Some kind of curtain over the door and/or a draft excluder could help?

Wanting to get noise reducing windows to replace some existing windows at the front of the house. (Noise reducing more than for insulation purposes) Does any one have any companies that they'd recommend for this? The windows are about 177cm wide and a little over 2m If any one also happens to have an idea of the cost of this as well, it'd be appreciated. Many thanks

Hi Lorraine, your house is beautiful. I have been in property for around 20 years and one of my flats which is in a stunning location and grade 2 listed was very tricky to sell actually. It was quite niche... as in the right person would give their right arm to buy it... but many were not interested. I had to wait for the right time to sell. I tried 3 times in the last few years. This time it sold for full asking price and fast. I have sold a couple of other houses for the asking price. What I have found is that 1. Staging is everything. 2. Timing is everything! 3. Price it to sell and don’t haggle. Most buyers lack imagination and want the ‘feeling’ it’s the right house which is all to do with psychologically and subconsciously they walk in and imagine themselves living there. Your house is beautiful and very grand. If it feels cold you must get the heating sorted. I would also suggest hiring a company who can bring in extra props to stage the house and make it feel more relaxed and as if children live /visit the house because it’s a family home. I also think it might be worth paying a draftsman or an architect for some simple drawings on how to remodel to make it flow better. These have already been suggested but in a house like yours I would expect a bathroom per room or at least one larger bathroom per two rooms. Just consider the remodel for an ensuite/dressing area in your master and move the WC downstairs to allow the garden room to flow off the main hallway. Then you don’t need to touch anything but you give the buyer the view of how it could be and stir their imagination. Also stage the downstairs room near front door as a home office. Timing: if you don’t have to move yet then don’t but if prices drop then you will be in a worse position. If you can wait then do. This is a vague answer but sometimes the timing isn’t right. You might have to sit it out for a few more years. When I put the houses up for sale I put them just at the price I felt would get a bit of a frenzy going. But it was also a price I would be happy to sell for to do what I wanted to do. What’s that number for you? (Don’t have to say but think what is that number?). You can’t change the road. But perhaps there is a way you can change the access. I had many people over the year tell me I can’t do something and I made it happen anyway. No is sometimes not yet, not the final answer. Call the planning office and see what can be done but ultimately it is what it is. More hedges can dampen noise, even water features can help drown out road noise. Don’t worry about your neighbours objecting. Most people object to works on the regular. As long as you hire a decent architect who knows the local planning people and you create a relationship with the planning office you might be able to find a different solution and the neighbours can object all they like but it’s down to whether it meet the planning officers approval. What you have to consider above all else is who your target buyer is and cater for them. For example my properties were very much for single professionals. Don’t try and be everything for everyone you will miss the mark. Stage it from that perspective; who would buy your house? A business person would have that kind of budget. They don’t have time to garden, they need a home office where it’s quiet, they want convenience, is the road offering faster access to airports, transport links? Good private schools nearby? Does it offer the ego boosting status they require to validate themselves? Sounds daft but this is what is subconsciously going on in their head. Can you create a home gym at your house? Is there space for a hot tub or summer house for BBQ’s? What else do they want? If a family they want seperate living areas, perhaps a media room and a drawing room? Does the house flow easily? Can a parent see their kids in the garden from the kitchen? The ponds can have grates out over them so not a big issue. How much does it cost to maintain the garden. Spell it all out for them. Anticipate the their objections and questions. Give them the answer in advance. Hope this helps! Xoxo

I saw on a gardening programme yesterday where someone had a very busy motorway at the end of her garden. The expert, Duirmid Gavin, said to plant a hedge of Laurel. It’s a thick evergreen shrub that gets quite big but will help with the noise. He suggests it is pruned to keep it in check.