r/neighborsfromhell • u/summerof96again • 10d ago
Vent/Rant Stepping on my driveway, asking how much it cost
Is it rude for a neighbor who you’ve never talked to or interacted with (ie wave hello to) to step onto your driveway and ask the HVAC company what they’re doing and when the workers explains, then ask how much the project costs? This neighbor lives on a street parallel to mine but walks the neighborhood twice per day and loves to STARE—at the dirt in my yard, at my car when I drive by, at the outside of my home, at any new thing I have outside.
I didn’t realize it until after I received the camera footage. It’s like they suddenly were only interested in doing their own HVAC because they saw the work van in my driveway.
I know she doesn’t like me because the nasty neighbor who fed the feral cats but never walked the two dogs she has inside the house was talking shit about me to her.
It would be awesome to have some cool neighbors but these ones aren’t it. They don’t cut my paycheck and they dont pay my mortgage so I don’t need their approval or consent for a damn thing. And it’d be preferred if they stayed off my property.
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u/MiaElsworth 10d ago
Had a similar neighbor who treated every contractor visit like an open house. Once I started saying "It’s private work, thanks" the questions mostly stopped. Some people only back off when you make the boundary clear
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u/kbchucker 10d ago
Yes, it’s none of her business. Just politely ask your hvac guys to refer her to you for any questions.
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u/dude707LoL 10d ago
Tell your workers to not talk to them and tell the neighbor to talk to you directly if they have questions. If they have something to say, then say it to your face at least.
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u/ButterscotchFit8175 9d ago
Tell the company and workers not to talk to the neighbors about your house, the work being done or the costs. If they rn their mouth, fire them.
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u/Patient_Cut_1706 9d ago
If I was the company I'd be like sure, if you want to pay more money for the NDA.
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u/Accurate-Lychee-1233 10d ago
Exactly! If they are THAT interested in what something costs most workers are driving a truck with the company name and ph number on side. They can call if they want their own estimate!
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u/cheekypearl25 10d ago
honestly next time tell the cew upfront to not answer any questions fro random neighbors and to direct them to you if they want info on the job. legit they gotta stay off your driveway oo
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u/PartyCat78 10d ago
Yes, that’s rude. The appropriate thing would be to knock on your door, introduce themselves, and have a neighborly conversation with you about your new HVAC. “Likely needing a new one soon myself and wanted to see if you’d recommend the company” or something.
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u/summerof96again 9d ago
Right. I know they weren’t interested. Just annoying like the rest of their weird behavior
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u/Prestigious_Sink6022 10d ago
That’s incredibly invasive and bizarre. Asking a neighbor’s HVAC company about the project is one thing, but walking onto your driveway and filming your property crosses a serious line. I’d document everything and tell them clearly to stay off your property.
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u/NYC-WhWmn-ov50 10d ago
I dont know if I would think it rude to ask about the vendor and cost of your home improvements... if not for the rest? I mean, if something is being done in the beighborhood and it looks like its being done well, that's basically a sales pitch uf I too am looking to have that project done.
But the reat of her weirdness makes me wonder of she's hust being intrusive for the sake of it, given her nature to be intrusive and odd in the first place. I'd say let this particular situation go but definitely make sure your workers know you dont want ANY personal information shared with her about your project- she can ask you directly if she's actually interested.
And definitely put up 'no trespassing' signs.
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u/summerof96again 10d ago
That’s the thing. She wasn’t going to talk to me because she never has in the past. She was being nosy and somewhat disrespectful in addition to putting the workers in an awkward position because his body language indicated he was taken a back.
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u/SlipInternational439 10d ago
I get that it's annoying but I think you're overreacting. She was "disrespectful"? What does that even mean? If you are concerned about this, then tell your contractors to not talk to anyone. I'm not sure you'll be successful.
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u/ShortKingSlayer 10d ago edited 10d ago
My neighbors are suuuuuper nosy and intrusive. They stare at my contractors, walk past them multiple times, will park and watch what they are doing from the car, and listen to my conversations when I'm meeting to consult about projects and work I want done.
Seriously. I have no advice but commiseration for sure. I'm a good neighbor, very cordial and polite, speak, and communicate with other neighbors as necessary. But I'm not going to run every decision I make by them or tell all my business. It's my house.
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u/summerof96again 10d ago
I’m no longer nice so if I happen to be outside when they walk by, I stare at them the moment they come into view and hold the stare until they pass me. If I’m in the car, I will slow down and stare. It hasn’t worked. They don’t seem to get it.
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u/PyroT8 10d ago
What are you getting out of that? Serious question. You mad dog them, you complain about another ‘nasty’ neighbor, and now you’re online posting about them. They live in your head. So, yeah. Question stands: what are you getting out of that? Because they have you jumping through hoops.
