Link Detached

HouseMartin567

I am considering a link detached property which is linked by 2 garages (house-garage-garage-house). I am guessing that the risk of sound travelling is fairly minimal considering it would have to go through my garage, but wondered if anyone had any experience. It’s a new build and I haven’t seen the covenants yet so I’m not sure if someone could build on top of the garage, although this isn’t something I would do myself so it would never inadvertently become a semi.

I’d appreciate thoughts on whether noise/vibrations could carry through in the event of a noisy neighbour.

Thanks

propertyrental

There is of course a risk the neighbour either converts their garage into... a games room? extra bedroom? Or builds on top (depending on Planning Permission, covenants etc.

But you'd still have your own garage between them and your living areas, so I doubt it's a problem.

Bigphil1474

You are unlikely to be affected by noise vibrating from one house to the other, I'd probably go so far as to say it would be impossible to be affected more by noise vibrating than noise emanating from the property - you'd hear loud music for example before you could feel it through potentially 4 walls. They could well develop the area above the garage, but even then it would have minimal effect as you suggest. 

I've lived in a mid terrace for the last 20+ years - you have to be unlucky really to live next door to a noisy neighbour and you should be absolutely fine in a link detached from that aspect. 

bluelad1927

A garage can be used for anything including drum practice. I think you'd be surprised how well sound would travel through a garage that is attached to your house

Slinky

We live in a link detached with the arrangement you describe. We both have double length garages. Our attached neighbour has converted the rear of theirs to a dining room. We never hear any noise from it. We occasionally hear some DIY noise - he was doing a lot of sanding and nailing in the house recently. I'm absolutely sure they hear more from us. We had a personal door put into the garage from our hall, and of course it's a fire door so is a bit on the heavy side and clonks when we close it. I'm sure they must hear our full sized garage door opening and closing too. They have changed theirs to wooden double doors, we occasionally hear these being closed but they don't go in there much. If there was drum practice going on in theirs I'm sure we would hear it.  As it is all we get are the occasional thump or bump.  Nothing we can't live with.

BikingBud

Although separation and isolation of sound may be effective, if they decide to set up something like a wood workshop then this might overcome standard insulation.

Aside from the side by side garages I would also carefully consider the arrangements and access via any shared driveways as these can often be the source of additional angst:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6522329/where-can-i-park-on-these-title-deeds-please-help#latest

HouseMartin567

Thanks all. Sounds like a problem with noise travelling through the garage would be unlikely.

Another plot is just about to become available which is fully detached. The garage is attached to the neighbours garage, but they are not joined to the house. I was expecting this to be more expensive (it’s the same style house) but I’m being told it will be the same price as the link-detached. It seems a no-brainer to go for the fully detached but the plot isn’t as good. It is an east-facing garden rather than south-facing and the garden is surrounded by other gardens on all sides, whereas the link-detached only has an adjoining garden on one side. Decisions!!

RelievedSheff

HouseMartin567 said:

Thanks all. Sounds like a problem with noise travelling through the garage would be unlikely.

Another plot is just about to become available which is fully detached. The garage is attached to the neighbours garage, but they are not joined to the house. I was expecting this to be more expensive (it’s the same style house) but I’m being told it will be the same price as the link-detached. It seems a no-brainer to go for the fully detached but the plot isn’t as good. It is an east-facing garden rather than south-facing and the garden is surrounded by other gardens on all sides, whereas the link-detached only has an adjoining garden on one side. Decisions!!

The fully detached would win for us every time.

Our garage is "semi detached" with the neighbours garage but the houses are completely detached. Also means we are "properly" detached and the nearest property is 6.6m away across the double width drive. With the next nearest being over 10m away. Not something you find all that often on a new build estate. We get absolutely no noise transmission at all.

Our garden is east facing and it is lovely in the morning. We get full sun in all of the garden until about 2pm in the summer when the house starts to shade the patio. We lose the sun from the end of the garden at about 5pm. It can mean it a bit chilly out there early spring and late autumn but the rest of the year its fine and when it does get hot in the summer we can shelter from the worst of the heat.

Our garden is fully walled though and not overlooked, we are on a corner plot with the house at the bottom of the garden showing a gable to our garden.

Wyndham

HouseMartin567 said:

Thanks all. Sounds like a problem with noise travelling through the garage would be unlikely.

