Guide on schedules to carry out work at home

Whatever the type of work you do at home, know that it should in no way affect the tranquility of your neighbors. The unpleasant sounds of the work can only be tolerable within the limits of the schedules imposed by law. Let’s take stock of the subject.

Domestic work regulations

In terms of domestic work, the authorized hours are defined by municipal decree in accordance with article L.2213-4 of the general code of local authorities.

It is therefore up to the mayor to determine the time slots in force in his town. In principle, most municipalities take as reference the schedules established by the National Noise Council, namely:

• During working days: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.;
• Saturday: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.;
• Sunday and public holidays: from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

But each municipality is free to modify these time slots. To find out, go to the site of your city or go directly to the town hall to inform you on the subject before you even start the stages of your house construction project.

Work in individual houses vs in apartment

For owners of individual houses, the hours authorized to carry out work generally correspond to the schedules fixed by the municipality or by the district itself.

Nevertheless, for light work indoors and outside (installation of wallpaper, wall painting, small DIY or gardening work, etc.), it is possible to make a small sprain to the rule provided you emit very little noise.

For those who live in an apartment, for the sake of respecting the rules of good neighborhood, the monitoring of the schedules indicated by the internal regulations of the condominium is essential. The simple fact of painting a wall or placing a wallpaper sometimes requires moving furniture or scratching the wall. Therefore, all types of work are simply to be avoided outside the authorized hours.

Special case of wooden houses

In a wooden house, the risks of noise pollution linked to the work are greater. Therefore, it is advisable to do work before you even set up. If repairs or renovations are inevitable, be sure to use working materials and techniques that generate as little noise possible, while complying with the hours indicated of course.

Advice to organize well

To maximize the efficiency of work in authorized time slots, it’s all about organization.

Heavy work that may cause strong noise pollution is to be done during business days, while weekends will be reserved to carry out little or not noisy work.

But before starting the work, remember to warn your neighbors on your project and especially the condominium trustee. You should know that a prior authorization of the general meeting of co -owners is necessary if you plan to carry out work in the common areas.

What to do in case of overtaking schedules?

If for one reason or another the work exceeds the authorized time slots, the first reflex is to notify upstream the vicinity of a possibility of extension of the work. However, avoid making a habit.

Note that if you annoy your neighbors repeatedly, they have several appeals against you in particular by notifying the condominium trustee. If the police are entered, you risk even a fine of € 68, increased to € 180 in the event of late payment. A lawsuit is not to be excluded for neighborhood disorder.

To conclude

To ensure the smooth running of your construction or renovation work and maintain good neighborhood relations, it is essential to respect legal hours, as well as the specific rules applicable in your condominium.

On weekends, avoid noisy work as much as possible. During the week, limit the work at the times indicated.