Soundproofing neighbours.

benson1980

There will always be something with a house that irks to a degree, and noise in a number of forms is a common one. I agree with mwarby and GDB2222. The human brain picks out annoying noises and amplifies them. Even if you quieten the sound your brain will be so wired and focussed on it, and whether you've reduced the dB level, that it will just amplify your perception of it. It will then turn to resentment of the house, because you can't solve it.

The best bet is to focus on the positive aspects of your house, introduce a bit of white noise as suggested, and don't waste money on soundproofing. Buying in the middle of nowhere, with no outside noise whether it be roads/neighbours, or on massive plots where it becomes insignificant, just isn't achievable for the majority of us

[Deleted User]

It amazes me how many parents throw their kids out into the garden to run riot all day without a thought for the surrounding properties who have to put up with their children's blood curdling screams all day. It's just lazy parenting at its best. 

I can sympathise. I love the summer and we have a nice big garden that most of the time we can't enjoy because of the sound of screaming and shouting from next door. The issue also is that they are not well behaved kids, so not only do we have the kids screaming all the time but the adults shouting at the kids. 

To my knowledge there is little you can do to soundproof a garden. Just be thankful that you live detached from them. 

GDB2222

My niece explained how she and the kids cope with the lockdown. In the morning, the boys do schoolwork. In the afternoon, they do woodwork, gardening, and fighting.

benson1980

Deleted_User said:

It amazes me how many parents throw their kids out into the garden to run riot all day without a thought for the surrounding properties who have to put up with their children's blood curdling screams all day. It's just lazy parenting at its best. 

I can sympathise. I love the summer and we have a nice big garden that most of the time we can't enjoy because of the sound of screaming and shouting from next door. The issue also is that they are not well behaved kids, so not only do we have the kids screaming all the time but the adults shouting at the kids. 

To my knowledge there is little you can do to soundproof a garden. Just be thankful that you live detached from them. 

Do you have children? We naively thought when we produced a sibling for our first born that they would play delightfully with each other for the majority of the time. I recalled from my childhood only very sporadic disagreements with my brother that were always resolved cordially. My parents have a different view, and now that I am experiencing first hand, I realise how naive we were. Kids run around, scream, and fight with their siblings. I feel sorry for our neighbours. We try and keep it in check, but only so much you can do, whilst trying to retain your own sanity...and I want them to enjoy our garden in their own special way.

RelievedSheff

We have found that playing some music in the garden helps block out unwanted neighbour noise.

We are quite fortunate in that with the layout of our garden we don't back onto anyone else's gardens, which is quite unusual for a new build, but we do still get the noise from some neighbours gardens when their little darlings are screaming and shouting and there is one really annoying dog that yaps all day long.

Some music tones these unwanted noises down and makes them bearable.

GDB2222

I also think that there's a lack of the background noise that we have all become accustomed to. There are very few planes overhead, and the constant drone from traffic (I'm in London) was much, much less until a few days ago. Consequently, bird song seemed much louder than usual, and so I guess children as well.

Unfortunately, things will probably return to normal, with planes overhead and lots of traffic. 

giraffe69

Perhaps a couple of very large speakers, aimed at next door, playing rock music at 130 decibels will get the point across? 3a.m is best for this.

TELLIT01

giraffe69 said:

Perhaps a couple of very large speakers, aimed at next door, playing rock music at 130 decibels will get the point across? 3a.m is best for this.

Ignoring the 3am aspect, play a radio at full blast and wait for the neighbour to complain.  Then say you will turn the radio down if they stop their kids screaming all the time.

RelievedSheff

Hmm. 

I wasn't suggesting making a noise nuisance of the OP by playing music. 

Far from it. Just some background noise to take your mind off the noise from next door.

Heedtheadvice

I like the idea of your own distracting thingy like the water feature!

Were there not excess water cannons going cheap a while back