DOB Permit Saturation?

Hey everyone. Long time, first time.

There seem to be lots of knowledgable people here on the subject of DOB permits.
I live on a block where it seems like every spot around me is doing a gut reno. I’m in the garden apartment, so the building on my left if gutting the top half. the building next to me is getting the whole house redone. There is a major conversion of a former church going on on the other side of the garden. Now some how today, the building next to the gut reno on the left AND the building around the corner (the back of which abuts the garden because its real deep) started putting up scaffolding.

Doesnt DOB limit the amount of permits per block or something? I’m a super patient person. The neighbor on the right I know, they live in an owner’s duplex on the bottom. I’ve spoken with her and she tries to be accommidating – probably because they live there. But the left side, the owners are absentee. I dont know about everyone else.

But 3 weeks on Im going mad. literally insane. Another neighbor just came out and started screaming at the workmen. At 5:30 they said they just arrived. we’ve just been sunup to sundown with literally ear splitting noise. like I said I’m a super patient person and I am so close to losing it. 
Is there anyway to get DOB to limit the hours? Or limit the number of permits issued on a block? I dont get why they would give out 5 permits in a 10 building stretch. So…so loud. So many saws and hammers and nailguns all at one time. Can’t open windows. I really need to get an AC because I’m going to roast to death before I go deaf. Any rekief to be had?

sophietheandroid

in Quality of Life 13 years and 9 months ago

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sophietheandroid | 13 years and 9 months ago

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Feel in my teeth is a better description. If it were just one or two houses I could handle it. But all these sites at once are what is making people go mad. The condo conversion has been going on like a year now. But the one site isnt that bad. And I’m not one of those people who complains about stuff. i used to live above a bar where drunk people would get themselves on the fireescape an end up outside my windows. But it was only a few hours once maybe twice a week. But if there is no way to get the number of sites at once limited then I’ll probably just figure out someother place to stay for the duration of the permits. 

Thanks for the info. And sorry for the multiple messages. mobile devices and this forum dont play perfectly together.:)

sophietheandroid | 13 years and 9 months ago

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Honestly, I’m glad someone is making money because I havent got a thing done in close to a month. I’ an accountant/financial analyst with a home office…so there’s really no where for me to hide!Yikes. I’m gonna try to find some other office space for the duration of the permits. Most of my heavy work was done for yhe June 30 public sector fiscal year thank god.
I do have a fan that sounds like a freight train, but that abd the windows c losed only helps minimally. I think they are cutt
ing piping because the saw noises, even with my windows closed I swear to god I can hear in my teeth.

masterbuilder | 13 years and 9 months ago

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There are noise regulations for large projects.  Also there are facade requirements in New york City – for maintaining the exterior of buildings.  Which is why you see so many buildings tented in scaffolding.

As someone who employs crews of people who generate construction noise, I think of it as the sound of people making and spending money.  In critical economic times, people building is a great thing.

Getting upset at the workers is not a solution.  For the sake of our hearing, we would love silent power tools.

Goatcrapp | 13 years and 9 months ago

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Welcome to NY during construction season..   As far as I know – There isn’t any limit per block for individual renovations.  The only time a permit needs to be evaluated as anything other than a single building is when the work will affect multiple buildings (teardown, underground work spanning several yards or frontages, etc)

The DOB does indeed limit the hours of construction – 7am to 6pm…   but “construction” is loosely enforced…   the noise of saws and hammers generally get treated as noise ordinance, which can extend up to 10pm depending on the type of noise and db level…

unfortunately, your right to have an open window, if a closed one will reduce the noise below the db threshold..  is also not enforced in the city.

You can do a few things – such as calling 311, the police, and etc… but I’ll just add..  the work will be done – with or without your consent.  You might delay it – but thats it.. it’ll get done and make as much total noise, but you might be able to buy yourself a few breaks from the craziness.

Or get an A/C.   Frankly – i don’t even hear it anymore (I don’t mean i went deaf lol) – its all background noise at this point..  the only time it gets to me is when its in such close proximity that you feel the noise, too.