To be fed up of renovations on a nearby house

My home, for over 30 years, has had a large extension added, as I needed the extra space. Are many Gnetters suggesting once we buy a house we should move elsewhere if we need to make improvements or alterations?

When we lived in our previous house one of our neighbours spent 5 years enlarging and altering his corner property. Work kept stopping for months because he ran out of money. It had a very pretty front garden and large back garden with lovely old fruit trees and climbing roses. When eventually the work was finished the front garden was tarmacked to park cars, and the back garden had been reduced to a small shaded paved patio, every tree was ripped out. The extended house was ugly with large dormer windows to the back and one side. Two years after it was finished he sold it, said he wanted something bigger with more land!!

We extended the house we now live in. We bought it because it was within our budget in a lovely village and had the potential to be adapted to our needs without destroying its cottagey charm. However, from the start I stipulated that work would not start until 8.30am each day and finish at 6pm. No work at weekends. No loud music and no bad language! Parking is not really a problem on our road, even big delivery wagons, so our neighbours were not inconvenienced by parking. We wanted to get along with our neighbours, not upset them before we'd really got to know them. As we were living in the house throughout the work (which took 6 months) these rules were strictly adhered to and we had no complaints from neighbours. A friend of our next door neighbour presented us with a list of what he considered we could and couldn't do. He was a rather bossy 'know all' who didn't even live there, just invited himself to stay frequently! I crossed through what was already taken care of, marked other points as N/A and handed it back saying the work would not impact on him as he was not a resident, and if Jxxxx had any concerns I was sure she would speak to us directly. He got the message. Thankfully he was dumped by our very nice neighbour not long after. There were very few delays with the build, just a few compromises here and there. Many people have remarked that the house doesn't appear to have changed at all. When seen from the street it's still a small stone cottage, but when you step inside it's a bit of a Tardis, and we still have a decent sized garden.

Also, a previous OP remarked that some older people are still living in big houses and have not down sized. Sorry, but if it’s been their home for years and they are managing it and happy there, and also want the space to entertain their family, why should they down size

I wasn't suggesting that they should. As I said, we also still live in a large house with just 2 of us. The point I was making was that it means that these larger homes aren't then available for families with children who need the space. Which means many are forced to buy a smaller home and enlarge it. As our ex-neighbours did. Many of the smaller homes near us have had garages converted into extra rooms, attic extensions and ground floor extensions. Sadly it's had the knock-on effect of making most homes in our village too expensive for younger families now, as there are few smaller homes left and the ones being built are horrendously expensive 4+ bedrooms.

mistymitts

We were refurbishing my mothers house and had open house for builders to come and meet, talk, and discuss our plans for it. It’s a 1950’s three bedroom with some character. We wanted it sympathetically refurbished with no extensions but the number of builders who were trying to persuade us to knock it down and do a complete rebuild, or do all sorts of major work inside was stressful. We chose a lovely builder who listened to what we wanted and worked with us and helped us come to some good decisions.
There are many building projects going on at the moment. I suspect it’s easier to extend then to buy somewhere else. Also, a previous OP remarked that some older people are still living in big houses and have not down sized. Sorry, but if it’s been their home for years and they are managing it and happy there, and also want the space to entertain their family, why should they down size unless they themselves feel it’s too much for them.

We will be putting our old family home, that we all grew up in, on the market soon. It's a lovely old 1930s house with most of the original features. I am dreading some monied couple buying it and vandalising it inside.
The neighbours are also lovely people who have had to put up with a huge renovation job on the other side. I hate to think of them having another year of disruption because some couple who really love modern interiors and decoration have decided to buy a period house simply because they want to live on that road, but don't particularly like that style of house.

kjmpde

Why is it that planning permission is readily granted to extensions yet to get planning permission for a tree with a tpo is a nightmare? The tree that damaged our house subsequently led to the need for scaffolding for the roof repairs. I have been stuck with scaffolding for 3 weeks now. Why can't they take it away when they have been told it is no longer needed?

