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AIBU

Builders next door, what is acceptable?

(29 Posts)
JMAH Fri 09-Sept-22 11:55:14

My neighbour, who has not been here long, about a year, is very nice, pleasant and helpful. At the start of the week she told us scaffolding was going to be put up on the gable end of her house which is right next to our kitchen window and overlooks us - we are in a bungalow, she is in a house. That's fine work sometimes has to be done.
The builders have been here all week replacing guttering. They park very close to our driveway out but not totally across it. It is an inconvenience because it makes it difficult for me to get the car in and out, but prepared to live with it for a short spell.
They play loud music to the point where I can't hear my radio at normal volume.
Today they parked their big van right across my drive so no chance of getting in and out at all unless I ask them to move it. And yes I do need to go out later today. I hoped it was for a short spell but it has been there for hours now.
Still I thought they'd be done with the job today, the guttering is done but now they have started to take the roof tiles off, so this is obviously a bigger job than I thought.
The thought of another week of this ..... AIBU ? I don't think it reasonable for anyone to park across my drive for longer than a few minutes to deliver or for something quick. I don't think it reasonable to play music outside that loud.
On the second day of the job my neighbour text to say thanks for my patience while the work is being carried out - it wasn't so bad then for me - but not for others re they parked on pavement at front of house, people had to walk in the road to pass but not blocking my driveway! and the music was not terribly loud then either.
I do not want to fall out with my neighbour, she seems a lovely person, but this is driving me mad! Am I just an old, irritated person?! Should I let it ride or say something.

Prentice Sun 11-Sept-22 19:22:50

grandtanteJE65

It is illegal for anyone to park across your driveway, so you cannot get out or in to your own property, and even worse, neither could an ambulance or fire engine, at need.

You are well within your rights to go straight in and ask the workers to move their van, stating that you need to get your car out. If they do not comply, phone the police.

You are also justified in asking them to turn down their music sufficiently for you to hear your own radio or television.

Presumably, your neighbour is at work, otherwise she would probably have asked them to make less noise.

this is also what I think.
I would ask the builders to turn down the radio and to never park across your drive again.

Kittye Sun 11-Sept-22 22:53:56

Our tiny cul de sac has been blocked by several trades vans for over a year now while neighbours have their extension built. Lady of the house told me a week or so ago that it should all be finished in a couple of months.
Worried about the state of our road surface after it being a building site all this time. Don’t want to fall out with them as they are a nice family. So it’s shut up and put up I suppose ☹️

cornergran Sun 11-Sept-22 23:48:58

We’ve been in the same position and did finally ask the builders to turn the radio down as it was so intrusive. They did, there was no animosity in fact we often chatted amicably. A builder friend said in his view trades sometimes forget they are working in and around homes not on a building site. Could well be true. If you can ignore the noise from radios then do jmah, if that’s impossible a quiet word with a smile usually gets results.