Thin walls in semi detached house

[Ben35]

Hi guys i hate the noise issues with my semi detached house.

It feels like i live with next door. I live alone so make very little noise.

I can hear talking, laughing, slamming doors, plugging sockets in, music.

I sleep in the spare room but can still hear impact noise.

I like reading and cant even read a book in my own house.

Ive recently paid off the mortgage but could get a nice detached on a £50,000 mortgage.

Part of me says move right now

Anyone experienced similar?

Am i being pathetic?

Cheers. Ben. 35.

Out of curiosity, how old is the house?

Could look through this. Not all about windows! Noise-cancelling headphones? White-noise?

www.everest.co.uk/windows/noise-reduction-window/how-to-soundproof-room/

If it was me, I'd get the small mortgage for a detached house. A family or couple may move into yours and make their own noise so the neighbour won't be as noticeable to them.

If a mortgage is doable without too much worry, then get the detached.
You're young enough to enjoy the benefits for a long time.

For £50k I'd move. No brainer.

A detached house is a wonderful thing. I'd move if I were you.

I lived in a detached house for 20 years, now in a semi (new area, we chose perfect location over house) and it's a big difference. My neighbours are very quiet but I dread them moving as the walls are so thin.

I live alone too but terraced. I found d making noise made them realise how thin the walls are and they soon quietened down a bit.

However I'd 100% take a £50k mortgage for a detached house ina heartbeat.

Move! I had the same last year - lived in a terrace and hated. Moved to a detached and would never willingly share a wall again, the absolute silence is bliss.

Either move or get the party walls really well insulated. It works and would be much cheaper once you take into account moving costs.

Yes, just do it

There are SD & terraced houses where you can't hear anything and there are those where the slightest noise is transmitted.
Age isn't even a guide. My grandparents Victorian terraced had paper thin walls whereas my parents 1950's semi was really solid. I had a 1930's semi that was ok (just cold but that is another story) whereas my 1970's semi was quite noisy.

Detached is the way to go.👍

The thought of silence makes me feel happy haha

I'd move OP. Now that you're very well aware of the noise you'll likely find you're never able to 'zone it out.' I recently moved from a terraced to a detached and it's so wonderful and quiet! For a 50K mortgage it would definitely be worth it.

Ive booked a viewing for Saturday if i like it im going to go for it. It must be so relaxing. No regrets then ha ha?

We've lived in a detached for many years and don't think we could ever downsize to a semi.
The thought of noisy neighbours, or more than likely, neighbours being upset at the noise we make totally puts me off.
Do it if you can.

Yes il never live in a house sharing a wall again

10000% move! We moved from semi to detached about 10 years ago - initially due to noisy neighbours. Honestly it's the best thing ever
I would never go back to a joining property.

Nowt worse than not been able to relax in your own home is there

In my 1930s semi I can't hear anyone in my house if they're upstairs or in the next room but I can hear everything from next door. Not just through the walls, but through floors as well as they don't have carpets and I suspect their children wear shoes in the house judging by the noise and vibrations.
If I had the opportunity to move to a detached house I would in a heartbeat.

In the meantime OP, wax earplugs for sleeping and reading are a game changer.

Thanks for your reply. My house is the same the sound travels through the flanking walls aswell and the ceiling i hate it. I never gave it a thought when i bought the house 5 years ago if im honest

If you plan on staying maybe look at acoustic panelling for your walls? It adds a somewhat soundproofing layer.

Put your TV on the joining wall and make sure you turn it up. They’ll soon realise the walls are thin.

I'm another who says move. I have a smaller detached house than I could have a semi or a terrace but I wouldn't trade it. It can be fine but not worth the risk. You can still have bad neighbours in detached but if you have bad soundproofing even lovely people can be terrible neighbours

Move. It sounds like small mortgage you would have. We had 1930s semi and as much as I loved my neighbours... The noise I could hear was just so annoying. It's not just walls. It travels via joint beams as well.

Just to add it wasn't that they were noisy twats. Just normal living noise, tv, kitchen, laughing etc.

I loved the position of our last semi, and there was loads of room for is to have extended it and created out perfect layout. We also had decent considerate neighbours. But instead we moved to a detached with not as good a layout, because it's just such a risk otherwise. You just don't know what your next neighbours will be like.

And yes, our nice neighbours moved six months after we did, and walking past our old houses I heard loud music and teenagers yelling from our old neighbours house.

For £50k I wouldn't hesitate