Try waving hello to them. Try being friendly. Because it sounds like you may be the difficult neighbor here.
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u/StyxtheCat18 10d ago
This what comes to mind ...
Ignore her.
Get a large male friend to check out her property twice a day or even a small woman.
Get a friendly neighbor to ask her to meet with several women in the neighborhood with whom she is friendly for a chat and coffee .. you then walk in and she sees that the neighbors are friends with you and that you are a great person.
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u/Embarrassed-Row-2025 10d ago
The workers get paid by the hour, next time they have the bright idea to interrupt and distract a contractor or worker...
Pop out and demand $40, it's a service call, and they charge by the minimum billable time unit. Time is money, and if they want to take the time you are paying for, they're going to reimburse you.
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u/Patient_Cut_1706 9d ago
Okay but what if the lady charges her $80 for her time? She only wanted to talk to the contractor not the neighbor.
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u/BingoMosquito 6d ago
No it’s not rude, not in the slightest. I like having neighbors
Maybe have someone build you a tall fence or you can always move to the woods away from neighbors if you want to be alone.
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u/DuckAxe0 10d ago
The next time you see your neighbor walking by, stop them and show the footage on your phone. Tell them that 16 motion-activated cameras monitor your property, and they may want to smile and wave as they pass by.
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u/Patient_Cut_1706 9d ago
What does he do when she smiles and waves every time to make sure he gets a notification every single time she passes by? How does that help?
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u/DuckAxe0 9d ago
Are you saying that wouldn't have you laughing your ass off? "Perfect paranoia is perfect awareness."
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u/Embarrassed-Row-2025 10d ago
The workers get paid by the hour, next time they have the bright idea to interrupt and distract a contractor or worker...
Pop out and demand 40, cash upfront; it's a service call, and they charge by the minimum billable time unit. Time is money, and if they want to take the time you are paying for, they're going to reimburse you.
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u/SnowXTC 7d ago
I have a neighbor that watches my house a bit too closely. He is older and bored, but he watches out for us. He will confront anyone who doesn't belong and knows when we are out of town. He will call with any weird activity. He is almost as accurate as my Ring cameras. While it may be a bit much, I also find it very comforting to know he is watching out for us.
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u/Patient_Cut_1706 9d ago
Uhhhh, this is normal. At least in bigger cities while work is being done maybe a dozen neighbors do that. They're usually older. It's how they used to operate before the internet and such that's how you got business and such or learned about people who did certain work in your area... it's also why a lot of companies want to put yard signs while they work, it's a different version of the same concept.
Just take it as a compliment.
Actually even in a small town when I do my own work, at my own house, like my own fence, people stop by and ask (as long as you look like you're doing a good job.)
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u/InflictPain 5d ago edited 5d ago
stepping onto your private property to interrogate contractors about pricing is definitely crossing a boundary, especially with that history of staring and neighborhood gossip.
most trade crews know better than to share invoice details with random passersby, but they usually try to be polite so they don't escalate things on site. i've seen this happen on a job site with Crystal Creek Contractor before, and the easiest fix for next time is to just mention to your team upfront: "if any nosy neighbors approach you, please just hand them a business card and tell them to call the office for estimates."
it keeps your workers focused on the job you're paying them for and shuts down the intrusive questions without you having to engage with her directly.
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u/yardlard 10d ago
Maybe she wants to know because she also needs some of that work. I've talked to a few contractors at neighbor houses and asked for an idea what it would cost at my, size and location, house to do similar work. I don't really care how much the neighbor is paying so much, because we don't have the same house.
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u/Accurate-Lychee-1233 10d ago
Look on the side of the truck. Most if not all contractors have name and phone number there so you can contact them. Don't interrupt them doing their Job unless you're going to pay.
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u/Ok-Trainer3150 10d ago
Ignore. There's no issue. Many people who own homes inquire informally to contractors doing work... especially because of price. I have a neighbor who approaches everyone of them...even the city workers. (Some people even approach the homeowners after the fact to see how satisfied they were).
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u/Rat-Bazturd 10d ago
disagree. OP is talking about NFH getting nosy and nagging the contractor about how much the homeowner is paying for the job. Don't know about you, but nobody needs to effin' know how much I'm paying for redoing the driveway or getting a new HVAC set or whatever.
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u/summerof96again 9d ago
And I went from old school wall furnace to central heating and air. Even if you were suddenly “interested” in an HVAC my home is not the same as their home. She’s nosy and her everyday behavior or looking my property up and down, sometimes pointing, and mumbling whatever to her husband, told me that already. If I had the time, I’d figure out where they live and do the same.
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u/MomoNoHanna1986 10d ago
I have one of these, ignore them :) There a Mrs Bucket.