sound proofing in property

I'm lucky to have a reasonably solid built house , although it's a mid terrace the walls are hard when I knock on them and there must be good soundproofing between . I do have quiet neighbors so that helps . I have friends who live in houses so badly sound proofed that they can hear next door walking , talking , dishes being washed and bathroom noises. My friend val is in a one bed house she hears her neighbours alarm clock , drawers opening and the radio which is not on loud.

Another 2 friends live in flats , purpose built , yet above and below is only wooden flooring , it's as if someone is in your own property , footsteps , chatting , TV , children running up and down , it's awful

Why are builders allowed to build these places which gives no privacy to each other .

Re: sound proofing in property

I believe that sound insulation requirements are set out in Part 'E' of the building regulations. Adherence to this should have been checked by building inspectors.

Re: sound proofing in property

Susan builders don't give a damn anymore the sooner they get a place up the sooner they can build another and more cash in the bank. They just don't give a toss. Im glad i live in a grade 2 listed house the walls must be 3ft thick.☺

Re: sound proofing in property

We live in an 9 year old building of flats
The sound proofing is non existent - how this is allowed is way beyond me

Re: sound proofing in property

I have been thinking of putting some sound proofing put in my bedrooms.
I live in a mid terrace too and we have a noisy drug taker renting
next door and I can hear her and all her noise, music and running up
and down wooden floors. No carpets. Her little lad cries at the
weekend and wakes me up a lot. She is out of her head at the weekend.
So I don't suppose the builders in my case who were in 1907 thought
about the noise.

It does make me wish I could buy myself a detached house. Unless
I win the Lottery that wont be happening.

Re: sound proofing in property

I agree about soundproofing but designers should be made to live in the buildings they create IMO and example here is they built us in a horse shoe shape because it looks attractive from outside, but it's like a fish bowl all windows look in on another flat, so we all have thick blinds or nets for privacy and sound carries around the courtyard so no amount of sound proofing will help between flats a we can clearly hear sneezes, coughs, talking etc as the sounds bounce around the building.

Re: sound proofing in property

Doc, like you I live in a house with thick stone walls and roof timbers like railway sleepers. I have to agree that builders seem to be totally profit driven, but I blame the building inspectors for not making sure that the building regs are met - or exceeded.

Bowie eyes, you can I believe, cut up to 80% of the noise coming through walls by using soundproof panels. The down side is that this reduces the size of your room by a few inches, so skirting boards, cornices, carpets, electric sockets etc. all have to be altered.

Re: sound proofing in property

Anyone who lives in a flat has my heartfelt sympathy. It can ruin your life.

I know just how noisy they can be ... and it's luck of the draw who you get as a neighbour. Councils don't bother to get too much involved anymore either.
My sister was driven wild by the neighbour below her. She got so aggravated she ended up banging on her floor, (their ceiling) with a hammer when she couldn't sleep ... until she realised she could get into trouble when her tiles started cracking and flying off in splinters.
It sounds funny, but it isn't. Added to other problems in her life she ended up putting herself in hospital with a paracetamol overdose.

Soundproofing isn't cheap but when the government has these occasional fits of generosity on it with grants for home improvements and such like (admittedly usually for the environment) you'd think they consider people's quality of life for a change.

Re: sound proofing in property

You all know my opinions on poorly built/insulated homes!