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Checking noise from neighbours before buying?

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24

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    #32
    ELM327
    Registered Users Posts: 21,497 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    awec wrote: »
    Anyone who lives in a housing development that has young families in it and expects not to hear children screaming and playing outside is living with their head up their arse.

    But I think every development has that person.
    Try being on autism spectrum where every noise from next door is like shaking your brain a drill through your earhole and out the other side.


    That's my problem, and why I'm not going to live with neighbors on either side. I'm living in my investment property for 2 years at this point but will be moving out the country soon.


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    #33
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,438 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    Nickolas Fresh Pulp wrote: »
    Some people are sensitive to noise, just because you aren't, don't dismiss people who live with a whole range of medical conditions which noise can exacerbate.

    One thing I'd check is if the houses are rented, I think you can check this online. It will just give you an idea of potential turnover of neighbours, because every two years you could have a new set of neighbours to get used to.

    Another thing to note, is if the hallway/stairs adjoin or it's sitting room wall to sitting room wall. We had a neighbour years ago whose telly was right against our sitting room wall. It was unbearable.

    You can't hide from noise in Urban areas but you can seek out considerate neighbours.

    With all due respect to people sensitive to noise, it is completely unrealistic to live in a housing development that has young families and expect peace and quiet. You cannot reasonably expect children to be quiet outside under the guise of being "considerate". A short term issue or whatever is fine, but longer term it's unreasonable and unworkable.

    People so sensitive to noise's only hope of peace and quiet is to buy somewhere isolated.


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    #34
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,438 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    ELM327 wrote: »
    Try being on autism spectrum where every noise from next door is like shaking your brain a drill through your earhole and out the other side.


    That's my problem, and why I'm not going to live with neighbors on either side. I'm living in my investment property for 2 years at this point but will be moving out the country soon.

    Yes, that's my point. You're sensitive to noise, so you are making a sensible decision not buying somewhere where there's a high chance it'll be noisy.


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    #35
    0xzmro3n4y7lb5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 686 ✭✭✭0xzmro3n4y7lb5


    awec wrote: »
    With all due respect to people sensitive to noise, it is completely unrealistic to live in a housing development that has young families and expect peace and quiet. You cannot reasonably expect children to be quiet outside under the guise of being "considerate". A short term issue or whatever is fine, but longer term it's unreasonable and unworkable.

    People so sensitive to noise's only hope of peace and quiet is to buy somewhere isolated.

    So we put the majority of people with neurological and psychological conditions on an island. How antiquated.

    I never singled out children, adults are much worse than children but as you highlighted it, Bring your kids up with respect and empathy for others.


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    #36
    0xzmro3n4y7lb5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 686 ✭✭✭0xzmro3n4y7lb5


    awec wrote: »
    Yes, that's my point. You're sensitive to noise, so you are making a sensible decision not buying somewhere where there's a high chance it'll be noisy.

    And what about people dependent on HAP where the Government has abandoned them to the private rental market?


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    #37
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Nickolas Fresh Pulp wrote: »
    So we put the majority of people with neurological and psychological conditions on an island. How antiquated.

    I never singled out children, adults are much worse than children but as you highlighted it, Bring your kids up with respect and empathy for others.

    I'm not sure the world can bend to you. If you have such an issue then an estate with children or the potential for people making noise is probably not the place for you.


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    #38
    ELM327
    Registered Users Posts: 21,497 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    Nickolas Fresh Pulp wrote: »
    And what about people dependent on HAP where the Government has abandoned them to the private rental market?
    Get a job and fund your own place, or accept the heavily subsidized one that has been handed to you.


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    #39
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,438 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    Nickolas Fresh Pulp wrote: »
    So we put the majority of people with neurological and psychological conditions on an island. How antiquated.

    I never singled out children, adults are much worse than children but as you highlighted it, Bring your kids up with respect and empathy for others.

    Not on an island, we don't need to be that extreme. :)

    But living in housing development and expecting people to tip toe around you is completely unreasonable. There is a level of noise that comes with living in developments that is to be expected, and children playing falls into that.

    If your next door neighbour has his sound system blasting so the whole street can hear it at midnight then this sort of thing is unreasonable.


