Noisy neighbours alfresco extension built right 2 fence line

Hi guys.

I need some advice.
My previous neighbour did some major outdoor extensions and Bali house before he moved.
Besides it being an eyesore, the Bali house can be screened with trees. No problem.
The problem I have now is the new neighbours and the extended Alfresco, that was built, possibly without approval, to within a foot of our fence that goes down the dead side of my house.
So the Alfresco roof comes to within a foot of the fence, and the floor is timber decking. Together with the rest of the outdoor rooms, any sound these guys make, gets amplified and funnelled through the 1.2 foot gap between the top of the fence, and their alfresco roof line.
Their kids have these tricycles and electric cars, and tricycle running over the timber decking, makes one hell of a noise, coming over the fence, and the vibrations going through the lower limestone blocks, through the ground, and right through the foundations of my house. Their timber decking extends from their garage, right through about 20 metres to the their Bali hut. So the sound is significant, and sustained.
I can hear every conversation they have outside. Every child fight with his sibling, which can be ear piercing. The bass from their music. Smashing of furniture as the child ploughs through the wooden chairs on the decking with his electric toy car. Not to mention the electric whine from that car is very loud.

When my neighbours cook Indian food, the smell of the spices cooking literally floods over the small gap in the fence, and funnels right through the open laundry door, which although I love that cooking, can become unbearable without closing the door.

As a night shift worker, this has basically rendered 1 half of my house, all along the east side facing their alfresco unliveable and useless, for getting any sleep. As it is now, even with ear plugs in, I'm constantly woken up in the front room.
In my theatre room on the opposite side of the house, I can hear the kids tricycle thumping in the foundations, and strangely, even vibrating through the walls to a smaller degree.

So basically, with lack of sleep, I'm at my wits end, and it's seriously starting to preoccupy my every thought.
When it's going on, I have zero peaceful quiet.

I bare no ill feelings with these guys, no words have been exchanged in anger. Nothing nasty has been done.
Just would like some feedback on that alfresco extension, and opinions would be great, as something needs to be done to fix this.

Funny thing with their alfresco. When I first designed my house (4-years old) with my builder, he informed me that in Perth, my own alfresco could not be any closer than 1m to that neighbours fence. Basically I was made to flip the design over due to this, my alfresco now on the opposite side to these guys, which is not what I wanted but accepted. Ironic considering what I'm going through now.

Thanks.

Put a block wall up along your fence perhaps to stop the noise?

Are you on one of those tiny 300-400m2 blocks?

No mines 574SQM.
Block up wall sounds a little $$$$, I'd love to build a brick wall all the way along, but this noise issue spans a length of around 20m. 8 spans of color bond panels.
I was thinking of taking the fence up 40cm by adding the colour bond 'lattice' piece to the existing fence. But I'd use the solid panels with no holes in them. Quoted $800.

Only you can work out what is more important to you - $ vs your sanity ?
Or you could have a quiet chat to them first about the noise and proceed according to their response.

Stewie

Simple ask the council if a permit was issued. Let them take care of it.

Before doing stuff which can get you offside, politely mention the issue to your neighbour to guage what their attitude is. If they are unsympathetic, then regroup and rethink about whether you want to be friends with them or not and the remedial action you will take.

Thank you and come again!

Give them the benefit of the doubt and politely mention the issues.
The key here is not what you say exactly, but how you say it...
See what their response is, truthfully most (decent) people would be horrified to think they were causing that much of an issue for their neighbours. There are some horrendous people that couldn't give two hoots as well...

They may just become aware of it and start being more mindful or they may say "this is suburban life, deal with it or move to the country".

edit: tend to agree with the below comment as well, they do have the right to use and enjoy their home. Homes that are close do fall victim to that issue, and I don't think if their decking was a few feet back it would solve the problem either.
You may just need to invest the $$ to sound proofing the side of the house.

I wouldn't think the noise would not be substantially reduced if their alfresco was a further 2 feet from your fence. If I was a shift work I would look at acoustic roller shutters for all windows. Great for blocking out light and reducing noise. You can certainly ask for your neighbours to be mindful that you're a shiftworker, but they also have a right to enjoy their property.

Ultimately it is unlikely that your neighbours will do anything to move the alfresco now built unless ordered to by the council. That should be your last resort for the sake of neighbourly relations.

I'd try talking to them first with a view of trying to limit noise while you're sleeping. You could also try fence extensions along that side as a mechanism for reducing sound coming over the fence. Can you also plant anything along that boundary? Heavier curtains, roller shutters, double glazing and the like are all worth considering.

The kids will grow up and stop playing with trikes and electric cars on the deck and be at school much of the daytime so their noise is something that may reduce over time. Entertaining and cooking smells may be an ongoing issue. Do they have an extractor fan or rangehood?

then they will know that it was u. I wouldn't even mention I have a problem with it. Just call council up and ensure they dont mentioned that you made the complaint.

