Construction hours condition.

[flanagaj]

I had to work all day on site today, as I had to get the concrete base for the electric kiosk finished so I can install the kiosk tomorrow, ready for connection on Monday.

 

I do have this annoying condition and I'm sure a neighbour stopped outside the site at 4pm.

 

"No work relating to the construction of the development hereby approved, 
including works of demolition or preparation prior to operations, shall take place 
before the hours of 0730 nor after 1800 Monday to Friday, before the hours of 
0800 nor after 1300 Saturdays nor on Sundays or recognised public holidays. 
REASON: To protect the amenities of the occupiers of nearby properties during 
the construction period and in accordance Policy EM12 of the Basingstoke and 
Deane Local Plan 2011 - 2029"

 

I was hoping that as the homeowner, I might be exempt.  Do others have this condition?

[JohnMo]

No I don't or didn't, but why would you be exempt? You could the person making the most noise!

[nod]

These are very difficult to enforce on a single build 

We had numerous complaints on our previous build I  kept telling the enforcement officer that they are exaggerating 

little chance of them coming out No chance at weekends 

[G and J]

We have this condition, and whilst annoying (very) it has served to keep neighbourly relations on an even keel.

[Mike]

4 hours ago, flanagaj said:

Do others have this condition?

Yes, something similar, but here in France it applies* to everyone undertaking 'noisy work', not just construction and not just on a particular site. And, being France, of course everything stops for lunch

 

*subject to local implementation & variation. The national guidelines are 09:00 to 12:00 & 13:30 to 19:30 weekdays, 09:00 to 12:00 & 15:00 to 19:00 Saturdays, 10:00 to 12:00 Sundays & public holidays.

[flanagaj]

It's actually very frustrating.  As someone who works full time, evenings and weekends are great times for me to get a few hours in and avoid having to pay contractors to do work that I cannot, due to a working hours condition.  I'll have to plead ignorance today as I need to fit the GRP kiosk onto the concrete base.  They are coming to connect the electricity tomorrow.

If I was doing a refurb, I could work when I liked and make as much noise as I like.  The difference there, is that any complaints would go to Environmental, but mine would be enforced by Planning.

[Conor]

Standard working hours are normal in construction, so you are not alone. A few points.

 

1. Is there anybody close enough to you to be disrupted by work outside of normal hours?

2. Are they the type of person that would be annoyed and make a complaint?

3. Be considerate and don't take the piss. E.g I waited until hearing the church bells on a Sunday before doing anything noisy. If that lot can make a racket, so can I.

4. Speak to your neighbours, give them your phone number, ask them to say something if it's disruptive. Our neighbours both had young babies when we were building, so we were very conscious of that 

5. Dust and smoke. Manag dust effectily, e.g. wet cutting. Don't burn anything on site. Ever.

6. Don't give people any other excuses to get annoyed - keep your site tidy, put up proper signage and contact details.

7. Use quiet methods / equipment when possible. E.g. hire an electric Tele handler, use a transformer rather than generator, electric con saw rather than two stroke petrol (biggest noise on any site). So cutting /machining inside. I used my shipping container for cutting timber as much as possible.

8. The council really don't care unless there are repeated breaches, only then will you get a letter / visit.

[flanagaj]

22 minutes ago, Conor said:

Standard working hours are normal in construction, so you are not alone. A few points.

 

1. Is there anybody close enough to you to be disrupted by work outside of normal hours?

2. Are they the type of person that would be annoyed and make a complaint?

3. Be considerate and don't take the piss. E.g I waited until hearing the church bells on a Sunday before doing anything noisy. If that lot can make a racket, so can I.

4. Speak to your neighbours, give them your phone number, ask them to say something if it's disruptive. Our neighbours both had young babies when we were building, so we were very conscious of that 

5. Dust and smoke. Manag dust effectily, e.g. wet cutting. Don't burn anything on site. Ever.

6. Don't give people any other excuses to get annoyed - keep your site tidy, put up proper signage and contact details.

7. Use quiet methods / equipment when possible. E.g. hire an electric Tele handler, use a transformer rather than generator, electric con saw rather than two stroke petrol (biggest noise on any site). So cutting /machining inside. I used my shipping container for cutting timber as much as possible.