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    #40
    0xzmro3n4y7lb5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 686 ✭✭✭0xzmro3n4y7lb5


    ELM327 wrote: »
    Get a job and fund your own place, or accept the heavily subsidized one that has been handed to you.

    I own my house thank you.


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    #41
    0xzmro3n4y7lb5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 686 ✭✭✭0xzmro3n4y7lb5


    I love this blatant selfishness. It's refreshing from the fakery that goes on:

    Let's run in Darkness to Light and pretend we support mental health.

    But feck actually making space, minor adjustments for people whose lived experience is different to ours.

    Let's institutionalise people again.

    God, how have we come so far yet remain so ignorant.


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    #42
    JustAThought
    Registered Users Posts: 5,323 ✭✭✭JustAThought


    awec wrote: »
    With all due respect to people sensitive to noise, it is completely unrealistic to live in a housing development that has young families and expect peace and quiet. You cannot reasonably expect children to be quiet outside under the guise of being "considerate". A short term issue or whatever is fine, but longer term it's unreasonable and unworkable.

    People so sensitive to noise's only hope of peace and quiet is to buy somewhere isolated.

    I disagree and the steps we as a group and community have taken to prevent the two or three out of 300 families and their adult noise day & night and their discarded children from ruining the environment for everyone has proved that you can tackle noise issues successfully. I do not mean happy laughing children playing on the street or children playing all day with varying levels of noise in their semi-D gardens or the occasional party that goes in into the next day. I mean angry screaming children from dysfunctional families put into the road at 8am and left to their own devices roaring and shouting and damaging other peoples property until 10 or 11pm every night - I mean children left crying and screaming unobserved and unchecked by parents and both parents and children creating noise, using scrambler bikes (SE paid house, figures) and living five times beyond the bedroom capacity of the house, dealing drugs from doorsteps, having all day drinking and pot parties in their gardens and driving unlicensed/taxed cars.

    Between the district courts, PTRB /Council eviction and getting the gardai and Tulsa involved we now have the busy but respectable, calm estate we bought into and want and the problem families have been taught how to behave and what is and is not acceptable or been moved on.

    I don’t make sacrifices and pay a lifelong mortgage for some chav set of self entitled knackers who think the law is above their heads to ruin the enjoyment of my home and would encourage others with unrepentant, antisocial scumbag neighbours to take a similar stance - the criminal justice system may be dysfunctional but the civic courts and other state agencies can be quite effective and receptive. Everyone is entitled to enjoy their home and gardens and party, but there is no reason why people who have children and have no appetite for or interest in controlling them, or scumbag neighbours who engage in antisocial behaviour, endless unrepentant noise or criminal activity should be tolerated.


    thats all! You can’t choose your neighbours but you certainly can put manners on many of them, certain sections of the population excepted of course - unnwhich case you just dont buy there or move.


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    #43
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,438 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    Nickolas Fresh Pulp wrote: »
    I love this blatant selfishness. It's refreshing from the fakery that goes on:

    Let's run in Darkness to Light and pretend we support mental health.

    But feck actually making space, minor adjustments for people whose lived experience is different to ours.

    Let's institutionalise people again.

    God, how have we come so far yet remain so ignorant.

    Expecting children to be quiet outside is not a minor adjustment. It's unreasonable.


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    #44
    0xzmro3n4y7lb5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 686 ✭✭✭0xzmro3n4y7lb5


    awec wrote: »
    Expecting children to be quiet outside is not a minor adjustment. It's unreasonable.

    You brought up children I didn't.

    I have no issue with children. I have issues with selfish adults who think they own the place. I have issue with bad parenting.


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    #45
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,438 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    JustAThought wrote: »
    I disagree and the steps we as a group and community have taken to prevent the two or three out of 300 families and their adult noise day & night and their discarded children from ruining the environment for everyone has proved that you can tackle noise issues successfully. I do not mean happy laughing children playing on the street or children playing all day with varying levels of noise in their semi-D gardens or the occasional party that goes in into the next day. I mean angry screaming children from dysfunctional families put into the road at 8am and left to their own devices roaring and shouting and damaging other peoples property until 10 or 11pm every night - I mean children left crying and screaming unobserved and unchecked by parents and both parents and children creating noise, using scrambler bikes (SE paid house, figures) and living five times beyond the bedroom capacity of the house, dealing drugs from doorsteps, having all day drinking and pot parties in their gardens and driving unlicensed/taxed cars.

