You pulled an all-nighter at the office and you only got a few hours of shut-eye before you need to go to work again. But just when you are starting to dose off, loud banging sounds from the new house being constructed or driveway being installed next door jolt you awake. Now, you can’t go back to sleep no matter how hard you try.
Most builders often have an early start at work in the morning so they can get as much job done as possible during the day. Unfortunately, these can be very disturbing for those who have a long night or people who love to lie in.
Regardless of the potential noise, construction workers still need to do their job and there is no way that they can lounge around the whole day just to ensure that they don’t disrupt the sleeping residents.
But don’t worry because working hours have been put in place that specifies the time when construction workers and builders can make noise without breaking any law.
What Time Can Builders in the UK Start Working in the Morning?
Different parts of the country have different times when noisy work is permitted. This is because the local authorities are given power by the Control of Pollution Act 1974 to control noise coming from construction sites as well as other areas of the same nature.
But although the time varies across various councils, the standard hours when noisy work is allowed and considered acceptable is between 8 AM and 6 PM from Monday to Friday.
It is generally based on the concept of carrying out noisy work to let workers start earlier in the day to prepare things but carry out their job only once the clock hits 8 AM.
What Time Can UK Builders Work on Weekends?
Builders in the UK are generally allowed to start their work at 8 AM on Saturdays at 1 PM. But again, this may have some slight differences depending on the councils.
However, it means that workers can start their work at the same time as on weekdays but they often need to finish the job much earlier.
On bank holidays and Sundays, the guidance on hours is less specific but the majority of the councils agree that no noisy work should take place at all during these days regardless of the time.
Even though these guidelines are good, you still need to check the website of your local authority because there might still be some slight changes.
What is Noisy Work?
Noisy work is often described as the noise heard at the boundary of a site. There are also instances when the workers may already be at the site outside the set hours but are only preparing before they begin their noisy work.
The local authorities also recognize those cases when there might be a need to work outside the allowed hours, as is the case on railway tracks when work must be done during those hours when trains are no longer running.
But local councils are given the authority to serve a notice on those who are performing demolition or construction works and inform them on the right way of carrying out the job to prevent any possible statutory nuisance.
The following can be specified in the notice for everyone’s guidance:
- A noise level
- Steps that should be taken to reduce noise
- The hours when it is allowed to do the job
- The machinery or plant that can be used
If a construction company or builder fails to comply with the laws of the local area when it comes to noise levels, they can be fined an unlimited amount and even prosecuted, with additional fines for every day that they don’t adhere to the rule.
How about DIY Home Projects?
Builders and construction companies are not the only ones who can produce noise. However, the guidelines are somewhat vague when it comes to loud and noisy DIY jobs.
The local authorities acknowledge that these projects are often done outside working hours because this is the only time when people are already at home doing stuff.
Once again, every local authority may have different guidelines. However, most recommend that unavoidable noisy activities should be done during social hours. The National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection defines these hours as between 8 AM and 7 PM on Saturdays and weekdays, and from 10 AM to 5 PM on Sundays.
Visit the website of your local authority to check for other specific restrictions.
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