Wouldn't it be nice to get on with your neighbours?

[shewhomust]

We weren't actually woken by the sound of drilling yesterday. Between eight and nine, we were half listening to the Today programme, half still dozing, and gradually became aware of the insistent noise: it grew louder, and then a second drill joined in, at a slightly different pitch, like a foghorn duet. I assumed it was coming from the student house on the other side of the wall.

But when I got up, I realised it was actually coming from the other side of the house, and even louder than I had thought. The staircase was vibrating. durham_rambler returned from the downstairs bathroom, to report that "that's really loud downstairs - and I'm not wearing my hearing aids!"

As soon as I was dressed, I rang the doorbell of our new(ish) uphill neighbours. It turns out they are having a log-burner installed. That noise that sounds as if someone is trying to drill through the wall? That's someone trying to drill through the wall. They'll be doing that all morning. (They carried on until some time after one).

I thought log-burners were no longer fashionable. I also thought it wold have been kind to warn us. They must know we are in during the day, we've taken in enough parcels for them...

Today was better. The builders were lining the flue, so the sounds were much quieter. The noise of plaster cascading off the wall was unnerving, but I tell myself firmly that it's not my wall. Builders on the roof also unnerving: I look away and try to think of something else.

Comments

[boybear]

There's a certain amount of legislation regarding work on party walls - as we discovered when our neighbours started drilling, causing huge soot falls. It's a good few years ago now, but I seem to recall they had to pay for our solicitors..

[cmcmck]

We've been doing a lot to this house as you know and we have ALWAYS informed our neighbours on either side about potential noise.

[shewhomust]

We've had fun in the past - also quite a long time agi - when drilling to put up shelves (on the other side) brought down chunks of our plaster. I don't remember how we resolved it, but I remember that we did. It looks as if we'll be OK this time - but the sound effects are a bit diaquieting!

[shewhomust]

You'd think, wouldn't you?

[athenais]

Those neighbors, dear me. I hope they inform you next time they do something so intrusive.

[shewhomust]

Or maybe just take a break from building works, for a bit!