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Original poster

Perfect House but on A4

48 replies

Samara26 · 27/03/2022 05:46

Hey, I've been looking for a house for a year now and watched prices and interest rates rise and have finally found a house I like within budget (just) that doesn't need much updating and is fairly new and energy efficient/ EPC B! It's also oil fired heating with an oil tank in the garden as opposed to gas. Apparently it costs around the same (£850 a year for 3 bed house).

Only downside is that it's right next to the A4, bar a little slip road in between. Around 20 mins drive to Reading town or 15 to shops which is ok. The road noise can't really be heard inside the house, but I'm worried about pollution. It's not a congested or really busy road but there are trucks and cars going past at around 50-70 constantly. It's just not rammed or queuing up.

Tbh I never sit in the garden anyway but I'm worried about pollution making it's way inside the house, in summer for instance when you open windows, although I'd try to only open them at the back of the house, which is further away from the road. I'd say the road is around 50 feet from the house, maybe more.

At the second viewing today I could smell diesel or car fumes in the air but I didn't last time, although I'm sure they're there. To give context, this is fairly rural so both sides of the road are mainly surrounded by agriculture and fields. It's all pretty flat.

What does everyone think? I could move there for 5 years and then move on? I'm a first time buyer and need to get on the ladder before prices go up anymore and interest rates hike up more!

I'm really not sure what to do, I've missed out on some good houses already from being too cautious.

OP posts:

WhatAWasteOfOranges · 27/03/2022 10:26

The state of the world I would say only buy somewhere at the moment you’d be happy to stay longer than planned.

NoSquirrels · 27/03/2022 10:36

I hear more road noise in the old terrace I'm in now and it's just a busy road, it's not an A-road and it's definitely polluted. It's probably because the windows are old. I couldn't imagine anyone viewing a house here and discounting it for those reasons though, as the road appears fairly harmless. You also get boy racers going down at least once a day, even though there are speed bumps, which makes the street stink.

You’ll probably find where you live now is more polluted. If there’s queuing or slow-moving traffic then that’s when pollution builds up, with buildings in the way. Rurally, with traffic at 50-70mph doesn’t sound like it will cause a huge issue but you’d need to judge how heavy the traffic is for yourself.

However, if you’re hesitating over it, when you come to sell again other people will hesitate too. So get the best price for the house you can if you buy it.

We’re on an A road at the outskirts of town. But we moved from London so I don’t consider it an issue whatsoever- depends what you’re used to.

TatianaBis · 27/03/2022 15:30

The pollution would bother me more than the noise.

C4tastrophe · 27/03/2022 15:42

Don’t do it. The A4 is a 24 hour a day road, tons of trucks. The volume is amplified tremendously when it rains.

Starseeking · 27/03/2022 15:50

I used to live on a main road less busy than the A4, and vowed never to do so again. Cars ostensibly limited to 30, most did at least 40. There were industrial estates about 50-100 metres each side of us, and the noise from lorries was awful tearing between them. Got to know a couple of neighbours, but that was only through off-chances. It was so hard to meet people there, and firm relationships, it never really felt like a proper community. Also used to triple lock front doors worrying about DC running out into the road, and used to have nightmares about the same.

You can't change location, you can change interior and size, if plot permits. I'd keep looking if I were you, as you'll have similar problems selling.

Saz12 · 27/03/2022 17:38

The downside of the road noise is offset by the upside of it being cheaper. There’ll always be people who wouldn’t live there regardless of price, and people for whom a lower mortgage is worth it.

EPC rating as B is pretty good! Heating oil was very cheap (relatively!) during Covid - massive drop in demand (Heating oil is kerosene, which is a big part of aviation fuel, but also lower demand for other hydrocarbons). The increase is partly a bounce from that low rate, but massively impacted by Russia too. It’s also not subject to price caps or wider public interest in affordability! Mains gas should always work out cheaper over a more typical period. As are the boilers, ovens, etc that run on mains gas.

ProfessorInkling · 27/03/2022 17:44

‘The A4’ is a pretty meaningless description. I live just off a bit of it and it’s really quiet around here 🤷‍♀️

Original poster

Samara26 · 27/03/2022 18:15

@ProfessorInkling

‘The A4’ is a pretty meaningless description. I live just off a bit of it and it’s really quiet around here 🤷‍♀️

Ok it's just after the Ford garage and is classed as Padworth, RG7 5 is the postcode. It's between Gilbert close and Macs Close.

OP posts:

Original poster

Samara26 · 27/03/2022 18:19

@ProfessorInkling

‘The A4’ is a pretty meaningless description. I live just off a bit of it and it’s really quiet around here 🤷‍♀️

To be fair, I have zero concern about the noise. My main concern is the pollution though the traffic is free flowing and there are only a few houses scattered on one side of the road. Not really many trees, just all rural agriculture and fields all around. There is a railway track running near the back of the property but it's a branch line so only 2 trains per hour. As it was only built in 2016 I think it's pretty well sound-proofed as I don't really hear much of anything inside the house. I'm. It worried about a 'sense of community' as most neighbours in the south east barely know or talk to each other anyway, and I've never had that anywhere I've lived, except as a kid on a village housing estate.

