already nice, some improvements reasonable, but it would be lovely to hear the birds tweeting not builders, chainsaws etc.
Also some builders are inconsiderate to others and park selfishly etc.
What I don't get either is alot of people live in fairly big houses around our area but have constant extensions which isn't an essential part of maintaining the house. Boxes stuck on top of each other. Kids growing up or flown the best but still more boxes needed to be stuck on top of each other. Bizarre and look rubbish.

Show quote history

Thank you for your detailed response.

We have a neibour like you, I overheard him maoning to his wife one sat a couple of years ago bout not able to have a cup of tea in quite. It was a sunny Saturday about 11.am. Me and my OH thought, WTH, shut the ... up.
We put it down to envy as we have nice cars a better looking place than theirs and we are the only Asains in the road, I may be wrong.

Another point, people go to work, we did until we left work just over the age of 50. When we worked, we'd only have time when back home and after diner and started work around 18-00hrs and finished by 21-30-ish and then it was the weekend

As I said, be pleased they are keeping a nice property. Alternatively move and buy a house with a much larger garden

Live and let live is what we say and if next door is doing well and making the street look better, great

If they are working outside hours as allowed by the council then report them but from your thread I don't believe they are

I hope their work comes to an end soon and you can have quiet times in your garden.

Original poster

userbrains · 21/03/2024 21:11

I think the problem is it every Saturday (and Sunday) every summer!
We aren't envious.
We have a lovely home, lovely cars too, doing well if material things are what you class as doing well??
But I think some people just are inconsiderate selfish and don't think of anyone else but themselves.

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Original poster

userbrains · 21/03/2024 21:11

We work full time too.

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BlueMongoose · 22/03/2024 19:09

It seems odd that so much work that's all noisy is going on for so long. Lots of parts of jobs that need doing on doer-uppers aren't noisy at all, so when are those getting done?

I sympathise, but I do wonder if it's now become a 'thing' for you, so that you notice when it's noisy but not when it isn't? That's a frame of mind to try to avoid if possible, as it tends to escalate- though I appreciate it can be difficult.

They must be rolling in money if they have workmen there an appreciable amount of the time for several years. It only took workmen about 3 days to dig up and replace all our drains, less than a day to glassblast the paint of the brickwork. And though some jobs have run on because of weather, the actual days when work was taking place were about a fortnight for a new roof, and about three weeks for a conservatory- and even then, much of the time there wasn't much if any noise. Also, trades usually work on weekdays, when presumably you're at work anyway?