Making noise whilst building extension

judygarland

Bought a house which was in a worst state of repair than we had anticipated. We have started doing it up and have decided to build an extension to give us more room.

We have just noticed that the neighbour next door has made a comment on the website to say that the son suffers from depression and building works such as the ones we are proposing will cause him severe anxiety. Strangely, they have had major works carried out too but these dont appear to have affected him.

I'm presuming it's the noise that may occur during construction. I've been scouring the net and trying to find what the law is concerning noise and there doesn't seem to be anything set in stone.

It's only a single storey extension that we intend to build and the brickwork will be up in a week. Then we intend to do everything else apart from plastering. Obviously not everything you do creates lots of noise but the majority of the work will be carried out on a weekend. Never before 9am and never after 6pm.

What do you think?

Anyone

bryanb

Why not talk to them, perhaps along the line of " Hope we won't disturb you, won't work after 6pm etc."

robobobo

When we had our extension built as part of planning permission we had times that we could work. I think it was after 7.30 until 6pm with no work on Saturday afternoon or Sunday. I also checked with neighbours to try and not do any noisy stuff when they were back from night shifts.

judygarland

robobobo wrote: »

When we had our extension built as part of planning permission we had times that we could work. I think it was after 7.30 until 6pm with no work on Saturday afternoon or Sunday. I also checked with neighbours to try and not do any noisy stuff when they were back from night shifts.

Was this a local authority stipulation?

andrew-b

I'd just get on with it and not waste your time giving it a second thought as your well within your rights to carry out improvements to your own property. I would avoid making noise much before 8am and after 9pm to be reasonable. If they are that bothered then they should come discuss it with you face-to-face!
It's not like your going to be having building works done forever!

Andy

Debt_Free_Chick

If the neighbour's comment was in relation to planning, then it won't count for much, so don't worry.

A "normal" amount of noise at reasonable times is to be expected. None of us have the right to expect to live in a vacuum. Properties have to be maintained and, subject to planning, owners have the right to improve them.

Ignore the comment - and just be reasonable when the work is being done.

judygarland

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

If the neighbour's comment was in relation to planning, then it won't count for much, so don't worry.

A "normal" amount of noise at reasonable times is to be expected. None of us have the right to expect to live in a vacuum. Properties have to be maintained and, subject to planning, owners have the right to improve them.

Ignore the comment - and just be reasonable when the work is being done.

We do already have planning permission, but we have submitted an amendment so that it is now single storey. The Local Authority shouldnt have a problem with it and previously they made a comment to say that they thought their light and view would be blocked. Now their comment is nothing to do with that. I think they just dont like us to be honest. They have "had episodes" when we were hacking the plaster off the kitchen walls.

Oh well, should prove interesting!

andrew-b

Sounds like they are making up stupid reasons to be a PITA! Don't envy you having neighbours like that.
If they come round to complain i'd just tell them your too anxious about your building works and having them complaining will make you depressed! I bet you don't make a fuss when they are noisy!
If they ever apply for planning permission i hope you will remember!

Andy

judygarland

andrew-b wrote: »

Sounds like they are making up stupid reasons to be a PITA! Don't envy you having neighbours like that.
If they come round to complain i'd just tell them your too anxious about your building works and having them complaining will make you depressed! I bet you don't make a fuss when they are noisy!
If they ever apply for planning permission i hope you will remember!

Andy

I think a major factor is jealousy. They are tenants so its unlikely they will want to extend. Stangely, the local authority have rewired their house, re-roofed it and also refitted the kitchen in the last 4 months. It appears that it's other peoples works that they find offensive. As you say, if I don't get my house sorted soon, there will be another Physcopath in this road. (I have rooms without plaster, rotten floor joists, old windows that need replacing, a makeshift kitchen with units that are about 30 years old to name a few things that are annoying me!) We bought the house as my husband is really quite a talented house renovator.

They have a shock coming! Hopefully they are reading this!