Sound Proofing

[Undertoad]

Hehe, I was assuming a suburban situation, since that's where the neighbors complain about every goddamn last thing.

If you're more rural, and there are fewer neighbors and they all might need metal worked, you have the social engineering option. Knock on their door and say...

"Hey, I'm putting in an anvil and you might hear some banging(1). I'll never be at it before 10am and never after 10pm(2), but if you ever hear it and need me to stop, just give me a call.(3) And by the way, if you need some metal bent, I'm now your guy, and if it only takes a few minutes, no charge.(4)"

(1) This gives them an opportunity to complain right now, and it tells them that if they do want to complain, they should talk to you personally and not to some authority.

(2) Indicating your thoughtful grace: you have considered that it may be annoying, and are taking your own steps to make sure it isn't all that bad.

(3) Psychologists have shown that the ability to control an irritation is more satisfying than actually removing the irritation. If you give them a button they can press to fix their problem, they will not press the button: because merely knowing they control it is enough.

(4) "Yes, you hear noise, but you like it because it's the sound of a resource, and someday it could be in your favor."

gawd i'm so fucking wordy, sorry