Soundproofing:I can hear my neighbours.

[Reive]

We moved into a new house over a year ago but the neighbours didn't move in for a good while later.

They are not there a lot of the time, and when they are they are generally very quite.

However sometimes:

If the tv isn't on (sometimes with it on) you can hear them talking and laughing.

You can hear them opening/closing their kitchen presses, clearing their dishes, unplugging things, moving clotheshangers etc.

The back bedroom (guestroom) is the worst, you can hear everything.

The foreman on site says that they have complied with all the relevant legislation and that we are free to have a sound check done.

Does anyone know what the legislation is? And if we get a soundcheck done and they have complied- I just think it's bloody ridiculous- that we can hear so much. The fear is the they will move and someone will move in with either loads of kids or have loads of late nite parties.

What can I do?

 

[Sue Ellen]

Hi Reive,

This key post on Insulation may provide some help especially this post.

There is a reference to noise in a new house in the key post on Noise and neighbours etc.

This other thread Noisy neighbours has quite a few interesting points/links that might be helpful.

 

[DOBBER22]

Seems to be a very common problem with new builds, we used to rent a house before we bought our own the rented house was about 7 years old the soundproofing was so bad we could hear them flushing their toilet, running a bath, dropping things on the floor, arguing...this was a real highlight as you could hear it word for word and finally when the kids were bould you could hear the Dad shout get up dat stairs ourra my sight.
We decided to buy an older house 27 years old and thank God we have had quietness ever since even though the lady next door looks after a few kids and I work shift.

Good Luck

 

[Tarquin]

Previous

 

[whiplash]

Hi Reive,

I know all to well what you are going through. I had/have the same problem. I decided to do something about it and got a sound test done. The house failed outright it wasnt near the standards I got the same crap from the foreman saying it was ABOVE standards ! My dB came in at 48 the standards state it should be 52dB, that is a big difference in terms of dBs.

After I got the sound test done they reacted straight away to it and now I'm just waiting for them to come in and fix the issue. They're going to use a system called isostrip-T it can be found here.[broken link removed]

I can send you on all the information with regards my case if you'd like ? Just PM me.

Don't let the builder away with it seriously, I know of another case of 1000 houses so as you can see we're not the only ones with the issue.

Regards,
/KK

 

[heather]

the residents association should be able to help you. We had a similar problem and it turned out around 80% of houses on the estate were having problems. Dont let it lie anyway

 

[simp]

They're going to use a system called isostrip-T it can be found here.[broken link removed]

How much is that isostrip-T stuff, as a matter of interest?

 

[Jack The Lad]

This might sound a little ridiculous, but if you are having trouble sleeping with the sound from next door, as a temporary quick-fix you could try those little foam earplugs you can get in Chemists. They work really well, and after using them for a couple of nights they don't bother you. I use them when staying in hotels, B&B's.

 

[whiplash]

How much is that isostrip-T stuff, as a matter of interest?

I dont know how much it costs, the builder is footing the bill for the whole lot, legal fees, sound tests the lot. But I believe its one of the most expensive solutions out there plus one of the best.

 

[ftb2]

How did you go about getting a sound test done? Can you recommend how I would go about doing this?? I'm dealing with noise from traffic...

 

[moneypitt]

Not sure if I should start another thread on this - 'll leave it to mods.

Anyone had problems with poor soundproofing withiin your home? I have a ten year old semi-d, generally well-built (shannon homes, 1995), no major hassle from next door but I am really not happy with the soundproofing between rooms, especially toilets.

Especially when I have guests around, I wouldn’t dare use the master or en-suite toilets upstairs, because anyone downstairs in the living room can hear everything – I mean everything – not just the flushing sound, but everything. Also, when in the master bedroom, I can hear if my gf whisters in the en-suit!! You can imagine how much a turn off that is!!

Is it just me, or is it the house? Is there a DIY fix for this? Thanks a million!!

 

[whiplash]

How did you go about getting a sound test done? Can you recommend how I would go about doing this?? I'm dealing with noise from traffic...

There's plenty of companies out there that do this sort of work. I used the following company very happy with the guy that came out and did the test his name is Jim Dunne.

http://www.iacoustics.net/

/KK

 

[Tedser]

Hi Guys, if your problems have been resolved good but you could get quite a bit of technical advice at [broken link removed] as the site will explain about sound / noise and give you information about what can be done for you.
Regards
Ted

 

[Leo]

Hi Tedser, please note the Posting Guidelines, particularly & , which require that posters declare any potential conflict of interest and state no advertising.
Leo

 

[TarfHead]

The 1997 building regulation referred to in this thread and it's twin covers new houses.

Is there anything similar/comparable in effect for houses built before 1997, i.e. if neighbours are in dispute as to what constitutes excessive noise, is there an objective measure ?

 

[irishpancake]

Not sure if I should start another thread on this - 'll leave it to mods.

Anyone had problems with poor soundproofing withiin your home? I have a ten year old semi-d, generally well-built (shannon homes, 1995), no major hassle from next door but I am really not happy with the soundproofing between rooms, especially toilets.

Especially when I have guests around, I wouldn’t dare use the master or en-suite toilets upstairs, because anyone downstairs in the living room can hear everything – I mean everything – not just the flushing sound, but everything. Also, when in the master bedroom, I can hear if my gf whisters in the en-suit!! You can imagine how much a turn off that is!!

Is it just me, or is it the house? Is there a DIY fix for this? Thanks a million!!

I'd love to hear from anyone who has had experiences as outlined above.

I too have a similar problem, with a recently constructed timber-framed bungalow.

Ironically, we moved here to get away from exactly the sound insulation problems which are endemic in semi-d houses.

However, we now find that sounds are transmitting internally, particularly from the bathroom to the sitting-room, which can be embarrassing when we have friends around.

These rooms are next to each other, and literally I am speaking of "toilet" type noises, ie No 1 and 2

Where can we start, and are these covered by building regs.

 

[micamaca]

We're in the same boat, neighbours have a child that controls them, and we hear every winge and whimper and by God there are plenty!!!

can't wait for the next child

when did builders start getting away with building these houses so badly? there must be thousands of them built.. and if it's not your neighbours you hear, then its yourselves in the toilet...i have same problem, hesitant to use loos when friends stay over as they do tell a story! All these builders are probably living in fully insolated homes themselves. grrrr!

 

[Zack]

New dwellings must comply with Part E of the current building regulations.
Its a bit of an arcane art, but simply put, a party wall of solid 215mm (wide) blockwork plastered each side with 12.5mm sand cement render will achieve compliance.

I'm afraid I don't know of any specialists off hand who can help you wrt measuring decibel levels.


For stud partitions within the actual dwelling, you should fill them with rockwool as they go up- this gives good sound absorption, a degree of insulation and is non combustible.


Z

 

[irishpancake]

For stud partitions within the actual dwelling, you should fill them with rockwool as they go up- this gives good sound absorption, a degree of insulation and is non combustible.
Z

Can this be done afterwards, i.e from the attic in a bungalow.

And without deconstruction of the entire building.

Forgive me if this seems a stupid question, but i have no knowledge of building construction methods

 

[Zack]

No, you need to pack the rockwool between the studs and noggins before you fix the plasterboard.
However, if sound transmission is a real problem from bathroom to living room you always fix another sheet of plasterboard on top of the existing one then skim & redecorate etc. Gyproc and other manufacturers produce " Soundbloc" plasterboard (it is distinguished by a blue lining) which should drastically reduce sound transmission.

Z