Disruptive works next door - any recourse?

gaius c

So next door was bought and has been gutted with extensive renovation works going on, 7 days a week and no end in sight.

We've a six month old and the hammering & crashing means that his daytime naps are severely disrupted and this is adversely affecting his (and ultimately our) nighttime sleep.

Our driveway is full of rubbish blowing in and my car is coated with particles of the insulation material they are using.

We're also having to deal with not-so-upstanding citizens accessing the property via our driveway to raid the skip.

The workers do a good Manuel from Fawlty Towers impression when we try to speak with them and the owner of the property jumps into his car and drives off any time we try to speak with him.

Any suggestions on possible ways to try and mitigate the impact of some of this?

McGrath5

Check with your council what are the times designated for construction work in a residential area?

Gumbo

Other than talking to them and letting them know your issues.
Did they require Planning Permission, as the grant of planning will stipulate the working hours allowable.
If they have no planning then, they are free to carry out work/DIY, but obviously keeping within EPA noise levels.

gaius c

McGrath5 wrote: »

Check with your council what are the times designated for construction work in a residential area?

Good suggestion.
Seems we can put a stop to Saturday afternoon and Sunday works.
http://www.dublincity.ie/main-menu-services-water-waste-and-environment-air-quality-monitoring-and-noise-control-noise/types

kceire wrote: »

Other than talking to them and letting them know your issues.
Did they require Planning Permission, as the grant of planning will stipulate the working hours allowable.
If they have no planning then, they are free to carry out work/DIY, but obviously keeping within EPA noise levels.

No planning. Most works internal bar re-insulating of external walls.

We're at the point where the missus might have to move to her parents and my car is still covered with gunk.

Gumbo

gaius c wrote: »

Good suggestion.
Seems we can put a stop to Saturday afternoon and Sunday works.
http://www.dublincity.ie/main-menu-services-water-waste-and-environment-air-quality-monitoring-and-noise-control-noise/types


No planning. Most works internal bar re-insulating of external walls.

We're at the point where the missus might have to move to her parents and my car is still covered with gunk.

Depending on the works, you may not stop them on a Saturday or Sunday.
For example, you are perfectly entitled to wake up Sunday morning and start lifting the kitchen floor tiles using some form mechanical noise making nuisance machine.

I see this everyday, you can make a complaint to the LA, but by the time your complaint is processed and a letter arrives at the offending address outlining the complaint and then an inspection takes place, the noise has stopped. Planning Enforcement Department receive many complaints about these types of things, but with no planning required, theres no planning breech, but the noise levels still need to remain in compliance with the EPA levels.

Best option is to work with your neighbour and try know in advance when the heavy work is taking place.

Wabbit Ears

Its a pain now but what the alternative?

The fact that its 7 days a week is a good thing because this means that it will all be over quicker. Putting restrictions in place will do nothing but extend the amount of time it takes to finish the work.

Also, and this is coming from a father of two, they have every right to do work and make noise as long as its not to early or too late. You also do not reasonably have the right to expect quiet in the mid afternoon, young kids or not.

Mahogany Gaspipe

You have a legitimate compliant regarding the construction debris blowing into your property and the boyos entering your property.
There should be some manner of security fencing, hording and netting around the site.

I don't think that you're being reasonable complaining about work noise throughout the day though. I certainly would allow work to go full belt 8am untill 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am till 6pm on a Saturday. On my jobs work on a Sunday would be kept to clean up and tasks that generally don't involve the use of power tools.

Haven't said that, its pretty shortsighted of the owner if he is planning to move in beside you, not exactly the best grounds for establishing a friendly neighbourly relationship. Is he perhaps just fliping the house?

antoinolachtnai

Th bright side is that if they are going at it intensively, they will be finished sooner. It is worse if it drags for months.

Try to build up a rapport with the site foreman. If they seem to like acting bring your own dramatics to it. But be really nice at all times. Say that they seem to be working really hard. Ask when they expect to finish.

Problems with a skip that you can't sort out with foreman? Call the skip company. Get their name and permit number. Ask nicely if they can help you because the skip isn't being managed well and you don't want to have to call the local authority.

davo10

Live and let live, there may be a time in he future when you want to do renovations to your house. No use starting off on the wrong foot with a new neighbour.

the_syco

davo10 wrote: »

No use starting off on the wrong foot with a new neighbour.

The neighbours have already done this.

Gumbo

the_syco wrote: »

The neighbours have already done this.

By carrying out renovation works?

4ensic15

If the job is going to last more than 30 days there has to be a safety statement. A phone call to the HSA might help.

gaius c

Ambushed the owner yesterday morning. Fence to go up Monday. Clean up promised on Monday too and apparently, they are finished with the compressor.

Thanks for advice all.

colossus-x

From my experience of same I would do something about it if only to minimise it at the weekends. I made the mistake of thinking it would only go on for a week or two and it went on for the whole summer if not longer. Drill going every day from 8am or 9am including Saturday and Sunday. Extremely loud. I couldn't believe how long it went on for. It was just a residential home property and not a tower block of flats. Still can't understand what it was they were doing but I know nothing of house renovations.

Gumbo

4ensic15 wrote: »

If the job is going to last more than 30 days there has to be a safety statement. A phone call to the HSA might help.

http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/Construction/homeowners_guidance.pdf