Summer/Neighbors/Etiquette

[daughtersrus]

It's that time of year again.

We live in a subdivision where homes are pretty close together. A few years ago, our next door neighbor built a deck on the back of their house. The home is a raised ranch so the deck is pretty high. (It's above our 6 ft fence). This past Sunday DH and I were doing yard work in the afternoon. Our neighbors were on their deck enjoying the beautiful day. We did all of the weeding, planting...that took several hours. Our neighbors ended up having a guest over and they sat outside while we were doing this. The lawn still needed to be cut and we held off as long as we could. They had finished eating and finally around 4:30, I started up the lawn mower. As soon as I did, DH said that the neighbor said something but he couldn't hear what it was and they all went inside. Our neighbors are not the friendliest (older couple, recently married, no kids, no pets...) but they are not "mean" either. I think that the wife was more upset but then again, they had a few bottles of wine between the three of them while they were sitting out there.

I feel bad that I ruined their gathering but by the same token, our grass needed to be cut and I'm sorry that they could hear and see everything that we were doing from the bird's eye view on their deck.

 

[MichelleVW]

It's that time of year again.

We live in a subdivision where homes are pretty close together. A few years ago, our next door neighbor built a deck on the back of their house. The home is a raised ranch so the deck is pretty high. (It's above our 6 ft fence). This past Sunday DH and I were doing yard work in the afternoon. Our neighbors were on their deck enjoying the beautiful day. We did all of the weeding, planting...that took several hours. Our neighbors ended up having a guest over and they sat outside while we were doing this. The lawn still needed to be cut and we held off as long as we could. They had finished eating and finally around 4:30, I started up the lawn mower. As soon as I did, DH said that the neighbor said something but he couldn't hear what it was and they all went inside. Our neighbors are not the friendliest (older couple, recently married, no kids, no pets...) but they are not "mean" either. I think that the wife was more upset but then again, they had a few bottles of wine between the three of them while they were sitting out there.

I feel bad that I ruined their gathering but by the same token, our grass needed to be cut and I'm sorry that they could hear and see everything that we were doing from the bird's eye view on their deck.

I say no mowing grass before 8 am, but after that all bets are off. That is why I don't live in a subdivision, but if I had to cut my grass I would cut my grass if my neighbors were out there or not.

 

[Christine]

There's really nothing more you could. Honestly, if people are that concerned with that, then they needed to NOT move into a place where the houses were so close.

I live on a 1/2 acre lot. Most of my land is in front and behind my house. While my neighbors are not really close (there's probably about 25 feet or more between our houses), it's still too close. Their lot is raised above ours so they can pretty much look down into my yard. This neighbor runs a (loud) daycare and, frankly, it irritates me. But what can I do. I sometimes get tired of going out on my deck in the evening, firing up the grill, and having eight 2-year olds staring at me through the fence. Then they start running around the yard and screeching. But I never say a word because I don't know if I have any rights.

In your case, you really aren't doing anything wrong and were quite considerate, IMO. I don't know what they expected of you.

 

[freckles and boo]

We used a Sawzall to remove our porch awning Saturday as the neighbors' guests were arriving for a first communion party. The timing wasn't intentional but it was when we could do it. It took about fifteen minutes. We apologized, they laughed, their guests stayed ten more hours. When you only have 16' between houses these things happen.

 

[NMAmy]

Keep in mind that they may not have been upset with you but just moved the party inside. It sounds like you were being really considerate.

I'm allergic to grass when it's being cut. I'll go inside when my neighbors start up. I'm not mad--it's my problem, not theirs--but now I hope they don't think they're upsetting me. With a neighbor on each side and two behind, I'd love it if I could get them all synchronized to mow at the same time. Seems like somebody is always mowing their lawn!

 

[PirateSnowmen]

I say no mowing grass before 8 am, but after that all bets are off. That is why I don't live in a subdivision, but if I had to cut my grass I would cut my grass if my neighbors were out there or not.

I agree. In the summer most people are either mowing their lawns at 8am or later in the day when it gets cool outside. Although, we do have neighbors that hire a lawn service to mow their lawn and they're always out there at 6:30-7am

You were trying to be considerate and weren't trying to ruin their little party, so if they're mad they need to get over it

 

[mickey&minnie04]

Same thing happens where we live. Our neighbor doesn't work and is home ALL the time so she has all day to do her yard work. I work days and my husband works nights during the week, so on the only time we have to do our yard work is the weekend so I'm not going to stop what I have planned just because my neighbor is having people over. This might be the only time I have to do it and she's not going to cut it for me during the week!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Keep in mind that they may not have been upset with you but just moved the party inside. It sounds like you were being really considerate.

I'm allergic to grass when it's being cut. I'll go inside when my neighbors start up. I'm not mad--it's my problem, not theirs--but now I hope they don't think they're upsetting me. With a neighbor on each side and two behind, I'd love it if I could get them all synchronized to mow at the same time. Seems like somebody is always mowing their lawn!

 

[Motherofboys]

There's really nothing more you could. Honestly, if people are that concerned with that, then they needed to NOT move into a place where the houses were so close.