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Thewindwhispers · 27/03/2022 18:30

If you want to live there forever, sure. If you think you’ll move on then NO WAY. A beautiful house I know which is v near an A road sat on the market for a year. There are very few buyers for thet sort of property.

Thewindwhispers · 27/03/2022 18:32

And yes there will be pollution, we have a wood betweem us and the motorway and STILL when the wind blows from that direction the house stinks 🤦‍♀️

Ohhgreat · 27/03/2022 20:38

I think the train line would bother me way more than the a4. It is definitely not a branch line - it's the line from the west country to London Paddington! You'll have trains passing every ten minutes, and freight trains go through the night.

ProfessorInkling · 28/03/2022 08:30

Ah, yes I’d give that a miss, because of the road, not the train line. It’s lovely around there otherwise though, nice pubs, river, cycle paths.

Come and live in Reading, I’m in a not very attractive new build estate but we are all lovely here

Original poster

Samara26 · 28/03/2022 10:58

@ProfessorInkling

Ah, yes I’d give that a miss, because of the road, not the train line. It’s lovely around there otherwise though, nice pubs, river, cycle paths.

Come and live in Reading, I’m in a not very attractive new build estate but we are all lovely here

Really which one are u in, I like new builds?

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ProfessorInkling · 29/03/2022 20:28

Really? It’s just off the A4 😂 townhouses, tiny gardens, but good soundproofing and safe for kids to play out.

Curioushorse · 29/03/2022 20:33

So we're the other side of Reading. We are in a little village there that is fiendishly expensive. We never would have considered a house by the A4......BUT, we're now friends with a few people who did. Their houses are roughly twice the size of ours for the same money, and gorgeous. One of the people who's bought is in car engineering (trying to be a little vague). He's adamant that car noise won't be a problem in ten years. I suspect he may be right.

Original poster

Samara26 · 30/03/2022 19:54

@ProfessorInkling

Really? It’s just off the A4 😂 townhouses, tiny gardens, but good soundproofing and safe for kids to play out.

It's got a big garden hun, bigger than average, and although classed as a town house the top floor room isn't a master bedroom, more of an office type space. It's a big house - 1300 square foot :). It's around 50 meters from the actual A4 I think.

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Original poster

Samara26 · 30/03/2022 19:56

@ProfessorInkling

Really? It’s just off the A4 😂 townhouses, tiny gardens, but good soundproofing and safe for kids to play out.

Oh and u can't really hear the road inside. In the back garden it's just a hum. This isn't the really busy part of the A4

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Original poster

Samara26 · 30/03/2022 20:02

@Curioushorse

He may be right but who knows when electric cars will be owned by the majority. They're now introducing road tax for them which will put people off. Plus 10 years is a long time to wait.

I'm personally not worried about the noise because u literally don't hear anything much inside the house. A vague hum at the front and nothing in the lounge and master at the back. I've checked twice now at different times. For me it's the pollution although it is a flat open area so think it would disperse quickly.

I'm also a little worried about been so close to AWE Aldermaston and Baughurst where they build Atomic / nuclear weapons - there is a higher rate of breast and prostrate cancer in the area. That coupled with crop spraying on agriculture behind the back and then the road pollution feels a bit like illness waiting to happen 🙈🙈😳

OP posts:

KirstenBlest · 30/03/2022 20:05

It depends on how close to the road it is. If it's the house I think it is, I'd go for it as it is set back a little.

Original poster

Samara26 · 30/03/2022 20:12

@KirstenBlest

It depends on how close to the road it is. If it's the house I think it is, I'd go for it as it is set back a little.

There's 2 side by side for sale. This is the one I'm looking at (don't all rush to place an offer 😂😂)

https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/60619711?utm source=v1:5bWFDybfWx7C7AGpeagt7mP3PgcqjuqJ&utmm_medium=api

OP posts:

KirstenBlest · 30/03/2022 20:40

That's the one.

The parking spaces might be an issue for me, as you get CFs parking in them, or at least I did when I had an allocated space.

Otherwise it looks fine. Nice size garden at the back. Kitchen a bit small.

Original poster

Samara26 · 30/03/2022 21:48

@KirstenBlest

That's the one.

The parking spaces might be an issue for me, as you get CFs parking in them, or at least I did when I had an allocated space.

Otherwise it looks fine. Nice size garden at the back. Kitchen a bit small.

What does CF stand for?

Do u think it's set back enough so the pollution doesn't come in the house?

OP posts:

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