8. The council really don't care unless there are repeated breaches, only then will you get a letter / visit.

Some good common sense points.  I don't intend on doing major construction work (excavation, stone saw ...) on a Sunday.   But the immediate neighbour (busy body who opposed our application) stopped outside our site gates yesterday at 4 pm and was sat there for a few minutes.   Another neighbour has already warned me to watch her.   

I think I will be mindful, but if I get a letter / visit, then I will deal with that if/when it happens.

Unfortunately, I have a habit of being far too considerate of my neighbours.  Given that a large number of them opposed my planning application, I with I could adopt a **** them attitude and tow a very fine line with planning so I can get our house built.   I would like to know what the reality is regarding repeated complaints.   Visit, fine, site shut down, prison? 

[nod]

I think you have to be sensible Drilling and banging during the day 

A big problem we have on sites is radios Three different radios and three different stations It also worth pointing out to your neighbors that if you can’t reach a happy medium Your two year build may take four years 

 

I worked on a new school  in Skelmersdale and the local drug dealer would come round with a baseball bat Because we had woken him up (Night Worker) 😁

 

[flanagaj]

3 hours ago, nod said:

worth pointing out to your neighbors that if you can’t reach a happy medium Your two year build may take four years 

That is a good one.  I'll see how things pan out and might end up saying that to her if she starts complaining.

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

35 minutes ago, flanagaj said:

That is a good one.  I'll see how things pan out and might end up saying that to her if she starts complaining.

 

 

Have you been around to say hello to your new neighbours? 
 

This can be a very positive thing to do, just saying you’ll keep the noise as controlled as possible, but you’re “trying to get the build done quickly to minimise overall disruption”, plus other clever phrasing.

 

We’ve done WhatsApp groups for urban projects, so we can advise when deliveries or scaffolders etc are on site etc etc, and these often work well.
 

Some will take this piss, but usually the majority appreciate the effort to open communications, and often a question of “how much longer will you be drilling for outside” etc can quickly be answered to say what time you’ll finish that day.

 

That can alleviate the smoke turning to fire, and chill people out with assurances that you’ll respect the area and its occupants as much as is practicable.
 

The other aspect is, if THEY were fortunate enough to be able to build or improve their homes, they’d not expect any grief from you, so a balance to be had vs just being too pleasant / a pushover too. 

[saveasteading]

The planning permission rules apply and you have accepted them.

It is normal fof neighbours to object to a new development: it wasn't personal.

 

I think you have to respect them and their mood may improve. 

If you have to do noisy stuff, even in approved hours on thd weekend, try to get it over with ASAP..  a breaker going on and off for hours can be avoided.

Ask them to let you know of any times that would be a real nuisance, eg they are having friends rounding you will try, not promise, to minimise it.

No radios... that is just inconsiderate.

 

I've had this.. it usually goes away if you show consideration.

 

[Nickfromwales]

Radios / music is perfectly fine and acceptable. None of your neighbours will petition the surrounding occupants if they wish to listen to their hifi. 

 

You simply need to speak to trades regarding this.

 

Roofers on site this week were blasting the choons atop the scaffolding, which wasn’t very considerate tbf. I turned it down each time I went up when putting the MVHR vents in the roof.

 

Was quickly turned back up.

[nod]

3 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

Radios / music is perfectly fine and acceptable. None of your neighbours will petition the surrounding occupants if they wish to listen to their hifi. 

 

You simply need to speak to trades regarding this.

 

Roofers on site this week were blasting the choons atop the scaffolding, which wasn’t very considerate tbf. I turned it down each time I went up when putting the MVHR vents in the roof.

 

Was quickly turned back up.

Majority of sites are banning radios now 

Health and safety risk But don’t seem to bother over headphones 

[Nickfromwales]

2 hours ago, nod said:

Majority of sites are banning radios now 

Health and safety risk But don’t seem to bother over headphones 

Which is crazy as not being able to hear clearly on a site is dangerous as feck. 
 

Anyone with EarPods in just zones out.

[Benpointer]

15 hours ago, nod said:

Majority of sites are banning radios now 

Health and safety risk But don’t seem to bother over headphones 

 Tbf some of the music choices of our contractors are definitely a H&S risk.  

 

Hearing and Sanity that is.