How to cope with night shifts and next door's (very big) extension.

LottieLou

Person_one wrote: »

Communication does make a huge difference. If they'd come over, apologised in advance and expressed some sympathy I'm guessing you'd probably feel a lot better about things, even though it wouldn't make any actual difference to the situation or your lack of sleep!

An apology or expression of sympathy isn't necessary, maybe more " you will be getting a planning letter soon, we look to possibly start work in April..or X june" etc

It was a Sunday, and personal preferences aside I don't judge. She was clearly having a recharging her batteries day and why not. The impression she gave indicated she didn't want my OH and I to see this, which maybe explains how she came across (but does make me wonder why she answered the door)

tomtontom

LottieLou wrote: »

An apology or expression of sympathy isn't necessary, maybe more " you will be getting a planning letter soon, we look to possibly start work in April..or X june" etc

It was a Sunday, and personal preferences aside I don't judge. She was clearly having a recharging her batteries day and why not. The impression she gave indicated she didn't want my OH and I to see this, which maybe explains how she came across (but does make me wonder why she answered the door)

Because if she hadn't you'd be moaning that she was in but ignored you knocking?

Noise is something you either let bother you or you just accept it and keep on living/ sleeping. I could sleep through anything when I was on nights, because I was focused on doing exactly that. If you start bothering yourself about it, waiting for it to happen, it's the anxiety that will stop you sleeping, not the noise itself.

Running_Horse

They are apparently obtaining the necessary permissions and acting within the law. How would talking to you about their perfectly reasonable plans have changed anything? When are building works acceptable if not during the day? My neighbours recently built an extension and I just moved rooms and had radio 2 droning in the background.

Penny49

When did the OP say that building works are not acceptable during the day?

I can't help but feel some are being harsh on the poster! I really do feel for you having been in a similar situation last year. It is not as simple as moving rooms, if like in my situation both bedrooms back on to where the extension was being built.

It would have been nice of them to be polite and let you know their plans. But I don't think this is what you were expecting or asking them to do. Not everyone is polite and neighbourly and I think you did the right thing by calling round instead of getting frustrated with it all.

You sound very sensible, but bear in mind you shouldn't worry too much in advance. I would talk to her again further down the line and see what happens. As for not letting noise bother you?! Thats a skill I don't think many possess. Good luck, In reality it might not be as bad as you think.

glasgowdan

You could go and have a chat with the builders when the owner is away, be pleasant and see if you can get any information on noisy times and so on. Figure out who the gaffer is and chat with them. Take them some caramel wafer biscuits and 6pack of fizzy juice.

PS I use those peltor3 earmuffs for my work and they're really good. Also, the buzz of a humidifier or a recorded 'white noise' (as in actual white noise, like the old B&W tellies) really helps you drift off too.

Owain_Moneysaver

PasturesNew wrote: »

3pm and in PJs .... when you weren't expecting ANYBODY to knock at the door is not unreasonable. Why get dressed "in case" somebody knocks the door?

For the same reason you wear clean undies in case you get knocked down by a bus.

Mojisola

LottieLou wrote: »

Our new next door neighbour moved in about a month or so after we moved into ours. It is a detached, and she has pretty quickly submitted plans for a side and back extension to her house (fair enough).

Being as 'un-neighbourly' as she is, we found out about her plans when the letter came from the planning office.:eek: The plans are a little annoying, they come practically on the boundary (it is her boundary so she is rightly able to do this), and it is quite a large extension.

Is the Party Wall Act relevant to the proposed work?

Is the extension set back far enough so that the guttering won't overhand your land?

dc197

Has pallning permission been granted?
In my limited experience, an objection to the entire plan is unlikely to stop the plans totally. Instead make sure you include a statement in your letter of objection saying something like "Please reject this but if you do approve it please include conditions X, Y, Z." You could ask for a window to be (re)moved, the wall to be pushed back, etc etc. You're more likely to get these changes than to get a complete rejection.

Disturbance during building works is not a grounds to deny a planning request.

fezster

Why would she need to write a letter of objection? Especially considering she said

But there is nothing that we will be, or have any rights to contest, it would be a waste of our time.

Not sure why there seems to be a need for people to object to something just for the sake of objecting.

OP, without sounding unsympathetic to your genuine worries, you did come across in your original post as being somewhat peeved off at your neighbours plans, and even went as far as calling her "un-neighbourly". Yes, a courtesy conversation with you would have been nice, but I dont think a lack of one indicates otherwise. Your neighbour has submitted plans and is going through the lawful process. Building work is noisy, and if it's not done during the day, Im not sure when exactly you would expect it to be done.

Yes you are upset at the prospect of having to go through it, but this is a challenge felt by neighbours up and down the country every day. The "nice neighbours" grin and bear it, knowing that one day it will be their turn, and that getting building work done is tough enough, without having neighbours who constantly complain about everything. You want your neighbours to be nice, so I'd suggest you be nice to them by trying to accommodate them where you can.

duchy

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

For the same reason you wear clean undies in case you get knocked down by a bus.

In your own house on a Sunday ?

I'll quite often do a housework blitiz on a Sunday in PJs - comfy and easy to chuck in the washing machine after - I obviously didn't get the memo that I shouldn't do this. Mind you my OH tends to hoover naked - so the OP could have faced something worse than grubby PJs !!

I used to work nights and OH still does -He can sleep through anything - I find I need white noise to sleep in the day and find talk radio works well (personal recomendation LBC) at low level works well as well as changing where I sleep if needs be as suggested - room further from the noise.

If you are planning any holidays this year maybe plan them for when the work is starting so you are away at the start of the work which tends to be the noisiest ?

Personally I'd make a point of getting to know the neighbour so you get a heads up on when the work is starting etc so you can plan with some certainty which will cut down on the stress.