Hey hey,
I’m new here and have a question for you.
We recently built a house in a nice new development in beautiful Bavaria. Unfortunately, the building plot is located on a busy main road through the town, which we admittedly underestimated beforehand.
The situation is that we have been struggling with the road noise for months (actually since the very beginning). It’s a constant up and down every day. The fact is, the traffic is sometimes so loud that it wakes us up in the morning or is even audible while watching TV. Especially trucks or motorcycles. It’s really starting to get on our nerves and is very draining mentally. Plus, we just weren’t used to this from our previous apartment. So we can’t really settle in properly. It’s wearing us down slowly but surely, and we simply don’t feel comfortable here. I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s a psychological burden over time.
The reason we chose this plot in the first place was simply due to the lack of alternatives. And we thought we wouldn’t hear the road noise. In hindsight, that was a mistake. You have to be very lucky to find something affordable in a perfect location here.
But now we are actually lucky… we were offered an affordable building plot in a completely quiet area of a new development with a great view and good infrastructure. The plot is closer to our jobs, has the same size, a reasonable price, and above all offers one thing: the prospect of absolute peace (apart from future neighbors, of course). The plot was offered to us by the local council, where we had applied years ago without success. Ironically, now that we have just built but don’t really feel at home here, we received an offer from the council.
So we are seriously considering going through the house-building adventure again and giving it another shot. This would mean financing the plot through the bank, selling our current house, and building on the new plot within the next 3 years. Apart from the renewed construction stress… we do feel somewhat uneasy, especially because of the financial risk. Although with the new house, we expect to come out significantly cheaper (we estimate €50,000–60,000 less), because the plot is easier to build on and the construction would also be less complex (for example, a gable roof instead of a hipped roof, slightly smaller exterior dimensions, etc.).
So we are facing a choice: try to accept the situation here or build new again and correct the mistake! What would you do in our place? As I said, the noise issue is wearing us down in the long run, and we don’t believe it can be permanently resolved. Has anyone had similar experiences? What pitfalls should we watch out for if we decide to go this route? How would you proceed?
I’m new here and have a question for you.
We recently built a house in a nice new development in beautiful Bavaria. Unfortunately, the building plot is located on a busy main road through the town, which we admittedly underestimated beforehand.
The situation is that we have been struggling with the road noise for months (actually since the very beginning). It’s a constant up and down every day. The fact is, the traffic is sometimes so loud that it wakes us up in the morning or is even audible while watching TV. Especially trucks or motorcycles. It’s really starting to get on our nerves and is very draining mentally. Plus, we just weren’t used to this from our previous apartment. So we can’t really settle in properly. It’s wearing us down slowly but surely, and we simply don’t feel comfortable here. I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s a psychological burden over time.
The reason we chose this plot in the first place was simply due to the lack of alternatives. And we thought we wouldn’t hear the road noise. In hindsight, that was a mistake. You have to be very lucky to find something affordable in a perfect location here.
But now we are actually lucky… we were offered an affordable building plot in a completely quiet area of a new development with a great view and good infrastructure. The plot is closer to our jobs, has the same size, a reasonable price, and above all offers one thing: the prospect of absolute peace (apart from future neighbors, of course). The plot was offered to us by the local council, where we had applied years ago without success. Ironically, now that we have just built but don’t really feel at home here, we received an offer from the council.
So we are seriously considering going through the house-building adventure again and giving it another shot. This would mean financing the plot through the bank, selling our current house, and building on the new plot within the next 3 years. Apart from the renewed construction stress… we do feel somewhat uneasy, especially because of the financial risk. Although with the new house, we expect to come out significantly cheaper (we estimate €50,000–60,000 less), because the plot is easier to build on and the construction would also be less complex (for example, a gable roof instead of a hipped roof, slightly smaller exterior dimensions, etc.).
So we are facing a choice: try to accept the situation here or build new again and correct the mistake! What would you do in our place? As I said, the noise issue is wearing us down in the long run, and we don’t believe it can be permanently resolved. Has anyone had similar experiences? What pitfalls should we watch out for if we decide to go this route? How would you proceed?
raffa schrieb:
What if it was a divorce house?Bargain hunting!
Divorces are expensive and take a long time. Quick money is usually preferred, and as a buyer, you naturally take advantage of that. Often these are relatively new houses that lose value shortly after moving in (similar to a new car). A friend of ours is a divorce lawyer and now cooperates with a real estate agency—there’s serious money in it.
raffa schrieb:
Maybe the bank will waive part of the early repayment penalty if the new property is also financed through them?It would be ideal to transfer the mortgage lien to the new property and additionally finance the difference at current conditions. I’m sure a solution can be found there.
By the way, what is your wall construction?
Our current plot is still located in the edge of a noise zone due to a somewhat distant road, from which the entire housing development is accessed. There is a 50 km/h (30 mph) speed limit, and the environmental report says traffic will likely decrease there. A noise barrier (2 m (6.5 ft) high) will be built along the road for the houses directly adjacent to it. This helps with the upper floors, where bedrooms are usually located, but probably not much more...
The required sound insulation level derived from the environmental report for our plot is a joke. Any simple partition wall can meet it, to exaggerate. So it’s in your own interest to take it more seriously.
Especially since the report naturally assumes compliance with the legal speed limits. In reality, very few drive 50 km/h (30 mph) there; more likely 70 km/h (45 mph). But noise protection requirements are naturally based on the permitted speeds.
H
HilfeHilfe5 Jun 2017 11:59raffa schrieb:
I believe we will find a solution with the bank. We have a very good connection with the head of the loan department there. Maybe the bank will waive part of the early repayment penalty if the new property is also financed through them?! I prefer not to disclose the loan amount here. A property swap with small fees would be best. Whether they waive the service charge / management fee for the owners’ association, I don’t think so.
Sascha_aus_H5 Jun 2017 15:17Friends of ours sold their condominium after 2 years because a single-family house became available. Early repayment penalties were indeed paid, but the bank reduced these by 50% since the new loan was taken out with the same bank.
If there is a noise protection report, it might be worth checking whether any mistakes were made and if you can claim compensation.
Is the report faulty?
Did the architect make an error in the planning?
Was the construction not carried out according to the specifications?
One option could be to consult an independent expert, for example someone from a homeowners' protection association (such as those affiliated with consumer advice centers). They might be able to clarify the above questions or advise you on how to address them and what the costs for such clarification might be.
Is the report faulty?
Did the architect make an error in the planning?
Was the construction not carried out according to the specifications?
One option could be to consult an independent expert, for example someone from a homeowners' protection association (such as those affiliated with consumer advice centers). They might be able to clarify the above questions or advise you on how to address them and what the costs for such clarification might be.