The reason scaffolders leave scaffolding at a customers house is because many smaller companies do not have storage facilities so wait until they have a new job to take the scaffolding to.

After my roof was replaced just before Christmas, I had scaffolding left for over a month, in the end I hung some Christmas lights around it! It looked lovely!

The whole concept of community and giving a damn about other people seems to be flying out the window. It's all about 'I have a legal right to do this that and the other'.

My neighbour acquired planning permission for a shower room only. The workmen were there for months. But worst still was the drilling of our shared wall. The result is I can hear their fire alarm going off several times a week; also I can hear walking and talking which sounds like people are in our house. The landlord for the property lives elsewhere.

We were refurbishing my mothers house and had open house for builders to come and meet, talk, and discuss our plans for it. It’s a 1950’s three bedroom with some character. We wanted it sympathetically refurbished with no extensions but the number of builders who were trying to persuade us to knock it down and do a complete rebuild, or do all sorts of major work inside was stressful. We chose a lovely builder who listened to what we wanted and worked with us and helped us come to some good decisions.
There are many building projects going on at the moment. I suspect it’s easier to extend then to buy somewhere else. Also, a previous OP remarked that some older people are still living in big houses and have not down sized. Sorry, but if it’s been their home for years and they are managing it and happy there, and also want the space to entertain their family, why should they down size unless they themselves feel it’s too much for them.

'Why would anyone just allow scaffolding to be put on their garden other than by an agreement prepared by their solicitor at the neighbour’s expense and in return for £££?'
We and our neighbours have each had to place some scaffolding poles in each other's rather narrow side passageways and it hasn't occurred to either of us to ask for financial recompense. We just each accommodate the other.

I would not like prolonged building projects going on near me though: loud music and shouted bad language is unacceptable. If you want to complain about that, most councils will require some back up evidence so you'd need to start a diary. On the same note, we have a care home being greatly extended very near to us, a project taking several years and not once have we been subjected to music or loud sweary voices!

I agree when they buy a period property then rip out the heart of the home and paint what’s left gray - beautiful patination ruined. Cover period wooden floors with Lino. Put in double glazing that out of character.
Then the extension in the basements, One day the roads will collapse.

We moved because of this, not really the building/workmen but as the older generation slowly downsized as children grew up the people who bough houses saw opportunities to express themselves, they were outrageously self entitled and rude. We basically restored a lovely arts and crafts house on the original footprint and all around us the houses were being extended upwards and outwards into the gardens with bling outdoor bars and swimming pools taking up all the green space. We were so hacked off that when we put in a new loo we left the old one in the middle of the front garden with petunias in it. The street was so friendly when we first moved in with small children but by the time we left it was full of social climbing, competitive families who refused to give us the time of day. It ended up with us and our immediate next door neighbours being deliberately excluded from the local monthly 'pub nights' that we originally set up ? as they moved from the lovely local pub to smarter places like restaurants with stars and cocktail bars! We were probably too scruffy to be let in by then. It was the worst type of gentrification imho. I think it was partly fuelled by the competitiveness of the younger non-working wives who had too much time on their hands and were bored with childcare (even a live in nanny next door). I still can't watch Motherland without being a bit sad that a lovely area was ruined by aspirational snobs.

kjmpde The reason they don’t take the scaffolding away promptly is because they have nowhere to store it until the next job. So you’re their free storage depot.

Your planning authority - the Council - can enforce conditions attached to planning consents.

Vintagejazz

What about other people's right to peaceful enjoyment of their home? Have you ever lived on a road where one house after another is going through lengthy and major renovations?

If that was to my address, yes I do live in a road where neighbours carry out renovations, and I have also lived in blocks of flats where renovations were in progress.

Obviously, if the noise and inconvenience is above what industrial standards allow, you have the right complain.

But it seems to me that what you call "other people's right to peaceful emjoyment of their homes" could well be their right to decide what someone else may, or may not, do with their home.

