Motorway sound barriers - do they make a difference?

[BulletProofMum]

We're interested in buying a house a couple of hundred metres away from the M3.

The highways agency is putting up sound barriers which will reach our area in the near future.

At the moment the level of noise is virtually intolerable.

Will the sound barriers make a noticeable difference?

Thanks!

bump

(or rather nweaaawm)

I have no idea about the sound barriers or if they would make a difference but if it was me I would be concerned about the following:

1. What if the highways agency is delayed in putting the barriers up and they don't go up in time for you moving in

2. What if they don't reduce the noise as much as you would expect

3. When you come to sell the house I imagine the resale value will be significantly affected as other people will have similar concerns to yours?

Love your car noise though.Very authentic.

My parents' house is about 70 yards from the M25. Several years ago sound bunds were put in. Imo, not an awful lot of difference has been made, but then I live in a pretty quiet location, so when I visit their house the m-way seems really loud.

The one good thing is that because of the barriers they no longer get numpties coming down on to their property, rather than waiting near their car for the emergency services

How long is a piece of string. It really depends on whether the barriers are long enough, high enough and maintained (the smallest hole will invalidate their effectiveness). Usually not being able to see the noise source mentally reduces how much you notice the noise but you maynot beable to see it anyway if it is a couple of hundred yards away.

Don't do it! It will drive you slowly mad.

I live two miles from the M5 and on some days when the weather is still, it is deafening especially in the morning.
When we moved in we wondered why only the back of the house had double glazing...It was to deaden the noise.
And this is two miles away!

We nearly bought a house a few metres from the M4/M5 interchange. It was nearly going through when I read that a study had been undertaken showing the high levels of asthma in children living close to motorways. We pulled out for this reason.

I don't remember being able to hear the motorway from the house when we looked around and there were large sound barriers already installed, although it could be heard clearly in the garden.

Oh well. Only just checking back in.

We decided to go for it and have had an offer accepted. Hope we don't live to regret it!