Hello dear community,
Since we have been waiting for the new housing development for quite some time now—it has been delayed for 1.5 years (!)—because the city cannot agree on a project developer, we are currently looking for alternatives. We prefer small farms where, if a stable is approved, we could also keep horses. We have now focused on two properties. One of them is being sold through a bidding process, and we are currently in third place, so we probably won’t get it. The other is much nicer but has a significant disadvantage: the plot borders directly on a country road (see macro and micro locations in the pictures). During rush hour, about 1–2 cars pass per minute; it is quiet in the evenings. The road is about 20 meters (65 feet) from the house and one of the terraces. According to the Lower Saxony building code, fences up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) high can be built in rural areas without a permit. I was thinking of around 2.5 meters (8 feet) and would then submit a building application. The bedrooms face the back or side; only the guest room faces the road side.
Now there is the idea of building a noise barrier along the road. I have the following questions:
1. Does anyone have experience with this and has either built a noise barrier themselves or lives behind one that was built at external expense? If yes, what material was used, how high was it, and how noticeable was the improvement?
2. I know the wall is supposed to be built quite close to the noise source. However, the effectiveness of such a wall also decreases the further it is from the house/terrace. Where would you position the wall?
3. What material would be best? I was thinking of a stone wall for mass, possibly with plants in front to break up the noise. The wall would mainly reflect the sound. On the other side of the road, there is nothing to reflect the sound back. The gate to the driveway would also need to be quite solid.
It would be great to hear your opinions and/or experiences =)
Since we have been waiting for the new housing development for quite some time now—it has been delayed for 1.5 years (!)—because the city cannot agree on a project developer, we are currently looking for alternatives. We prefer small farms where, if a stable is approved, we could also keep horses. We have now focused on two properties. One of them is being sold through a bidding process, and we are currently in third place, so we probably won’t get it. The other is much nicer but has a significant disadvantage: the plot borders directly on a country road (see macro and micro locations in the pictures). During rush hour, about 1–2 cars pass per minute; it is quiet in the evenings. The road is about 20 meters (65 feet) from the house and one of the terraces. According to the Lower Saxony building code, fences up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) high can be built in rural areas without a permit. I was thinking of around 2.5 meters (8 feet) and would then submit a building application. The bedrooms face the back or side; only the guest room faces the road side.
Now there is the idea of building a noise barrier along the road. I have the following questions:
1. Does anyone have experience with this and has either built a noise barrier themselves or lives behind one that was built at external expense? If yes, what material was used, how high was it, and how noticeable was the improvement?
2. I know the wall is supposed to be built quite close to the noise source. However, the effectiveness of such a wall also decreases the further it is from the house/terrace. Where would you position the wall?
3. What material would be best? I was thinking of a stone wall for mass, possibly with plants in front to break up the noise. The wall would mainly reflect the sound. On the other side of the road, there is nothing to reflect the sound back. The gate to the driveway would also need to be quite solid.
It would be great to hear your opinions and/or experiences =)
H
hampshire31 May 2019 10:11South schrieb:
The question is: 1. How quickly does one get used to it, and 2. Does the subconscious still perceive it as disturbing?Regarding getting used to it, I would like to share my experience – which is not objective: How quickly someone adapts to noise is individual. I grew up in a house directly under the flight path to Düsseldorf Airport. You could see the landing gear being lowered. Conversations in the garden were briefly interrupted when a plane passed overhead. I only consciously noticed the aircraft noise when we had guests. It was so normal to me. Since 2001, we have lived a few kilometers (miles) further away. Objectively, it is quieter and I mostly do not consciously hear the planes. My wife comes from a quiet area. She has been regularly woken up by the first plane for 18 years and only finds peaceful sleep after the last one. No getting used to it. A quieter location was therefore a key decision factor for our house currently under construction.
Regarding the subconscious, I want to share my opinion (there are studies supporting any viewpoint): Noise is unwanted sound. When we consciously perceive this noise, we feel disturbed to varying degrees – this is individual. The loudness of a sound is therefore not decisive for how disturbing it is. Have you ever been annoyed by a dripping faucet? Natural sounds, like the rustling of a forest or ocean waves, apparently are not perceived as noise by humans. Noise is like a baseline burden. Sounds are processed whether we are aware of them or not. Humans need regeneration – sleep. A baseline noise level during sleep reduces the efficiency of recovery. Over time, this cannot be healthy.
My conclusion: At night, it must be quiet. During the day, one can manage quite well with a certain noise level. I would no longer buy a house or plot of land with nighttime noise. Although aircraft noise usually pauses between 11:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. (night flight ban until 10:00 p.m.), depending on wind direction, we hear either the nearby railroad or the highway (about 500 or 1000 meters (550 or 1100 yards) away as the crow flies).
You should definitely clarify in advance whether such a wall is even permitted.
You can’t just build a 2.5m (8 feet) high wall next to a road.
Hopefully, you have at least a rough idea of the other restrictions that apply in rural or outlying areas.
Noise would be my least concern with this property.
You can’t just build a 2.5m (8 feet) high wall next to a road.
Hopefully, you have at least a rough idea of the other restrictions that apply in rural or outlying areas.
Noise would be my least concern with this property.
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