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Original poster

Do you live on a main road?

14 replies

NotAnotherNewNappy · 04/08/2011 10:35

I have seen a lovely period property (3 bed with massive garden) in an area I'd really like to live in (great schools, high st, park etc).

The rub is that it's on a main road (we couldn't afford it otherwise). The main bedroom and the lounge would face the traffic. They are double glazed (old style aluminium) but I'm worried that it would be too noisy to ever open the windows to the front.

Do you live on a main road? What are the worst/best things about it?

TIA

OP posts:
Cattleprod · 04/08/2011 10:47

I live on a main road. The house is quite a bit higher than the pavement and set back by about 20 feet, so we don't really notice the traffic noise, even though it's single glazed at the front. It's also great for transport (bus stop right outside), safe for coming home in the dark, and easy for delivery drivers to find. The only drawback is parking, but you get that problem on smaller roads too.

GrendelsMum · 04/08/2011 14:39

We live in a period house on a main road.

Really, the pros and cons are exactly what you'd expect. It's noisy, but you get more house for your money. It's just down to how annoying you find the noise, and different people vary hugely on this.

We've had the front bedroom windows open over the last few days - the thing I find is that it isn't a steady stream of traffic that wakes me, but just one noisy motorbike or bus. Plus our cat doesn't like the headlights from the cars.

Our previous house had rather nasty UPVC double glazing, but it did an incredible job of keeping noise and dust out.

LongDroopyBoobyLady · 04/08/2011 14:44

We moved into a lovely period property on a main road 8 years ago. I don't mind the noise of the traffic but haven't had a good night's sleep in the last week or so due to the windows being open at night. It's not just traffic noise, it's people noise, animal noise, all sorts of pretty much constant noise.

I love our home and like you, we could not have afforded it if it were anywhere quieter but it was shut to traffic for eleven lovely weeks recently and I met neighbours I'd never spoken to in the whole time we've been here.

The best thing about being here is also the worst thing - the location. It's great for schools, for links to motorways, for job opportunities, for the close proximity of friends, shops, schools, etc. It's terrible for getting into/out of the drive in the rush hour, there's no community feel to being here and the noise at the front of the house is always there.

javo · 04/08/2011 16:05

I lived on a main road for a few years and like Grendelsmum it was the random very noisy motorbikes, buses and cars in the summer playing heavy bass music which made the front bay reverberate that were annoying. We also had to turn up our TV at rush hour.

The road was put on an ambulance route after we had been there a year or so and the sirens at all hours day and night were very annoying. The children didn't mind the noise so much so we put two of them in the front bedroom and we moved to a back bedroom. Unfortunately roads only ever seem to get busier over time- so it may become noisier. During our time in the house the council also took away a lot resident parking to make a red route for extra buses(that had not used the route before) and made 20 minute parking bays for the couple of local shops nearby - the parking issue really depressed our resale price and it took quite a while to sell. We also got black dust on windowsills etc whenever the windows were open - so not very healthy - however this was London.

I would think carefully about the drawbacks - try and view the house at rush hour not during a quiet mid morning and assess the impact that changes to parking and routes for buses etc could have. We had totally refurbed our house, it was Victorian and had lovely large rooms and high ceilings and we loved it, but in the end the noise etc just drove my husband mad ( and consequently his ranting drove me to distraction)and we sold up to move to a very quiet residential road and a sadly much smaller house.

GrendelsMum · 04/08/2011 16:32

On the plus side, I can tell exactly what time it is without looking at a clock by recognising the noise of a bus going past (we have a very prompt bus service Wink)

Plus my elderly parents can get literally to my door on public transport with their free bus pass.

And my sister was snowed in last winter, while the snow ploughs came through and kept our road and drive clear throughout.

timidviper · 04/08/2011 22:37

We are on a main road and find it no problem at all. We had all the windows double glazed with the original stained glass encapsulated in the leaded lights.

We have tall hedges at the front and sides which absorb most of the noise and you do get used to it. As mentioned before it is the odd noisy thing that we notice, not the general flow and it has been great for the DCs being on a bus route and living somewhere so convenient.

I guess there are main roads and busy main roads IYSWIM, we get a fair bit of traffic but no people noise as there is nothing along here but residential properties.

Original poster
NotAnotherNewNappy · 05/08/2011 13:18

Thanks everyone. EA rang this morning for feedback and to remind me how much more this house would go for if it was on a quieter street. I am v tempted to make an offer but for complicated reasons we have to wait until the beginning of September. Fingers crossed it's still on the market by then.

OP posts:
ShoutyBag · 05/08/2011 19:34

I do! Not a problem, you get used to the noise, and we are right on the road, not set back. Can't have cats though Sad

ShoutyBag · 05/08/2011 19:34

Out of interest, what sort of area are you in, and how much was it valued for?

thisisyesterday · 05/08/2011 19:36

how main is main?
during the day you're unlikely to find the noise a problem i would imagine, and at night it'll be quieter

can we have a link????

Original poster
NotAnotherNewNappy · 05/08/2011 19:53

I can't link as DH is worried you'll all rush out and buy it Hmm

SE London, zone 4 - it's on for 230k but I think it actually worth more like 212k (looking at Zoopla).

It's a single carriage way, no yellow lines but room for parking except on pavement and drives in front of most houses. Single storey buses go past. Javo's tale has put me off the most, i.e. the thought that the road will only ever get busier over time.

I really want it though, in my head I've already moved in and am decorating the DD's bedrooms Wink

OP posts:
Original poster
NotAnotherNewNappy · 05/08/2011 20:04

no room for parking except on pavement or on drives etc

OP posts:
lachesis · 05/08/2011 20:06

Have done so in the past, and it's really not for me.

Sorry, but it was too noisy and dirty for me.

lachesis · 05/08/2011 20:07

And if it didn't have off-road parking, it'd be a defnite pass for me.

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