Sound insulation in purpose built blocks

LeoC

Hello

I sold a flat I used to own some time ago because of several problems (it was a flat in a period conversion in London). One of the problems was the noise from the neighbours, I spend thousands in sound insulation (under the floorboards, over the floorboards) but still could hear them quite clearly.

So I sold it and decided to buy a flat in a purpose built block next time. But for now, I am renting (also purpose built blocks).

But to my surprise, I can still hear my neighbours. I now rent a flat in a block built in the late 50's, with concrete floors between the flats, but I can still hear the neighbours downstairs just talking, listening to music or watching TV at normal levels. I am guessing it's flanking noise?

Also some time ago I lived in a block built in the late 80's and I could never hear any neighbours. (well maybe I was lucky and my neighbours were really quiet or never home?). I was surrounded by 4 neighbours there.

My question is: when buying my next flat in a modern purpose-built block, what decade of build should I look for to make sure sound insulation is good? When did the construction firms start to look at controlling noise?

Thanks

Idiophreak

I don't think it's so much a decade by decade thing, as a builder by builder thing.

Look on these forums and everyone will tell you that new builds have paper thin walls and are horribly built...But my flat was completed in 2009 and has incredibly good sound insulation. Honestly, I hear doors close and running water occasionally, but that's all. Never heard a word of conversation, never the telly, never a peep.

We experimented before our downstairs neighbours moved in. We had to turn our TV and hifi up to "you'll be able to hear this down the street!" levels before you could even detect a hint of it downstairs...Being perfectly quiet, in an empty flat...

Wyndham

I think soundproofing rules have changed, and for flats in particular, something happened around 2006 to make it 'good'. I recently rented one built in 2008, and really didn't ever hear anything. I'd have a modern flat again, but would't have an old one.

Not sure about houses, but with our 1960's semi, we could hear everything next door were doing! We moved on quite quickly....