What is construction noise?
Construction noise comes from activities such as:
- demolition and excavation
- piling and concrete pouring
- use of heavy machinery, for example, excavators, cranes, reversing alarms
- power tools, for example, drills, jackhammers, saws
- transport, for example, delivery trucks, concrete mixers
- DIY work, especially in the evenings or at weekends
What we can investigate
Construction noise may be considered unreasonable if:
- it happens regularly outside permitted hours, for example early mornings, late evenings or weekends
- it is excessively loud or goes on for a long time
Examples of complaints:
- “A jackhammer was operating at 7am on a Sunday.”
- “Concrete mixers and generators are running until 9pm most nights.”
- “Loud drilling from my neighbour’s DIY work is regularly disrupting me at home after 8pm”
What we cannot take action on
We cannot take action on noise caused by:
- short duration construction activity taking place during the daytime
- construction work arising from an unforeseen or emergency situation
- contractors where they are taking all reasonably practicable steps to control noise
- occasional DIY noise