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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To worry about living near a dual carriageway

47 replies

rogertherabbit · 02/05/2017 20:55

I'm looking at a lovely house online which seems perfect in so many ways. It is in a smallish village (approx 600-700 people) which runs along an A road that is national speed limit. The house is probably 8-10 cars lengths away from the road and there are a few trees between the house and the road. I know the answer to my question is to go and see the house, but I'm just wondering if any of you live near a national speed limit road, and if so how much of a problem is it? The A road runs between two medium sized towns so I don't really know how busy it'll be. Major cities are further away than these towns

Do you get used to the noise? The house has old sash windows which I assume could be upgraded at some stage to something more noise-proof

I will go and see the house, but I'm worried I'll love it and the only issue might be the road! No animals to worry about luckily

OP posts:
SalemSaberhagen · 02/05/2017 21:03

You can see a dual carriageway from our bedroom window, it sounds like the same set up that you have described. Apart from the odd motorbike rev when it's quiet at night I can never hear it! Don't let it put you off.

Tapandgo · 02/05/2017 21:04

You have to visit during the busy working week. You can block sound out inside the house easily enough, but you can't block out sound from the garden. There will be dust/dirt from the road.
Lots of people live alongside A roads though - so clearly suits many.
Each to their own - I don't live on an A road, never have.

Bantanddec · 02/05/2017 21:06

You'll get used to the noise, I live next to a train line I bearly notice the noise, but my visitors do!!

Original poster
rogertherabbit · 02/05/2017 21:12

Tapandgo yes I guess you are right about the garden. Most of it is south of the house and the road is north, so hoping the building would give some protection. I'll try and put a picture on - the house is the 'L' shaped bit on the bottom left of the cluster in the pic

To worry about living near a dual carriageway
OP posts:
Sonders · 02/05/2017 21:18

I grew up in a house that backed onto a duel carriage way - it was quiet at first but as new housing estates popped up it became incredibly busy.

I grew up with the noise so was used to it, like a PP said visitors commented quite frequently. We also lost a few pets to the busy road :(

SingaSong12 · 02/05/2017 21:19

I live on a busy road but triple glazed so no problem but I have a flat.
My only worry would be resale.
Is this property cheaper then other similar ones in the area or has it been on the market a long time. If so and there are no other reasons I'd be concerned that potential buyers might avoid it due to the same worries you have.

DancingLedge · 02/05/2017 21:26

The question is, how sensitive areyou to road noise ?
Do you spend time in garden, or with windows open?

I hate road noise, and will move soon , partly because it starts at 5.30 am, so I can't sleep with the windows open. Increased greatly in the time I've lived here.

But, anyone who knows me well, or who has been on holiday with me, would know this is an issue I' m very fussysensitive to.
You have to decide how big an issue it is for you. (Clearly, lots of people are happy living places I wouldn't consider for a nanosecond)

Do go and listen at different times of day (and night?).

Tapandgo · 02/05/2017 21:29

Looks like those trees are mature and will cushion the noise a bit. However - do visit weekdays rush hour and listen. Some people won't like it, but many won't be bothered by it.

Tapandgo · 02/05/2017 21:29

......looks lovely from the air....

UppityHumpty · 02/05/2017 21:30

I live half a mile from the nearest dual carriageway and can hear the traffic clearly even at night. You need to view this property several times - during the day and at rush hour. To see if it's manageable for you.

VanillaFruitAndVegTorturer · 02/05/2017 21:32

I live very close to a major A road. The main problem is not the noise, but the blockages due to road accidents. I have two alternative routes out of the village as Plan B & Plan C - you definitely need to investigate this!

GiraffeorOcelot · 02/05/2017 21:33

Agree with uppity. You need to check it it at different times of day.

We are further that your potential house from a dual carriageway and can't hear it at all in the house but if we open windows or are in the garden then we can clearly hear it.

It is the biggest thing we would change about the house and does impact on DH's enjoyment of the garden. I am less bothered. Our garden is also the opposite side of the house to the main road.

Original poster
rogertherabbit · 02/05/2017 21:34

Thanks all, it's hard to know how I will feel - I have always previously lived in quiet places so am not used to noise. I'd like to be more rural, but it seems with rural houses come main roads!

It's been on the market for a month. I think it's overpriced as it needs work - rightmove tells me what the vendors paid for it a few years ago and they don't seem to have done much to it. They've put the price up a lot considering most of the rooms still look the same!

OP posts:
Original poster
rogertherabbit · 02/05/2017 21:38

Good point vanilla - there are other routes out but they are less direct. Looking more carefully at the map I think there is only a small bit of dual carriageway - a couple of hundred yards. It then goes back to single lanes both directions. Sod's law that the dual bit is by the house!

OP posts:
dimdommilpot · 02/05/2017 21:49

I live within 100 yards of the interchange 2 major northern motorways. I dont hear the noise, I do however notice the dirt. The white window frames/sills etc get filthy and have to be thoroughly cleaned frequently.

ChuddaBum · 02/05/2017 21:54

I live 1 road away from a dual carriage way and then right next to that is the M6 (so all 3 roads are in a row) Barely even notice to be honest.

ChuddaBum · 02/05/2017 21:55

Agree with dim about the dirt though!

Original poster
rogertherabbit · 02/05/2017 22:03

I'm hoping the house and trees between would shield from some of the dirt! Good point though. Would need a good window cleaner Smile

OP posts:
SaturnsRings · 02/05/2017 22:03

I've lived next to the A1/A1M most my life and next to mainline train tracks and it's not an issue for me except the occasional early morning lorry

pardreg · 03/05/2017 10:23

I live about that distance from a 50, with a house and trees between. and that 50 is the old motorway so it's nowhere close to how busy it could be. I really didn't think it would but yes I do hear it and yes it does bother me. Particularly when the motorway is shut and the lorries start crashing past at 1am. Also I worry about the diesel fumes now. It's not the biggest of issues but I do grumble occasionally. It also makes walking from the house a bit off putting.

pardreg · 03/05/2017 10:26

I used to live next to train tracks and they didn't bother me half as much as this road does. I think they are more rhythmic... lorries very crashy. Depends on your own sensory perceptions though I suppose.

Offler · 03/05/2017 10:42

I grew up in a house about 50 yards from the A2 in Kent (nearer London end). House was triple glazed, but I had no problems sleeping. We now live a similar distance from a busy railway line (Norwich - London line) and I have no problems sleeping.

In fact, if I go somewhere on holiday, and there is no noise, I find it too quiet to sleep sometimes 😁.

One thing that would concern me though would be access onto the road, do you have to pull off the main road to the house? Or is there a feeder road with a slip onto the A road, so house access is off a small road.

gabsdot · 03/05/2017 10:45

I live facing a duel carriageway. There are trees and a very high wall between us and I can't see the road even from upstairs but there is a constant hum of traffic noise.
We're used to it and living in the suburbs there will always be some noise.

RoseGoldProsecco · 03/05/2017 10:47

Have you thought about air pollution? Sorry if that's really unhelpful, as I don't know anything about it, but you might want to try looking up distances from busy roads etc? Or maybe PPs here who have experience of living near a main road could comment on whether they find it an issue?

Morphene · 03/05/2017 10:48

I'd be more worried about pollution too...

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