I had a similar issue wrt to noise. I did what you said about three times. He thought I was being stupid. I called the cops and made sure they had a stern talking with him. I wish I didnt say anything directly, and let the professionals handle it.

I sympathize with you greatly. I don't do many full night shifts these days but the last 10 years I have had brutal shift work where if I didn't sleep I would have to call in sick in case I killed someone due to fatigue and negligence. I have had to move from a previous house where I was in the same situation as you. There is no guarantee that if you spent time and money insulating and screening them, that it would even work. Bluesuede makes the best point in that the kids will grow up. Are you able to fashion a sleeping arrangement for yourself on the other side of the house? I used to wear earplugs and use a really noisy fan and it would work to some extent.

You could consider measuring their decibels? Also the law states you can't make noise that interferes with neighbours enjoyment of their own property. Can't remember the exact wording. I agree -talk to council and see if what they've got is legal. If it is, perhaps have a friendly.

My best experience as a shift worker was unbelievable living in a block of flats where everyone was so considerate, probably because you had to be, living in such close quarters.

Get a White Noise Machine. I got one when I lived in an apartment and I swear by them. I still can't sleep properly without it.

I dont understand what you are trying to say. "then they will know that it was u." ???huh?? You want the neighbours to know you are dissatisfied, that why you approach them directly, rather than complain behind their backs directly to the authorities, this way you give them a warning and a chance. You ask once, not three times. You only need to ask once to see what their attitude is. At least then, whatever you do, yuou can say they had fair warning.

Good idea. Or Brown noise.
But if things turn nasty, you can project this noise into the neighbours space.

The trike becomes a skate board, the last teenager did that and it was just as bad.

Interesting, let the council mediate perhaps.

Problem is, the way their alfresco comes right up to the fence, causes any noise in my house to go right over into their outdoor room area aswell. A couple of weeks ago, there was a period where whenever I went into the tv room to watch a movie, as soon as I started it, they'd put their stereo on and crank it up. Really got annoying.

As it is I have to retro fit double glazing in the master bedroom due to road traffic. Unfortunately there's no bedroom in the house that doesn't pickup the thumping of that trike's wheels hitting the edge of every plank.

Kids grow up and the toys become skateboards lol

Yeah I do all the night shift things. Ear plugs, 2 floor fans for constant noise, and headsphones on whitenoise on standby for that time where everything is required.

Ah well, now you've let something slip that shows the situation is a little escalated and heated.

You havent told us what the frontages of your properties are.

Here is what you should do - go to council and ask what the town planning setbacks are (if any) for building their extension. IF none are in the town plan, a state based code will probably have one. Also ask to see the development approval, they should give it to you free to peruse, so take pen and paper to copy if they dont let you photocopy it. The DA may have some noise amelioration clauses.

Now, if the setbacks and noise ameliorations (if any) have been complied with , you're up the creek, so talk to your neighbours and see if you can come to a resolution, else consult an acoustic engineer to what you can do. Be prepared for big $$, but hey, its your sleep. Dunno if a rick fence would do it, Id be looking at a besser block, with deep foundations. yup, big $$$ You are wasting your time with a colorbond fence.

Else if some DA conditons havent been complied with, or even if there is no DA, you have the neighbour over a barrel. Go over there and have the conversation, and also mention you know the extension is non compliant and it will need to be made compliant if a complaint is made to council. You need to make this clear, else they will just as likely pay you lip service and continue doing exactly as they please.

You really should get over there immediately and discuss the situation to clear the air. If you Dont have the fortitude, go over with someone confident to be your advocate.

Leave it as is, and things will get worse. Bottling up things is stressful and not good for your well being.

Thanks, Very sound advice (pardon the pun).

No words have been exchanged regarding the issue thus far. And as far as them putting on the stereo whenever I started playing a movie, only lasted for 2-weeks. Thank Christ!

My frontage is around 34 to 38 meters across, there's is around 36m I think. They are large, but narrower towards the rear of the property.
I was informed the setbacks from the fence (boundary line?) for my Alfresco on their side was .9m to a 1 meter. And this is what gets me, I was told by my builder back then, that I needed to reverse the design over as my Alfresco exceeded the .9m restriction.
I wasn't happy with it back then, and it caused me distress as I had planned for a house that sat a certain way. It almost cost me the design and the builder, but of course, I would just run into the problem again, so accepted it. In hind sight, so glad I did flip the design.
But what's happened since, the previous neighbour has gone ahead and extended his Alfresco all the way to fence, around 30cm from the fence. I'm 99% convinced he told me that he didn't get approval for it. He did for the Bali house but not that. I'm sure of it.

Thanks for the awesome info qebtel. Gives me some positive directions on where to start.