    Between the district courts, PTRB /Council eviction and getting the gardai and Tulsa involved we now have the busy but respectable, calm estate we bought into and want and the problem families have been taught how to behave and what is and is not acceptable or been moved on.

    I don’t make sacrifices and pay a lifelong mortgage for some chav set of self entitled knackers who think the law is above their heads to ruin the enjoyment of my home and would encourage others with unrepentant, antisocial scumbag neighbours to take a similar stance - the criminal justice system may be dysfunctional but the civic courts and other state agencies can be quite effective and receptive. Everyone is entitled to enjoy their home and gardens and party, but there is no reason why people who have children and have no appetite for or interest in controlling them, or scumbag neighbours who engage in antisocial behaviour, endless unrepentant noise or criminal activity should be tolerated.


    thats all! You can’t choose your neighbours but you certainly can put manners on many of them, certain sections of the population excepted of course - unnwhich case you just dont buy there or move.

    This is obviously quite extreme and not at all reasonable or fair, so I sympathise with you.

    I was referring to the noise of children playing, which can be quite loud if they get excited. The happy children playing on the street as you call it.


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    #46
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,438 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    Nickolas Fresh Pulp wrote: »
    You brought up children I didn't.

    I have no issue with children. I have issues with selfish adults who think they own the place. I have issue with bad parenting.

    Children making noise is not bad parenting.

    To be honest it sounds like living around young families is just not for you.


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    #47
    0xzmro3n4y7lb5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 686 ✭✭✭0xzmro3n4y7lb5


    Nickolas Fresh Pulp wrote: »
    Some people are sensitive to noise, just because you aren't, don't dismiss people who live with a whole range of medical conditions which noise can exacerbate.

    One thing I'd check is if the houses are rented, I think you can check this online. It will just give you an idea of potential turnover of neighbours, because every two years you could have a new set of neighbours to get used to.

    Another thing to note, is if the hallway/stairs adjoin or it's sitting room wall to sitting room wall. We had a neighbour years ago whose telly was right against our sitting room wall. It was unbearable.

    You can't hide from noise in Urban areas but you can seek out considerate neighbours.
    awec wrote: »
    Yes, that's my point. You're sensitive to noise, so you are making a sensible decision not buying somewhere where there's a high chance it'll be noisy.
    Nickolas Fresh Pulp wrote: »
    So we put the majority of people with neurological and psychological conditions on an island. How antiquated.

    I never singled out children, adults are much worse than children but as you highlighted it, Bring your kids up with respect and empathy for others.
    awec wrote: »
    Children making noise is not bad parenting.

    To be honest it sounds like living around young families is just not for you.

    Can you please read my contribution to the thread and yours.

    I said one can seek out considerate neighbours which you equated with not having children. This is a distinction you made not I.

    I have no issue with children. Children playing outdoors is not bad parenting or creating noise. Children engaging in anti-social behaviour is bad parenting.


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    #48
    Bombaby1974
    Registered Users Posts: 105 ✭✭Bombaby1974


    If noise is a major concern then a hall to hall layout might be best as opposed to a living room to living room layout.
    We live in a hall to hall and you only really hear the neighbours first thing in the morning when everyone is getting ready for school etc.


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    #49
    PCros
    Registered Users Posts: 2,067 ✭✭✭PCros


    Bombaby1974 wrote: »
    If noise is a major concern then a hall to hall layout might be best as opposed to a living room to living room layout.
    We live in a hall to hall and you only really hear the neighbours first thing in the morning when everyone is getting ready for school etc.

    The downside of that is when your neighbour has lovely wood flooring on their stairs which is connected to the party wall and all you can here is footsteps going up and down.


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    #50
    lastusername
    Registered Users Posts: 338 ✭✭lastusername


    Thanks for all the replies so far folks. I went to the estate for a visit last night - it really is a nice quiet place but I did find out that the attached house next door is a rental. I knew as soon as I walked up to it! Not from how it looked, (although it does look pretty bare bones which is fine), but just because of a certain feel.



    The bell wasn't working and someone was upstairs listening to TV or radio in a foreign language. Have the feeling I might not get much response if I called again, although you never know.