I live on a 1/2 acre lot. Most of my land is in front and behind my house. While my neighbors are not really close (there's probably about 25 feet or more between our houses), it's still too close. Their lot is raised above ours so they can pretty much look down into my yard. This neighbor runs a (loud) daycare and, frankly, it irritates me. But what can I do. I sometimes get tired of going out on my deck in the evening, firing up the grill, and having eight 2-year olds staring at me through the fence. Then they start running around the yard and screeching. But I never say a word because I don't know if I have any rights.

In your case, you really aren't doing anything wrong and were quite considerate, IMO. I don't know what they expected of you.

This made me LOL The thought of 8 little 2 year olds lined up looking through the fence at you is just too funny!

In our sub, someone is always mowing the lawn! It's a sub, you deal with it and be happy that at least they are keeping up their yard!

 

[LilyWDW]

Keep in mind that they may not have been upset with you but just moved the party inside. It sounds like you were being really considerate.

I'm allergic to grass when it's being cut. I'll go inside when my neighbors start up. I'm not mad--it's my problem, not theirs--but now I hope they don't think they're upsetting me. With a neighbor on each side and two behind, I'd love it if I could get them all synchronized to mow at the same time. Seems like somebody is always mowing their lawn!

I feel ya. Overall, it's an easy allergy to deal with unless you roll around in the grass... or until someone is cutting it. If I am out nearby someone cutting grass I get all snuffed up, get a headache, and start to itch all over. It's miserable, but what can you do?

 

[mykidsand_i]

It was funny, for us last summer...EVERY TIME for 3 weeks when we ate outside on our deck, it was GUARENTEED that someone in our area was goingn to mow! We have almost 1/2 acre lots in our area, but mowers are loud. It's bound to happen. It's not like you started it up right when they started eating.

People understand that everyone has a busy life. You mow when it works for your schedule, or if you don't- your yard gets scruffy looking and then they'd be upset about that too!

 

[mrsbert]

We had a huge crawfish boil for my brother last May when he turned 40. He lives out of state and came in to celebrate at my home (closer to the crawfish ). That was the same Saturday that my next door neighbor decided to pay her nephew to power wash her entire driveway and the bricks of her house. It took him ALL day! As soon as he was finished for the day, he got a roaring ovation from over the hedge.

It was kind of a loud pain but we just rolled with it.

 

[MIGrandma]

We live in the country so houses are not close to each other, but we do have a neighbor across and down the road just a bit that is a very strange one when it comes to mowing his lawn. He will do it in the evenings, which is fine because I'm sure he is at work during the day so of course can't do it then. But he will not mow it all in one evening, even though his yard is not that big and he could easily get it done before dark. But no, he usually ends up mowing bits and pieces, 3-4 times weekly. It never fails when we go out in the evening to sit in the swing and just enjoy some peace and quiet, he will fire up his mower. I think he watches to see when we come out and then he does it. No, not really, but it's annoying just the same.

 

[bored]

This thread is exactly why I moved out of a subdivision into a house with 4 acres. I used to not mow before 9:00 am but after that I mowed when I had time unless a direct neighbor was having party or family gathering.

 

[Ceila]

DH won't move before 9 am on weekends, and if it's a holiday he tries to mow in the morning in case neighbors have parties later in the day. OP, it sounds like you did everything you could to minimize the noise for your neighbors. Why did you assume they were upset? Maybe they just moved inside to hear better, but that doesn't automatically mean they were unhappy with you.

 

[MerMom60_94]

I live in a sub-division too and I have a pool. During the summer, I love to sit out by my pool and spend as much time there as I can (when I am not working). Oftentimes, we will have family over to join us for a barbeque and a swim. My neighbor in the back has the nickname of Home and Garden because he is constantly working on his house and his yard. Honestly, if he ever waited for me to not be out enjoying my pool he would never get anything done! Is it frustrating when I am entertaining to listen to a mower or a power washer? Sure! Do I think he always loves hearing splashing, playing kids, and the radio? Probably not. But he is a really good neighbor and we respect each other and we know this is what goes with living in such a tight neighborhood. Surely your neighbors must recognize people need to mow and use power tools to keep up with their homes and their yards.

 

[Tinijocaro]

If either of my next door neighbor's were having a gathering, I would not cut my lawn. I would wait. It wouldn't hurt to wait. If they were just hanging out in the yard with no company, yes, I would mow.

 

[SpecialK]

If either of my next door neighbor's were having a gathering, I would not cut my lawn. I would wait. It wouldn't hurt to wait. If they were just hanging out in the yard with no company, yes, I would mow.

That's how we operate,too.

 

[aprilgail2]

DH won't move before 9 am on weekends, and if it's a holiday he tries to mow in the morning in case neighbors have parties later in the day. .

I think nine is very reasonable for a weekend- wouldn't be happy to have a neighbor mowing at 8am ...only days I can sleep a bit late and to get woken by a mower would not make my day! I am lucky though because the houses on either side of me, 3 across the street from me and one right behind me all use the same landscaper as me and he comes around 10am on Thursdays!

 

[pigletgirl]

You should expect that by living in a neighborhood IMO.