ᐅ Sound Issue: Is Noise Transmitting Through the Masonry or the Exterior Render?

Hello,

We built in a small suburb of Ulm, close to a secondary road with about 6,000 vehicles per day. The road is roughly 20–30 meters (20–30 yards) away, and there are still vacant lots on both sides of our property.

The construction uses Poroton bricks for the masonry.

During the sale, we were assured that noise would only be an issue through the windows, which is why we installed special roller shutter boxes and partly soundproof windows.

Currently, there is still scaffolding around the house, which is connected to the house and the ground. The exterior plaster has not yet been applied and will follow later. What unsettles us is that we can constantly hear the road noise, and depending on the wind and weather conditions, it becomes even more noticeable. This occurs on every floor and practically in all rooms, even those with soundproof windows (class 3). It feels as if a window is permanently tilted open. When we put our ear against the wall, we can clearly hear the noise coming through the wall. The sound is much quieter near the windows. It is clear that the noise is coming through the masonry. In areas where concrete columns have been inserted, no noise passes through. Around the house, there is naturally no vegetation yet, as it is newly built.

What has been your experience? Is this a common weak point of these bricks? Could the scaffolding, which is connected to the ground and the house wall, be transmitting the noise so clearly? And can we hope that when the exterior plaster is completed, the masonry joints will be sealed well enough to significantly reduce the road noise?

I am very interested in your experiences and opinions.

Best regards,
Patrick