Do you live on a noisy busy road? If so...

[clueless999]

Does the traffic noise drive you crazy or do you zone it out?

We are thinking of buying a house that's nearly perfect, to stay in for at least 10 years. It's been done up immaculately with double glazed sash windows and thick insulated walls. However it's right on a really busy main road. I'm not used to hearing any traffic noise where we are (city centre!). When we viewed the first time it was noisy in one or two rooms but quiet in the main garden (we're moving partly to get more outdoor space). So we were pleasantly surprised.

Second viewing the wind must've been going the other way as the noise was far more intrusive. There are lorries and double decker buses going past constantly (good gates so no safety worries).

My dh has hearing problems so I'm extra sensitive to noise on his behalf, iyswim, but we always said we'd never want to live on a noisy road. I'm wondering if we'd get used to it, or if we'd hate it. There's not really any further noise reduction measures we could add.

We're at a slight disagreement because I think it'll bug me more than he does!

I grew up on a main road, but I think faster moving than what you’ve described.

I obviously got used to it as I never really noticed it at the time, but now when I go back to visit my parents at that house, I really do. What I particularly noticed was that I woke up really early like 5:30am every day for ‘no reason’ which I actually came to realise after a few days was when the traffic picked up. Also there’s a bus stop a few houses down and there’s idling Diesel engines and those loud hydraulic type ‘bursts’ of noise they make intermittently all from very early in the morning, which do disturb sleep.

It’s also difficult at certain times of the day to get the car out of the drive. If you haven’t backed in to the drive, it’s really hard to back out in to the road. And still not easy if you’re driving out front first, you’re waiting ages for a gap, and then really have to seize the moment and get up to speed. And it’s stressful trying tobavk in if it’s busy with traffic behind you etc.

Lastly, although sitting in the garden isn’t too bad there, when my mum comes to ours she always comments on how lovely and peaceful it is in the garden - we’re not even in the middle of nowhere, just suburban area.

My DH is looking into soundproofing but I still suspect it's a no from me. It sounds a bit melodramatic but it's heartbreaking as this would've been our forever home and we got really excited by it. DH looks for houses all the time and says he's not seen one as suitable as that. I'm actually losing sleep about it which is pointless....

@SarahMused thanks so much for that!

You do get used to the noise, as said, and in the house you can muffle it with double glazing etc, the issue for us was in the summer or hot weather, you can't open the windows, you may as well be sleeping on the pavement, the noise was that loud. So you can't fall asleep with the windows open when the road is quiet at night, because you're rudely awakened by it in the morning.

In the garden yes you hear it, it's muffled by the house, but lorries, buses, emergency vehicles are not easy to muffle and you hear them.

We bought for the same reason your husband wants to. You get so much more house for your money and we couldn't afford the same level of property in a good location. For us though we found out, it's not worth the compromise and we wouldn't do it again, others are fine with it though,

we live on a main road I hate it. my cars consyantly dirty as hell from the road and constant traffic, the car noise keeps me awake at night too and we get alot of police and ambulances so the blue lights literally light our room up. it's a certain no from me to ever buy a house on a main road x