We are looking at a house that backs up to a busy road. ANyone ever use sound barrier fence before?

The house is very nice and the garage is sweeeet ...BUT it close to road. Once the trees fill in we will not see the road but the sound might be an issue?? It's not bad just there

CHeers

We found ourselves in the same situation... Great house, GREAT garage but on a busy street. The house was actually listed below appraised value because of the location. Besides the street noise, there was also a disclosure that the neighbors had multiple Macaws in an outside aviary. We have an 8ft wood fence and find the road noise isn't that bad. The birds gives us that 'living in a rain forest' background ambiance! We have no regrets at all. If the property is what you really want, you may want to talk with the other people in the neighborhood to get their take on the street noise.

I rented a house that was within 50 yards of the freeway and after about a week, I never noticed it again. The noise wasn't a issue for my girlfriend either, who is a light sleeper. Go for it!

Thanks.. I think we will make an offer tomorrow

It's a great house and in a great sub with good schools .

Kerry I can tell your enamored of the house.. but before you go making an offer based on how much you like the house..

Think about what may become of the road the house backs up to..In the next 10-15-20 years.... is the road going to become a major thoroughfare? expansion of the town?

I only mention this from a BTDT perspective...

Id rather shop and find a house in a quiet location, that suits my needs...

Shop around some more..

Our house on a cul-de-sac backs onto a busy morning/evening rush hour-type street. We were afraid the 6ft brick/stucco wall would no be enuf. Got used to it almost immediately; matter of fact sometimes hours after the evening rush hour it gets too quiet and I can't get back to sleep! I say go for it if the price is right!

Zoning issues...!

If you think the fix for your situation is a noise wall/fence, be sure of the construction set backs from your potential property line. The town may not allow you to build a fence that hight, and within easements of the road. Could create sight issues with traffic, etc......

I have lived on busy streets in San Francisco, and the noise never bothered me; even got used to the house shaking when the streetcar went by(after going through the '89 quake). I would be more concerned about living with the exhaust from all the vehicles over a long period of time. I personally would never buy a house right by a busy road for this reason, despite the knowledge that catalytic convertors are very effective. I would plant trees, or put in big oleander bushes or some other hedge in addition to the wall.

QUOTE (TimT @ Mar 4 2006, 07:17 PM)

Kerry I can tell your enamored of the house.. but before you go making an offer based on how much you like the house.. Think about what may become of the road the house backs up to..In the next 10-15-20 years.... is the road going to become a major thoroughfare? expansion of the town? I only mention this from a BTDT perspective... Id rather shop and find a house in a quiet location, that suits my needs... Shop around some more..

Yeah, I went thru this a few years ago. The wife then loved this piece of property with a stream although it was next to this busy road. I prefered a different lot but we got this one (5 acres). Over a period of years the road became super busy and the county took about 1/2 acre to widen the road and builld a settlement pond. That destroyed the tree barrier I had planted and the noise was awful in the afternoons.
Went thru a divorce and sold the house and I am glad although I miss that 3 car garage.

If you can afford it, find something on a quiet street.

Sound can be blocked very effectively with a solid wall or hill.

Trees work, but nothing works like a solid wall or hill.

And remember it is line of sight, i.e., if you can still see part of the freeway (elevated) then the sound will still be heard.

But Mark is also right...give it two weeks and you won't notice anything.

Only issue with noise is reselling.

Hope you can get the State to build a good high wall.

We live in a 250 year old house that has been restored and is charming,with a great barn garage ......as was the custom in those days the house was built right on the road but in those days they didn't have diesel trucks slowing down using Jake brakes or motorcycles ,with no mufflers going by....we have been trying to sell it for 11/2 years .... everyone loves the house but "no thanks to close to the road".....we can't stand the noise anymore and are on the verge of taking a big hit just to get rid of it.....been here for 15 years and the traffic gets worse all the time.... Think about it......You never get use to the noise,
Paul F.

Forgot to mention this is not an interstate just a country road

in my old dorm (before going back to Louisville) I lived right NEXT to train tracks, with trains coming every couple of hours...after the first night or week no problem.

b