Forum Topic

Builders must stop....

Surely, people having building work done must stop immediately. The builders working on properties nearby are carrying on regardless of social distancing and get on the tube to go home. It is appalling to see such behaviour. The homeowners are to blame ; they should stop building work straight away. There are NHS workers as neighbours who are front line, it is an insult to them that some residents just think that the rules do not apply to them because they need a loft extension.

Stewart Jones ● 2414d15 Comments

I guess there are certain jobs that cannot be stopped at the drop of a hat - if someone is having a loft extension done and therefore has a large hole in their roof, it is not unreasonable to have the premises made watertight before calling a halt.

Richard Greenhough ● 2414d

They took off the roof yesterday

Stewart Jones ● 2414d

We've got Hounslow council contractors around the area where we live not only working on people's homes- we also have others digging up the roads for another bloody cycleway! And the irony is I've just had the latest missive about 'Staying Safe' from L.B.H.!

Vanessa Smith ● 2414d

It's  difficult one. Certainly where large developments result in multiple encounters of operatives on site this transgresses government edicts and consequently should be stopped.What do we do about single employed plumbers/ electricians etc., called out to deal with emergencies in HMO's where there is likely to be multiple inhabitants in regular occupation?

Jeffrey Cope ● 2414d

In an emergency then if one needs to call a plumber then you can do social distancing. I am more concerned about domestic building work where there are three or four men on site, deliveries throughout the day, skips coming and going and carrying on as if there was no lockdown. Talking, sitting closely together. And then heading homeward together on the tube.

Stewart Jones ● 2413d

New building works started yesterday. Hounslow Council couldn't pick a better time. Everyone stuck indoors some trying to work. Great timing.

Jan Porter ● 2409d

It is not just private individuals that are initiating construction work. Our very own Council are doing it as well. A building project on the Council housing estate at the Hogarth Roundabout end of Devonshire Road was announced about 6 months ago, but not started. Only now that Government advice is that "You should only go out when absolutely necessary" has the Council started work on the site by delivering and then erecting portacabin site-offices and temporary toilets in front of Hamilton House. Will the manager of the site please explain why it is absolutely necessary for the work to begin now when for the last 6 months no work has taken place on site. Why can't these works wait until after the threat from Covid-19 has passed?

B. Hanson ● 2409d

These people who still have builders working should also consider the fact that many people are now working at home and it is a stressful time.  Loud construction noise does not help!  The only ongoing work I have seen is on Burlington Gardens, which I am sure is not essential!

Paula Harry ● 2409d

unfortunately if £££ is involved the homeowerns don't care. It is very sad. Buiders can have corona whithout even knowing and give it to the vulnerable people.

Katja Urban ● 2409d

Totally agree. How can the Council start work building new flats on the Hogarth Estate when people are working from home or self isolating. If they are doing what was planned I believe they are constructing new flats between the 'stilts' of the block nearest to the A4. We're all for extra so badly needed social housing but maybe someone from LBH can answer why it's been started at this very stressful and sensitive time? Maybe there was money left in the pot for the end of the financial year as the portocabin and toilets turned up on Monday 30th!

Robert Joseph Manners ● 2409d

We've had drilling most of the morning thanks to Hounslow council's contractors working on their properties around here. Not so bothered about that, but certainly there is no attempt at 'social distancing' by the operatives. Difficult to see how that can be done to be honest.

Vanessa Smith ● 2409d

Stewart, how do you know the workers on the site are coming by tube? It is very unusual for construction workers to travel that way. If they are subbies they will generally be from overseas and live in a flat together and the foreman will get them brought over in a van. If they are independent contractors they will have their own vehicle because they will need to bring tools to the site . In such circumstances social distancing is impossible but what risk are they presenting to the rest of us by continuing?

Andrew OSullivan ● 2409d

Hi there.  Does anyone have advice on what we can do about noisy building work at the moment?  The noise from the ongoing work at the house on the corner of Barrowgate Road and Burlighton Gardens is just intolerable at the moment.  Like many people, I am self isolating and trying to work from home and even with the windows shut it is disruptive and stressful.  If anyone knows the owners of that house, maybe they can have a word?  Thanks for any advice.

Paula Harry ● 2394d

There are restrictions on noisy building activity but they wouldn't apply during the middle of the day during the working week. Probably the best thing to do is ask to speak to the site foreman and explain your situation. He'll probably say that it would suit everybody if they just cracked on and got the job done as quickly as possible but it maybe that you could come to some arrangement in which you had fair warning of noisy work taking place.

Dan Evans ● 2394d

On an earlier point, I often see large numbers of what appear to be builders on the underground.  Judging by their work clothes, tool bagsand they are often in groups .

Maggie Dodge ● 2393d