Dual carriageway - rural property

[LineofFruity]

Viewed a rural property today. Surrounded by fields, no near neighbours. Has land, sort of thing doesn’t come up often, complete renovation project required so total cost will be about £800k which is a real stretch for us - will mean no holidays, rarely eating out and careful budgeting.

We could do it if it was our dream / forever house but it is very close (as the crow flies) to a busy dual carriageway where there is a roundabout so cars slowing and then accelerating. The road felt very noisy to us, literally couldn’t hear the birds over it.

Do you get used to it or would it be a deal breaker?

Thanks, I think you’ve all confirmed what I though. I’m very noise sensitive and at present we have no road noise at all but wondered if I was being overly picky.

Whether it would be more away from the road I’m not sure - possibly. But I’m not sure that is where I can compromise.

Resale would be a concern especially in a less buoyant market given the general feeling here.

The other thing would be boy racers at night, particularly if there is a roundabout. It'll be the local social scene probably...

I'm semi rural but near a busy dual carriageway. I've lived here since February and haven't got used to the noise.
In wet or windy weather it's incredibly noisy but in the sunny weather, we can mainly just hear birds.
What does irritate the life out of me is the motorbike noise. It's unbelievably loud when they're twatting about in groups on the road.
We have factories nearby so there's a lot of traffic around 3am.

I'm very noise sensitive though so could just be me being picky as my DP doesn't really hear it as much as I do.
We have neighbours who live bang at the side of the road. God knows how they cope as traffic must shake the house.

@Indigopearl

I guess long term electric cars might reduce the road noise?

Not if it's a fast road, as much of the noise on that sort of road is from the wheels on the tarmac and air movement on/around the vehicle rather than engines. Also, OP mentioned a roundabout- traffic slowing and then speeding up can be very noisy (I used to live near a major junction, it really is).

I live near a dual carriageway. I'm not noise sensitive so suits me fine. It is nosier when you live there, than when you view it. So if it bothers you on viewing, it will really bother you if you live there.

Deal breaker for me

Deal breaker for me, I couldn't bear the noise.

I stayed in a beautiful holiday cottage last year - from which you could hear road noise. It really spoiled the experience, and that was a few days so I’d say no

IME: things that you wonder about when looking at a property trend to magnify once you are in so I’d be cautious

PP raised an interesting point re electric cars, I wonder when we will have changed over enough to make a difference…

When I looked into the pollution map of the area I was planning on buying in it changed things significantly for me. There are loads of negative health outcomes living above certain decibels from a noise pollution perspective, as well as the more obvious transport pollution. It is not just about whether you can get used to it, it's whether you should.

Stay away!
Also, if you have a tight budget and you are looking at a full refurb, be aware of skyrocketing building materials and high building costs - you may need far more budget than you would have last year.

I'm very noise sensitive and have suddenly realised how wonderful it will be when cars are quieter, so thanks for that thought (assuming I'm still here to enjoy it by then!)

Idiots on loud motorbikes and cars hammering the rev limiter off the roundabout and also when a road is damp or wet it's gets SO much louder

No

Traffic noise is the one thing I don't like about where we live now and that's a 30mph town road not a dual carriageway. The general hum isn't too bad but we are near a junction and there is a constant squeal
of brakes, there's a bit of a bump in the road and anything articulated clatters over it, people rev as they pull away, posses of motorbikes swarm through on summer evenings, emergency services put on their sirens as they approach the junction. The first lockdown last year was a total revelation in terms of the peace and quiet.

It would be a no for me, too. We're looking to move soon, and road noise is near the top of the list of things to avoid.

@Livingintheclouds

Deal breaker. What's the point of going rural if you have constant road noise?

This!

If you are stretching your budget, living in ‘ a project’ for years, without holidays, that is for a dream forever house with no major compromises!

This isn’t it.

@Indigopearl

I guess long term electric cars might reduce the road noise?

It is the tyres rubbing what makes most of the noise, not the engines. Noisy road, house will be dismissed straight away, even if it's a bargain.

Also, traffic levels might ramp up if it is a vital road? I have relatives that live near the sea and the A roads there get massively jammed at busy time with people bringing caravans or just driving down as the local public transport is sparse to non-existent. As locals you learn when you can travel and when it is unwise to do so.

@Indigopearl

I guess long term electric cars might reduce the road noise?

I'm sure electric cars would help, though they should have noise emitters of some sort to help people (such as blind people) know where they are. Road noise can comes as much from the wheels on the tarmac and the airflow round the bodywork as the engine on faster roads. And OP says this house is near a roundabout- slowing and then speeding up is noisier than continuous running too.