Traffic noise

[BaldyVasco]

I have found the perfect house in every respect.....except that it is on a fairly busy road.
Not an 'A' road, but busy enough with town traffic during the day.
I am not the sort to be kept awake, but I am worried it will ruin my peace during the day if I want to sit out or have a window open. The garden is surounded by high hedges but there is probably no escaping the noise.

Anyone have any personal experience....good or bad.....to add to my thoughts?

[tictactoe]

Hi Baldy (*Gosh, that sounds rude*) Lol

We moved from a very quite road, to a very busy main through road. It is amazing how quickly you adapt to your surroundings. Constant traffic noise (plus emergency services sirens going off all times of the day), and added to that seagulls, nesting on the roof tops, squawking night and day!

Guess what, we can sleep through anything! Just turn the tv up a notch (when you have the windows open), you'll be amazed how quickly you don't even 'hear' the background noise.

Good luck
n00dles xXx

[spudqueen]

I live on a fairly busy B road. My brother (who used to live on the same road) tried to disuade me from buying it by telling me that there was a haulage firm not far away who always started early and that I would be woken up early every morning. I've now lived here for 4 years and not been woken up once by traffic, I don't even notice the traffic if I've got the windows open or sit in the garden.

[parkesquay]

I concur with the thoughts given. I live in a Flat which backs onto a Pub and I didn't realise that there was music of some sort every Friday and Saturday. Came as quite a shock for the first couple of weeks but as the noise finishes generally about midnight I have become used to it and now take no notice. Just as important as a perfect house is location and if if that is perfect also I would say that you have it made. After all tens of thousands of peole live under airfield flight paths and they get used to that. Anyway you aren't going to sit in your garden in winter are you. In addition won't the evenings and week-ends be much quieter because of reduced traffic? If you are at home during the day and the town has some nice coffee shops why not go and enjoy a morning coffee instead of staying at home.

[shaneystar2]

We moved from London to the seaside ..we love our house but ..it is on a main road. Quite honestly the noise doesn't bother me .I suppose after years of listening to planes screaming overhead and the constant sirens I have tuned out.
I sit in the back garden but I don't hear it really and it always quietens down after the rush hour anyway.We have screaming seagulls too !
My brother who lives out in a village nearby cannot understand why we picked the house.It's near the shops ,ten minutes from the sea ,lovely park opposite.We don't run a car so it's ideal.
You get noise wherever you go .I can't understand these people you see on these location programmes who turn down the most beautiful houses because of the slightest bit of noise in the vicinity.

[DanO'Reilly]

Hi - I too live on a busy road in London with buses, trade traffic: bedroom at the front so i have double glazing (and use earplugs as am light sleeper with heavy upstairs neighbours!). Noise no problem. Downside: can never have window open at night and would love fresh air then. However, garden is at the back and surrounded by tall buildings. I am never bothered by traffic noise there. When I first came here I thought 'this is much noisier than my previous flat' - now i don't notice it at all. All the best, Dan

[larkin]

We live in a village just off a fairly busy main road, opposite a church. Traffic noise doesn't bother us - bell ringing on a Friday night goes unoticed now too ! You do adapt.

[les saisies]

We live near a main South coast road and traffic is constant every day. Motorbikes in the summer ar the worst by far, but most of the time we take no notice.

The best thing we have found to reduce the noise intrusion is to make some of your own in the garden. Install a fishpond with running water ie. filters waterfalls and fountains, and that will greatly reduce the impact of the road noise in the garden. You can then sit out in the garden and the nearest source of noise will be your pond and not the road.

good luck

[WendyS]

How greatly do you value peace and quiet, or even silence?

I know two people who have houses nearby with beautiful gardens. Both of them run alongside a busy main road. When I have been in them I have noticed the noise immediately. It's so loud it drowns the birdsong. and sometimes even conversation. You may get used to it, but do you want to have to? Remember that noise rises, and if we have more summer heatwaves of the kind we've just experienced, it may be a nightmare for you if you have to keep your bedroom windows closed at night to shut out the noise. You will also,on an ongoing basis, find that you get a lot more dust generated into your house which is churned up by passing traffic, especially on windy days.

[BaldyVasco]

Many thanks to everyone with your input.
However the Jury is still out.....yes I know I will adapt, but should I have to?

Saying that, I will put a low offer in, maybe a reduced price will ease my doubts!

Thanks again

BaldyVasco