    I spoke to the neighbour on the other side who said "the walls aren't very thin, but they are pretty thin", and that she can hear one of the guys playing guitar. They even have an agreement that he won't play after 10pm!


    So really what I am wondering is whether the sellers are moving in part as they have had enough of any potential noise from next door. And of course if it's a rental, there might be a lot of turnover of tenants when we're looking to build a family life next door long-term..

    On the other points - it's hall to living room but upstairs the two main bedrooms are right next to theirs.


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    #51
    victor8600
    Registered Users Posts: 1,616 ✭✭✭victor8600


    My house (terraced) was built in 2006. When our child was a toddler, our neighbours complimented us on how quiet our baby was. And we though that our neighbour's dog does not bark when the postman comes.

    This is how good the sound insulation can be even with shared walls. On the our hand, I lived in apartments where neighbours two floors down would complain about me listening to a slightly loud music.


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    #52
    JimmyVik
    Registered Users Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭JimmyVik


    awec wrote: »
    Not on an island, we don't need to be that extreme. :)

    But living in housing development and expecting people to tip toe around you is completely unreasonable. There is a level of noise that comes with living in developments that is to be expected, and children playing falls into that.

    If your next door neighbour has his sound system blasting so the whole street can hear it at midnight then this sort of thing is unreasonable.


    It might be unreasonable but there is nothing you can do about it.
    Some people just dont give a toss about others.


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    #53
    lastusername
    Registered Users Posts: 338 ✭✭lastusername


    victor8600 wrote: »
    My house (terraced) was built in 2006. When our child was a toddler, our neighbours complimented us on how quiet our baby was. And we though that our neighbour's dog does not bark when the postman comes.

    This is how good the sound insulation can be even with shared walls. On the our hand, I lived in apartments where neighbours two floors down would complain about me listening to a slightly loud music.


    Well this is what I'm wondering - are fairly thin walls something you should expect in a semi-d or terraced, or are there lots of houses out there from the 80s and 90s where you don't generally hear much from next door at all.


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    #54
    Kintarō Hattori
    Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭Kintarō Hattori


    OP- if noise is an issue then as said by lots of people I'd look to buy a detached house in the estate.

    May partner and I moved into our house in 2011 and it was great up until 2018. Our estate is a lovely place, especially to bring up kids. It's quiet, clean and in a good location. We're end of terrace so have just one neighbour beside us. That one neighbour has turned our lives upside down and I ended up having to bring them to court over noise (we won).

    She'd run up/down the stairs at all hours of the morning, slamming windows & doors hard, she'd bang on the dividing wall between us, she'd run out the front door, slamming it and her gate behind her, hop into the car and rev the hell out of it as she was driving away at 12am, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 in the morning. It happened at all hours of the night.

    Going through the courts was a slow process, it ended up costing a few thousand between getting camera's, recording equipment and solicitor fees- but the worst thing was the strain it put on the relationship between my partner and I.

    I wouldn't say I'm particularly bothered by noise myself but this was exceptional. If you're bothered by noise then buy detached.


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    #55
    2Mad2BeMad
    Registered Users Posts: 2,790 ✭✭✭2Mad2BeMad


    I grew up in a terraced house. I think it was built in the 60s and my parents bought it in the 90s.

    I could hear everything on both sides.
    Specially the stairs when people where running up them.
    You'd swear they were running up our stairs.
    I could hear arguments and them singing in the shower.

    But I got used to it very quickly because like I said I lived there so it wouldn't bother me to be honest.
    I live in an apartment now and I can hear every step the people above make. Again I'm used to it.

    But I can easily see why it would turn people off buying a house.
    Sound insulation in most houses I've been in, including friends and other family members have been awful.
    Do new builds address this problem or are most new builds built with better sound proofing?


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    #56
    lastusername
    Registered Users Posts: 338 ✭✭lastusername


    2Mad2BeMad wrote: »
    I grew up in a terraced house. I think it was built in the 60s and my parents bought it in the 90s.

    I could hear everything on both sides.
    Specially the stairs when people where running up them.
    You'd swear they were running up our stairs.
    I could hear arguments and them singing in the shower.