Why is it that planning permission is readily granted to extensions yet to get planning permission for a tree with a tpo is a nightmare? The tree that damaged our house subsequently led to the need for scaffolding for the roof repairs. I have been stuck with scaffolding for 3 weeks now. Why can't they take it away when they have been told it is no longer needed?

Feel for you. I had this in the first lockdown….noise from 8 am….vans …6 or more parked along my boundary….no privacy in the garden…foul mouthed banter rang out all day….grass outside my property churned up….repaired only ‘their’ side then had the audacity to say it was caused by my sons van! He couldn’t get near! I complained and their reaction was to ignore me. Suits me, I’ve no time for selfish people.

For six months last year the lady across the road had a to of cosmetic work done on her house, at the same time our neighbours had extensions on theirs. For us - an absolute nightmare, with parking and trying to get out of our drive! We are one of the few occupants[ants whose car belongs in the drive.

There will be local restrictions on when noisy building work can be carried out. Loss of daylight or sunlight or privacy are all grounds to object. Get your local councillor to help too.

Vintagejazz

That's not rebuilding the house though and it's not going to mean a year of disruption.

I suspect it will because walls will be moved around to make a more open plan living which is the modern way. I've just had 150 houses built behind me and that has taken well over a year. Do I like the noise of the pile driving, the lorries, the men shouting, etc? No, but people have to live somewhere so you just learn to live with it.

My DS & Family have just bought 3 bed house in a very quiet road. They were up against a developer with plenty of money & the idea to make more converting the house & large garden. The people selling accepted my DS & Family’s offer though the Developer tried to outbid as they wanted the house to go to a Family as it had been their home growing up. Less money for them & a shame more people are not money grabbing when they inherit an old family home. All that needs doing is mainly cosmetic & a new bathroom & kitchen which will not be a lot of disruption for their neighbours. All very happy now!

I live on a 1950s estate with mostly 4 bedroom houses. Every time one changes hands it is always extended and modernised. Fact of modern life and low interest rates I suspect. Yes it can be noisy and disruptive but stops eventually.
A neighbour has put in for planning permission to demolish his house and replace with 5 new 4 bedroom houses. No regard for parking problems or environment, just grab the money and run. That does annoy me!

We endured 9 months of building work next door. Loud music, swearing (one of the workers said f* in every sentence), rubbish blowing around, etc. The outcome is a lovely holiday let and the weekly neighbours are much quieter than the previous owner. Other side are about to start converting a big out building into a holiday let, so more noise to come. Our local council rarely stops weekend or out of hours working.

Vintagejazz I can see you and raise you on that one. House in our road has been worked on for three years. Admittedly, year one was the worst, and Covid put a halt to proceedings, but I had never imagined that it would drag on and on. There are still lorries arriving with cement and wood, dirt and dust being washed away from them and onto surrounding cars and windows. It's being done on the cheap so it starts and stops, depending on when the money is there. At least there's no music being blasted out. Something to be grateful for, I suppose.

I had this for 18 months. Waking up to the sound of nail guns. Grrrrrrrr finished now but still not forgotten.

I used to live in a lovely row of old early Victorian cottages in a leafy pedestrianised area of the town. Some were lived in by older people who had lived there many years. When they passed on or went to live somewhere easier to maintain, they were sold, very often to those who knocked them about, converted them, built huge garages at the bottom of the very large back gardens (some now have been changed into dwellings-planning permission received!) etc etc. The area changed considerably and the continued ‘renovations’ became annoyingly intrusive. We did a few things over the years, a small rear extension to improve the tiny kitchen and LOTS of maintenance work to keep it from falling down! (built without proper damp course etc). We moved due to the change in the area which robbed it completely of its original character and charm which is just why people bought there in the first place I presume! I pass the road sometimes and wish I still lived there as it used to be. I know that times move on and that some of these older properties do needs upgrading to the demands of modern life, but how far and at what cost? Such a shame!