"Chris Davies" wrote in message I have recently moved
into an 1830s terraced house on a very busy
road. When heavy traffic (lorry or bus, but not car) travels down the
road the upper floors of the house vibrate (you tend only to notice if
you are sitting on something or lying on a bed - not if you are
standing up). The sash windows also rattle - though this might be due
to air displaced by the vehicle.

Is this something I should be concerned about or is it a fact of life
with an old building next to a busy road?

It's a fact of life on old buildings.


My building survey noted that there is some deflection to the floors
of the house (i.e. they slope towards the centre of the house).
Apparently this is common in houses from the period and is caused by
settlement of the supporting wall which runs through the middle of the
house.

But you can make things better by removing the downstairs ceiling. Then you
need to pack out the ends of each joist. Strengthen any weak joists (or
just every other one) by bolting another joist to it's side using coachbolts
whilst the old joist is supported in the middle with a prop. Then just put
the ceiling back :-)

And it will still bounce a bit :-(