camaro build V angry neighbor

Progress has been solid on the camaro the last month or so. On a build like this nearly everything is custom, and unfortunately working with metal makes a fair bit of noise. At 9:20pm a month or so ago the neighbor came over extremely upset. yelling at nick and stating that we have no respect for the neighborhood for making so much noise. We apologized not realizing that it was a issue on a saturday evening to be working in my garage. We packed it up and figured it was no big deal to pack up every night by 8:30pm so he can relax without being bothered by noise that goes along with working with metal.

a couple weeks later he pounds on the side window of the garage (which faces his yard) and starts yelling at nick again that he is not going to put up with the noise forever. this was at 7:20pm. I thought WTF? are you kidding me! unfortunately I can’t make a grinder any quieter or make using a hammer any less noisy but the decision was made to work with the garage door closed to try and muffle the noise a little bit. I know the door is a uninsulated metal so it is not a significant noise reduction but it definitely helps.

A couple days ago we get a call from the building dept stating that we are being accused of running a unregistered repair shop out of the house. Apparently we have 8 or more cars in the driveway and are constantly working on different vehicles at the house. The inspector comes out and says we are in compliance and the only action that can be taken by the complainant is to call the police. Which he finally did for the first time yesterday. I Think it was 7:50 when the police showed up. Explained the situation and he said we don’t have anything to worry about and we can continue work. He did state that if they keep getting calls they will have a specialists come out with a DB meter to measure the noise and if it is over 50db we are “disturbing the peace” and further action will be taken. He also followed that up by 50db is just slightly higher than us talking right now so it is not set up in your favor. He even stated that a lawn mower is over that amount. I pointed to my touareg TDI and said I guarantee that idling is over that.

I am not a oh i’m going to get this guy back for being a dick kind of person because I understand that it is probably not fun to listed to for the 3 days a week we work on the car buuuuut on the flip side. Maybe close the windows at the rear of your house so you can watch TV in peace would be a good middle ground on his end. Fortunately the fabrication that is noisy should be complete in the next 2 weeks so if he can hold out we will be done with this.

/rant

cliffs

neighbor is unhappy about noise. I have taken reasonable steps keep noise levels down but working with metal is loud. What can I do?

On a side note the cop that came over yesterday was super cool. He was asking all kinds of questions about the project and seemed genuinely interested in the work being done. :tup:

If you want to work on 8 cars and run grinders and tools all day long, then rent a shop somewhere, or move to the country.

they dont work on 8 cars there, but there are 5 people living in he house. they do rent a shop but the sho/camaro roject cant take up the shop for as long as it wwould…

I’m glad my neighbor hasn’t said anything to me.
I’m sure I can be loud…I try not to wrench into the wee hours of the A.M. and try not to do anything silly (like fire up open header V8s past 9 pm)

For clarification, there are only 4 cars in the driveway at most, at any point in time. And only 1 car is being worked on and it’s inside the garage. I think this is within reason.

Drew.

Move?

The whole time I’m reading this I’m picturing a manufactured Home with a garage or a house in buffalo lol either way I wonder how pissed he would be if you blew off fireworks or someone built a home next door lmao

one of my good friends bought a house in the country, and built a motocross track in his backyard… the closest neighbor lives about 1/2 mile away and she complains every time he rides his dirtbike. he NEVER has more than 3 bikes riding at one time and its never past dusk (obviously) So she called the cops on him and tried to take him to court. He told her if she takes him to court, he will counter sue for her owning horeses and roosters, which also make noise early in the morning and all day long and taht he also has to deal with the smell. (this was all ok’d by the VIP who came to summon him to court)

if your neighbor is a dick, play hard ball. Unless you are actually breaking some law…then, tone it down.

Notice I only said try…

My advice would be to talk to the neighbor personally. Tell him your situation. Explain what you’re doing. Come to some sort of agreement where you both can be in peace, maybe adjust the hours or days that you work. Maybe he works night shifts or has a newborn baby. Playing hardball is probably the worst thing you can do in this situation. You both will waste time and energy trying to figure out ways to piss each other off.

That’s some bullshit. Anything before 8:30 is fair game.

He’s just asking to have the cops called on him every time he mows the lawn or gets a new roof put on.

General prohibitions.

It is hereby declared to be a nuisance and it shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to make or cause or suffer or permit to be made or caused, upon any premises owned, occupied or controlled by him or her or it, or upon any public street, alley, or thoroughfare in the Town of Cheektowaga, any unnecessary noises or sounds by means of the human voice, by moving vehicle, or by any other means or methods which are physically annoying to the comfort of any person or which are so harsh or so prolonged or unnatural or unusual in their use, time and place as to occasion physical discomfort or which are injurious to the lives, health, peace and comfort of the inhabitants of said Town or any member thereof.
The following acts are declared to be loud, disturbing or excessive noise in violation of this chapter, but said enumeration shall not be deemed to be exclusive:

A.

Amplified sound. The operation, playing or permitting the operation or playing of any radio, receiver, television, phonograph, tape player, compact disc or digital sound systems, sound amplifier, boom box, musical instrument, loudspeaker, or similar device, whether from a moving vehicle or stationary location, which reproduces or amplifies sound in such a manner as to create a sound level across a real property line, or through partitions common to two or more persons within a building, or from a stationary or moving vehicle, which exceeds the limits set forth in Table I.

Editor’s Note: See § 166-6.
(This subsection does not apply to industrial manufacturing plants in the regular conduct of their business on their own properties.)

B.

