How would you handle these people?
 

I am not trying to start a war. I would just like to hear what some of you will say to these young people (under 35 is young because i am over 40)?

Today, my welding contractor started at about 9:00 am on some fencing and metal deck supports on the hillside. This is part of a small job we're doing. This is a yuppified area. I am not sure if I can call them yuppies. I am not sure how to describe these people. YOung moms with a Volvo or Pruis in the driveway. Many of the younger, late 20s, men ride a bike to work. These kids always seem to have some kind of head gear and carries a bag with tassels at the end.

About noon, this young lady comes over and ask if we can turn off the machine because it is too loud and its coughing up stinky smoke. They can't stand the smell and the sound of my contractor's machine because they want to work on front yard. I politely told her the welding will be done by the end of next week. We'll stop by 3:00pm and I don't want to ruin their Saturday. Within a half an hour, the "man" comes over and ask me I can stop due to the exhaust because we are killing the environment and was not OK with it. He threaten the call the police about the pollution. Its a freaking old generator. I said, OK, I'll see what I can do.

I am thinking, instead of fighting a battle where I know I am not going to win, why fight. Just say yes, and not go through with it so he walks away. What's one to do? Any thoughts?

As long as you are performing the work within legal hours and Sat. is legal around here. Go for it. Not much they can do.

Keep the work going, but if they come back to complain again, hand each one a clothespin for their nose and a pair of earplugs.

We are more then within our legal right to be there with that kind equip. I know there is not a thing they can do about it, but the BS about the pollution is what gets me. Not so much about calling the cops. What would you say to them?

Our old wood shop was in North Hollywood off Sherman way in some ratty commercial building. Sometimes we were backed up with work and have to work many nights after 8 or 9pm. The neighbor in the back across the alley would yell and complain about our saws and nail guns. I handed him a set of ear plugs once.

FINISH THE JOB...

And if they have a problem with it let them call the police. The police are well aware of the law and will politely tell them to fuche off.

Maybe they are trying to enjoy their weekend. Work all week, try to enjoy a quiet weekend outdoors. They can not enjoy the outside that day because of the noise and fumes from your work. I bet you have less problems during regular work hours Mon thru Fri. Just as an example: there is a guy in our neighborhood that mows his lawn every Sat. From 1 to 6 pm he has the worlds loudest lawnmower running, except when he stops to refuel it. We live on a lake, and can barely see his house. But all we can hear all day Sat is this mower. It is frustrating as you really can not even sit out back and read- neighbors have talked about it, but he has the right to mow.
I think it is the same thing. Be aware of their needs, a Sat is likely not a work day for them.
Gary

Continue with your work, get the job done and leave, if the guy comes back ask him he likes to sit when he pees because he has obviously been neutered.
I mean it isn't like you have hired Black Label Society to play a kegger, it is a job. If they are so self centered that they can't deal with a few hours of noise on a sat, temporarily, for the betterment of the surroundings they will likely not live to see 35 years of age. They will either cross the wrong person with this BS and end up as coyote food or simply implode and have some form of internal circulation issue. Disregard my comments because I am 46, and GET OFF MY LAWN!!

Running a machine for an hour or so between 9 am and 3pm on a Saturday is no big deal. It's like running the lawn mower and then the weed eater. Not a big deal. Running the damn thing for six hours on my day off would have been rather annoying. Especially if the old generator seems to be burning as much oil as gasoline.

Sorry to be the dissenting opinion but as many hours as I work, I would really like a reasonable amount of peace on my days off. Weekdays? Knock yourself out.

angela

What was the final outcome of this?
If you were out there every Saturday, or if they were having a special occasion/party at their house, I can see stopping work as a courtesy. If this is a normal Saturday and it's only going to happen once, they'll have to tolerate it.

Hey wait a sec - you're in So. Cal., right?

Doesn't California have some very stringent rules about small engines (e.g. lawnmowers, generators, etc) and their emissions? Just going out on a limb here, but if your neighbor does make a complaint and it is investigated finding that the generator really is spewing noxiously, can they get your job site shut down because of the emissions issue?

That would suck. I think I'd skip weekend work if any part of that is valid.

angela

As Laneco stated, I would knock off on Saturday, and hit it on Monday. I would also apologize about the inconvenience, and point out that I am only trying to do a job, the sooner the better for everyone.

If you need to, rent the proper generator as a last resort.

Be proactive and approach them. See what solution they suggest, and if you can live with it, then follow it. They are your neighbours, and members of your community, after all. Even if you are "within your rights" -- a little concilliation may go a long, long way.

People will moan about anything that causes them inconvenience. I just hired a local contractor to do a siding job on myhouse. It involved tearing off the old siding, repairing sheathing, wrapping with Tyvek and alot of cutting and hammering( cedar shingles doncha know). Well the neighbors beotched every day about the trucks, saw dust,noise and general mess. I'm caring for my property and keeping it quite nicely. Which, by the way protects their value as well but noooo they just gotta moan.

If they didn't want noise, well then they shouldn't have bought a house with neighbors. Easy peasy.

That sound familiar. I'm sure some people just don't have a life :rolleyes:

As I posted earlier... If it was me I would finish the job and let the cops sort it out if need be.
Be polite but get it done. Don't walk away.

Tell him you'll turn the generator for the welder off if you can run a 220v extension to his house... after all, if he don't wanna smell it/hear it he can pay for the "clean" and "silent" option...

Your story reminds me of the neighborhood my family and I lived in for 9 years. High maintenance North Shore families. Moved away over a year ago and I can't say that I miss any of it.

Providing you are doing everything right, permits, safety, etc - finish the job. Elitism borderlines on racism to me.

My dad was a rig weldor and while he was home doing a project that required more power than the buzz box could provide he would slip a piece of pipe into the machines exhaust that had a cheap muffler welded into it to knock down the engine noise.
They can get a little annoying especially if they are powering up and down all the time. (the welder, not the neighbors!)
This may be the cheapest and most considerate route.
The smoke is probably from burning rod. Nothing you can do about that....

Sounds like you can't get the fence up fast enough.When it's up they wont be able to come over. You should buy an old rusty porsche and start the rebuild right in your drive way. After all you work all week and will only be able to grind the rust off on weekends.Tell them it will take five years to complete the project. Then you'll have to tune the motor. I've been in your shoes before myself.

As a builder, and familiar with welding/generators, I'd save it until monday unless the welder only had a few minutes of work left to do.

I have to listen to construction 'noise' all week, I wouldn't want to hear it on a weekend either.

A sheet of plywood near the generator will deflect the noise from their direction, as would a set of longer cables to get it further away.