terrible soundproofing

ankspon

Having purchased a two year old apartment we are shocked at the lack of soundproofing.We can hear switches being turned on and off,the people above using the toilet and shower and when we are in the living room we can hear them using pots and pans and cooking from there kitchen which is not directly above us.We can hear there conversations and footsteps.Who would we contact regarding this matter,is it the builder or the NHBC as there is a 10 year guarantee with it being a new build.It really is bad and something is not right.

Mini_Bear

I have heard that when a house is converted into flats there are very strict sound proofing rules. im not sure these exist for apartment blocks though. i have always lived in top floor places but have noticed the newer the property the thinner the walls.
Might be worth speaking to the council - environmental health - they may be able to point you in the right direction. Or contact the homebuilder though i fear they will be of little help.

frannyann

I live on a ground floor flat and whilst this is not the most MSE idea, if you don't get any where, you could try what I did, I had an 'extra' ceiling installed. Just an extra layer of plaster board that was then skimmed. It wasn't too expensive and makes a massive difference to the amount I can hear. Next door where amazed at the difference to the amount of noise they hear compared to me.

ankspon

frannyann how much did that cost,did you have one room done or all the flat and can you give me a %estimate how much noise it cut out.Minibear i will take your advice as well,thanks

frannyann

davidhwdn wrote: »

frannyann how much did that cost,did you have one room done or all the flat and can you give me a %estimate how much noise it cut out.Minibear i will take your advice as well,thanks

Hi, I had the whole flat done, two bedroomed flat. The plasterboard is cheap as chips, not sure how much it would cost you now (I had mine done about 7 years ago) But as my bathroom ceiling has just come down (leak upstairs) builder friend has said to re-plasterboard and skim will cost about £10 per sheet of board and one bag of plaster, so just looking around my living room now thats 4 sheets of plaster board to my living room which is roughly 14X12 foot, just as a guide. As to noise its made a big difference. Before, like you, if I didn't have the TV on I could follow the conversation upstairs!! Now I am sitting in a silent living room and both people upstairs are in, yes I can hear if they run up the stairs (but understairs cupboard is not insulated) or if they shout but otherwise its a very muffled noise which I don't hear at all if TV is on (I have very acute hearing so the TV is only ever on low) Interestingly, my upstairs neighbours hear nothing from me since its been done, which make them 'want to be quieter' in thier own words!

ankspon

Thanks for your input,did you not get noise down the walls as well?

frannyann

davidhwdn wrote: »

Thanks for your input,did you not get noise down the walls as well?

Not really, only attached on one side to another flat and she is 92! Noise from upstairs doesn't seem to go down the walls very much!