Horns and signaling devices. The sounding of any horn, signaling device or alarm (except as a danger warning, pursuant to § 375 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York) which results in a harsh or loud sound or repetitive sounds for any unreasonable or unnecessary period of time, so as to create a noise disturbance.
C.

Shouting and yelling. Shouting, yelling, singing, calling, hooting or whistling so as to create a noise disturbance.
D.

Engines. The operation, including the stationary idling, of any engine, including, but not limited to, an automobile, truck, motorcycle, motorbike, motorboat or minibike engine, so as to create a noise disturbance, or the use of any automobile, motorcycle, or motor vehicle so out of repair, so loaded, or in any manner so as to create excessive or unusual grating, grinding, rattling, or other noise, or the discharge into the open air of the exhaust from any stationary steam engine, stationary internalcombustion engine or motorboat engine, except through a muffler or other device which will effectively prevent loud or explosive noises therefrom, which exceed maximum permissible sound levels in Table I herein.
Editor’s Note: See § 166-6.

E.

Heavy equipment. The operation of any pile driver, bulldozer, pneumatic hammer, grinder, noise or other construction equipment which creates a noise disturbance, except between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. and except in cases of urgent necessity in the interest of public safety.
F.

Construction. Any construction, excavation, demolition, alteration or repair which creates a noise disturbance, except between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. and except in cases of urgent necessity in the interest of public safety.
G.

Domestic equipment. The operation of or permitting to be operated any power saw, drill, sander, router, lawn or garden device, leaf or snowblower, insect control device or domestic equipment so as to create a noise disturbance, except between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. However, the use of snowblowers, chain saws and other domestic tools and equipment are exempted from these limits when they are being used to clear driveways, streets, or walkways during and within 24 hours after snowfalls, rainstorms, ice storms, windstorms, or similar emergencies.
H.

Machinery. The operation of any machinery, equipment, pump, fan, air-conditioning apparatus or other mechanical device in such a manner as to create a noise disturbance which exceeds maximum permissible sound levels in Table I herein.
Editor’s Note: See § 166-6.

I.

Loading and unloading. The loading or unloading of any materials, equipment, garbage cans or the handling of bales, boxes, crates, containers or similar objects so as to create a noise disturbance which exceeds maximum permissible sound levels in Table I herein.
Editor’s Note: See § 166-6.

J.

Domestic animals. The howling, barking, whining, squawking, neighing, or other sounds of domestic animals which occurs continuously or intermittently, or so frequently so as to create a noise disturbance (for purposes of this subsection, “continuous” shall be a period of 10 minutes, and “intermittent” shall be a period of 30 minutes).
K.

The making of any noise for advertising purposes in any street or public place, or by means of aircraft, or the advertisement or calling attention to any advertisement, article, business, calling or profession upon any street, sidewalk or entrance to a place of business by means of any horn, megaphone, siren, bell, radio or any other sound-producing or sound-amplifying mechanism, instrument, or device.
L.

Places of public entertainment. Operating or permitting to be operated any loudspeaker or other source of sound in any place of public entertainment which produces maximum levels of 90 dB(A)'s or greater at any point that is normally occupied by human being, as read with the slow response on a sound-level meter, without a conspicuous and legible sign with lettering no less than one inch high located outside such place, near the entrance, stating: WARNING: SOUND ENVIRONMENT WITHIN MAY CAUSE TEMPORARY HEARING IMPAIRMENT WHICH MAY BECOME PERMANENT WITH CONTINUED EXPOSURE. The sound level across a real property line shall not exceed the limits set forth in Table I.
Editor’s Note: See § 166-6.

M.

Alarms. The sounding or permitting of the sounding of any exterior alarm on any building or motor vehicle, unless such alarm shall terminate its operation within 15 minutes of its being activated.
N.

Stationary emergency signaling devices. Testing of only the electromechanical functioning of a stationary emergency signaling device shall occur at the same time each day when a test is performed, but not before 9:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m. Any such testing shall not exceed one minute.

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http://www.tocny.org/

1.) click town code. 2.) click noise

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Receiving Land Use Category (dBA)

Sound Source Land Use Category
7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Residential: 55 dbA

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For reference

Near total silence - 0 dB
A whisper - 15 dB
Normal conversation - 60 dB
A lawnmower - 90 dB
A car horn - 110 dB
A rock concert or a jet engine - 120 dB
A gunshot or firecracker - 140 dB

So this clearly says that you can work between 7:00 and 11:00 and he can’t do anything, right?

Try working non 9-5 and having to sleep while someone is pounding away in their garage.

Looks like it, but what db level is his grinder ?

There are plenty of noises that would be a nuisance if you’re trying to sleep during the day. I don’t expect someone to call the police on construction crews, lawn mowers, etc.

90 dBA

Angle grinder outside at 1 m distance, looks to be about the same db level as a lawn mower.

I gotta find out the DB levels allowed in my town. The Flying Knights have taken up using the field down the road to fly their model planes. Every. Fucking. Nice. Day. Morning, noon, and night, weekdays, weekends, holidays…It’s not even possible to ignore the sounds those things make, it’s been proven. It just started this spring and I’m at my end point now. Yesterday I went inside and closed the windows, because whatever they were flying sounded like a cross between a leaf blower and a howling dog. I’m not an asshole neighbor. The guy next door loves to blast his music, I let snowmobiles use my front yard as a cut-through all winter, none of that bothers me, but those things just kill me. Funny thing- I was sitting outside one evening, trying to enjoy the weather, and a REAL plane flew over the house a few times. About 1/20th of the noise level of those stupid models that had been going all night. /Rant.

Per those regulations, section F & G the cops nor neighbors can do anything about it as long as it’s not after 11pm.