    But I got used to it very quickly because like I said I lived there so it wouldn't bother me to be honest.
    I live in an apartment now and I can hear every step the people above make. Again I'm used to it.

    But I can easily see why it would turn people off buying a house.
    Sound insulation in most houses I've been in, including friends and other family members have been awful.
    Do new builds address this problem or are most new builds built with better sound proofing?


    I read that regulations came in in 1992 specifying minimum requirements for soundproofing. No idea why builders think people would want thin walls! Guess it comes down to money though...


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    #57
    lastusername
    Registered Users Posts: 338 ✭✭lastusername


    Kintarō Hattori wrote: »
    OP- if noise is an issue then as said by lots of people I'd look to buy a detached house in the estate.

    May partner and I moved into our house in 2011 and it was great up until 2018. Our estate is a lovely place, especially to bring up kids. It's quiet, clean and in a good location. We're end of terrace so have just one neighbour beside us. That one neighbour has turned our lives upside down and I ended up having to bring them to court over noise (we won).

    She'd run up/down the stairs at all hours of the morning, slamming windows & doors hard, she'd bang on the dividing wall between us, she'd run out the front door, slamming it and her gate behind her, hop into the car and rev the hell out of it as she was driving away at 12am, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 in the morning. It happened at all hours of the night.

    Going through the courts was a slow process, it ended up costing a few thousand between getting camera's, recording equipment and solicitor fees- but the worst thing was the strain it put on the relationship between my partner and I.

    I wouldn't say I'm particularly bothered by noise myself but this was exceptional. If you're bothered by noise then buy detached.


    Sorry to hear, what on earth was up with her?! You'd have to wonder at some people really.


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    #58
    sweet_trip
    Closed Accounts Posts: 275 ✭✭sweet_trip


    Am also looking at a semi-d and this is one of my main concerns.
    It was built in 2008 and I'm very skeptical because I've noticed Celtic tiger era builds are often atrocious for sound proofing.

    You also have the worry that your quiet neighbor might move out in a few years time and a horrible one move in.
    There's also the flip side where you think, will I be able to play music and watch tv without annoying me neighbor? Im the kind of person where I could be up until 3am doing so.

    Will need to have a proper chat with the neighbors and speak to engineer before I'm happy with buying a semi d.

    Kids I don't mind at all.
    Currently living in a detached housing estate where the neighbors are kicking off that kids are playing on the green and I'm like go off and shìte, it's great to see them out running around.


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    #59
    brisan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,242 ✭✭✭brisan


    sweet_trip wrote: »
    Am also looking at a semi-d and this is one of my main concerns.
    It was built in 2008 and I'm very skeptical because I've noticed Celtic tiger era builds are often atrocious for sound proofing.

    You also have the worry that your quiet neighbor might move out in a few years time and a horrible one move in.
    There's also the flip side where you think, will I be able to play music and watch tv without annoying me neighbor? Im the kind of person where I could be up until 3am doing so.

    Will need to have a proper chat with the neighbors and speak to engineer before I'm happy with buying a semi d.

    Kids I don't mind at all.
    Currently living in a detached housing estate where the neighbors are kicking off that kids are playing on the green and I'm like go off and shìte, it's great to see them out running around.
    Bluetooth headphones


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    #60
    sweet_trip
    Closed Accounts Posts: 275 ✭✭sweet_trip


    brisan wrote: »
    Bluetooth headphones
    Yep. But if I have friends over for movie n drinks? I wouldn't feel happy if that was being blasted through paper thin walls keeping my neighbor up.


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    #61
    heldel00
    Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭heldel00


    Did anyone see Location, location, location on Channel4 last night?
    Couple were shown great house in great location except there was a care home on the street and their kitchen used an industrial fan.
    No, no, no.... no way could yer man listen to that noise. No matter how good Kirsty told them the house was, it was a no. (By the way the fan wasn't even working when they were there)

    Fast forward to a house that Kirsty said they would outgrow within 5 years and they'd be on the move again, was more expensive than the other house and it had a train line 100m down the garden! They bought it.

    Show went back for a visit and yer man was asked how he was finding living so close to a train line and his reply was "fine yeah you'd barely notice it. Nice to hear the honk of the passing trains"!!!

    Just thought it was bizzare. No help to you OP


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