Another plot is just about to become available which is fully detached. The garage is attached to the neighbours garage, but they are not joined to the house. I was expecting this to be more expensive (it’s the same style house) but I’m being told it will be the same price as the link-detached. It seems a no-brainer to go for the fully detached but the plot isn’t as good. It is an east-facing garden rather than south-facing and the garden is surrounded by other gardens on all sides, whereas the link-detached only has an adjoining garden on one side. Decisions!!

I think you'd still know about it if they decided to put the drum kit in the garage But less chance of building above it - though they may decide to extend so the house is then attached to the garage? Still shouldn't be a problem for you though if they do.

For the original plot, what's on the other side of the house?

Noise is a very strange thing, and of course, different people have different tolerances. I live quite close to a motorway, but really don't notice it much. It's louder when it's raining and the wind is blowing towards us, but even then it's not a problem because it's a 'constant' noise. As I write this there are various cars going past the front of the house as we have a couple of schools at the end of the road and our road gets used as a 'rat run' at rush hour. Because that road is closer, those cars are noiser than the ones on the motorway from where I'm sitting. Still not a problem, because I know it's limited in time, but not something I expected when I bought the house.

HouseMartin567

Wyndham said:

HouseMartin567 said:

Thanks all. Sounds like a problem with noise travelling through the garage would be unlikely.

Another plot is just about to become available which is fully detached. The garage is attached to the neighbours garage, but they are not joined to the house. I was expecting this to be more expensive (it’s the same style house) but I’m being told it will be the same price as the link-detached. It seems a no-brainer to go for the fully detached but the plot isn’t as good. It is an east-facing garden rather than south-facing and the garden is surrounded by other gardens on all sides, whereas the link-detached only has an adjoining garden on one side. Decisions!!

I think you'd still know about it if they decided to put the drum kit in the garage But less chance of building above it - though they may decide to extend so the house is then attached to the garage? Still shouldn't be a problem for you though if they do.

For the original plot, what's on the other side of the house?

Noise is a very strange thing, and of course, different people have different tolerances. I live quite close to a motorway, but really don't notice it much. It's louder when it's raining and the wind is blowing towards us, but even then it's not a problem because it's a 'constant' noise. As I write this there are various cars going past the front of the house as we have a couple of schools at the end of the road and our road gets used as a 'rat run' at rush hour. Because that road is closer, those cars are noiser than the ones on the motorway from where I'm sitting. Still not a problem, because I know it's limited in time, but not something I expected when I bought the house.

The original (link detached) plot is in a cul-di-sac and the front looks out over a small green area which we are told is staying as ‘green space’. The driveway and entrance to the garage is at the back of the house.

Noise is a weird one because I have lived by a railway track before and that didn’t bother me. And like you, I’m fairly close to a school now. It’s is ‘people’ noise and music which annoys me more.

HouseMartin567

RelievedSheff said:

HouseMartin567 said:

Thanks all. Sounds like a problem with noise travelling through the garage would be unlikely.

Another plot is just about to become available which is fully detached. The garage is attached to the neighbours garage, but they are not joined to the house. I was expecting this to be more expensive (it’s the same style house) but I’m being told it will be the same price as the link-detached. It seems a no-brainer to go for the fully detached but the plot isn’t as good. It is an east-facing garden rather than south-facing and the garden is surrounded by other gardens on all sides, whereas the link-detached only has an adjoining garden on one side. Decisions!!

The fully detached would win for us every time.

Our garage is "semi detached" with the neighbours garage but the houses are completely detached. Also means we are "properly" detached and the nearest property is 6.6m away across the double width drive. With the next nearest being over 10m away. Not something you find all that often on a new build estate. We get absolutely no noise transmission at all.

Our garden is east facing and it is lovely in the morning. We get full sun in all of the garden until about 2pm in the summer when the house starts to shade the patio. We lose the sun from the end of the garden at about 5pm. It can mean it a bit chilly out there early spring and late autumn but the rest of the year its fine and when it does get hot in the summer we can shelter from the worst of the heat.

Our garden is fully walled though and not overlooked, we are on a corner plot with the house at the bottom of the garden showing a gable to our garden.

Thank you for providing the information on how/when the sun hits your garden.