Many of us know the pain of construction work that objects by dragging or neighbors to the planning of applications.
So save a thought for Jon Hunt, whose attempt to redecorate a dilapidated house has been dragged on for 20 years.
And it is not just all the neighbors who keep his plans – it is the ambassadors of Saudi Aarabia, France, Russia, Japan and Lebanon who quote the United States of the United Nations in 1961 on diplomatic relations.
The only good news for Mr Hunt is that he is the founder of the billionaire of the Foxtons Makel Agents chain, so it can afford to live elsewhere in the meantime.
And when the house is finally completed, it can be worth £ 100 million plus. It is normal that at this pace the four children of the woman Lois all grew up and left before their dream house is ready.
Mr. Hunt sold Foxtons for £ 375 million in 2007 and is now known that he is worth £ 1.4 billion. In 2005 he bought a mansion on the London 'Billionaires' Row' near Kensington Palace, where residents include the heiresse Tamara Ecclestone of Formula 1.
The 1846, grade II-raised house cost £ 15.75 million, with the first planning application in 2008.
Central to his plans is a huge basement for his classic cars. Now, in an apparent olive branch for neighbors, the original basement of 51.129 m² – that 55 times the floor space of the average house – is cut from four floors to two.
Jon Hunt (photo), the founder of the billionaire of Foxton's Estate Agency, is engaged in a 20-year struggle to renovate a dilapidated mansion on Bishop's Avenue in London
The ambassadors of Saudi Aarabia, France, Russia, Japan and Lebanon all objected to Mr Hunt's proposals, referring to the United Nations Treaty 1961 in diplomatic relations
Mr. Hunt's plans include a huge basement for his classic cars. He reduced the number of floors in the proposed basement of four to two in an attempt to appease neighbors
But there are still plans for spas, gyms, staff quarter, a car lift for the underground parking space and six en-suite bedrooms.
His last entry at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea hardly shows any work has begun, with the windows that go on board.
The UN convention says that all states 'must protect the buildings of a diplomatic mission against burglary or damage'.
The nearby Indian High Commission has raised two objections in the last seven months, and Mr Hunt defeated a 2015 High Court -challenging by the French ambassador Sylvie Bermann, supported by the Saudis, Japanese, Russians and Lebanese.
