DIY

Most people have jobs which need doing around the home, especially if they have just moved in, or are redecorating. We have to accept that many people have jobs during the day and need to do this DIY in the evenings and at weekends. However, this does not give them permission to annoy neighbours at all hours of the day and night! We all have to be reasonable to live together.

Disturbance from DIY building and decorating can be minimised by keeping noisy activities to reasonable hours and by thinking about what type of activity you are doing. We would define "noisy activities” as:

• Hand Tools – Use of hammers, saws etc should be restricted to the hours given below.

• Power Tools – Normal hand-held tools power tools (drills, saws, sanders, etc) can cause a lot of noise.

• Plant – People can now hire more “professional” tools and plant such as pneumatic hammers, cement mixers, large power saws and planers, compressors, generators, etc. Use of this powerful type of equipment needs greater consideration as it is identical to that used by professional builders and can be very noisy.

• Party Walls and Floors – Work on the party wall or floor between properties can give surprising levels of noise. Work such as wallpaper stripping or wall preparation can sound very loud next door. Work on the floor, such as plumbing, rewiring and (especially) sanding, can be very loud downstairs.

Reasonable times for "Do it Yourself" activities

We suggest that people need a rest from noise at the weekend and in the evening. It is especially important if young children are involved; we seek to provide peace and quiet in the evenings.

We recommend that the noisier activities (see above) are restricted to the following hours:

Saturday 9am to 5pm

Sunday 10am to 2pm

Weekdays 9am to 7pm

Ensure that you use the Right Equipment - Using inappropriate equipment can create higher noise levels and prolong the amount of time spent on a task, meaning the noise may be louder and go on for longer than really necessary.

Properly Maintained Equipment – There is nothing worse than someone using a ‘clapped out’ piece of old machinery which cannot cope with the job. It makes far more noise, and the job will often take much longer than if you had the correct piece of gear.

The Radio – It seems most people want the radio on when they are doing DIY – it eases the burden! Please keep the volume down, especially in the evenings.

If you think that your DIY will be noisy and that you will be working outside of the suggested times, tell your neighbours. It won't cost you anything and may save you a lot of grief!