It can be frustrating when your neighbours decide to take on a renovation project which means you have to deal with hammering and drilling noises for weeks on end. But most of us understand that the noise won't last forever, and if we put up with the noise then hopefully our neighbours will be just as understanding if we ever need to renovate our own homes.
One mum, however, has been left furious after her neighbours began renovating their loft conversion, as she claims they primarily work on the project in the evening between 5pm and 10pm, which means they always stop her daughter from being able to sleep at her 7pm bedtime.
The woman insisted she's tried speaking to her neighbours about the noise, but said they "want the work done" so aren't willing to stop the project. What's more, they even claimed that because they've been kept awake by her baby crying in the past and haven't complained, she shouldn't moan about the construction noise.
In a post on Mumsnet titled 'Inconsiderate neighbours renovating', she wrote: "Next door neighbour is doing a renovation of their existing loft conversion. The work is primarily going on from 5pm to around 9/10pm. It's typical construction-type noise, drilling, banging, sawing, etc.
"We have a baby who goes to bed around 7pm. She is constantly woken by bangs and random thuds (so cries). We soothe her, only to have her woken again. We've spoken to the neighbours so many times. Their attitude is very much that they want the work done, so that's that.
"The part that's got my biscuit this time is that after [my daughter was] woken for the millionth time I went to talk to them again. Apparently, because the baby wakes them up and they don't complain, I shouldn't either, as it's not neighbourly ...
"I feel like I'm losing the plot, work has been going on for months now! I can't move the baby to another room as both bedrooms are affected. Her white noise machine just adds to the chaos and makes things worse."
Commenters on the post were split though, as many agreed with the mum's neighbours that living in a terraced street is often "give and take" when it comes to noise.
One person said: "I suspect your child does wake then disturb them too. Give and take … Could you be more flexible while this is going on? Perhaps a later bedtime?"
While another added: "In our last house my neighbour had a baby in the room adjoining our bedroom and I don't think we had one solid night of sleep. So I am inclined to believe them on that. (Obviously, we never complained because wtf can anyone do about a baby crying?!)
"I think maybe try to diplomatically negotiate a definite finish time and fit baby's routine around that? Not sure you have many other options, to be honest. I know it's frustrating but the renovation will get finished so it’s not forever."
And a third posted: "It's annoying for you, yes, but if it stops at 10pm then it's not unreasonable of them. Assuming they work during the day, they have to do it at some point! Baby will learn to sleep through it."
Others pointed out that construction noise should be limited to the hours of 8am to 6pm on weekdays, but according to Wards Solicitors, that rule is "a code, rather than the law, and not always easy to enforce".
Generally, councils observe "quiet hours" between 11pm and 7am and may issue warning notices to households that make excessive noise during those hours, according to GOV.uk.
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