Sound Proofing a Top Flat ?

mr_pink

I hope that you do not mind a lateral posting

Something to consider, perhaps, is to have a go at becoming desensitised to this kind of noise.

This is quite possible and if you can become desensitised you will be all the better for it.

If you wish you could read up on Pawel J. Jastreboff Neurophysiological Model which is used in the treatment of the perception of tinnitus most usually, but can equally be applied to any perceived noise nuisance.

thequant

vegasbaby100 wrote: »

message sent any questions shout

I've been back to the flat for another viewing today and have been to ascertain the construction. I'll contact your guy later, thanks.

thequant

thequant wrote: »

I've been back to the flat for another viewing today and have been to ascertain the construction. I'll contact your guy later, thanks.

I've found out the follwing relevant info today.

1) The floors between the flats are concrete, and one of the neighbours we spoke to said they had no problems with sound. However removing the carpets in the flat we were viewing revealed wooden floor boards which were quite loose and squeaky to walk across.

2) The Living room which was were we heard the noise, is effectively 2 rooms, with one room sunk to a level of about 4 inches below the other. The sunken part of the room was were the noise was being transmitted through. (I'm guessing because there's less insulationn between the flats?)

3) It took me about 5 mins of staring at the builiding, to put my finger on something that was bugging me. Eventually I got it! The construction of the flat roof of the building was exactly the same construction of the space between the flat I was looking at and the rest of the building. This is a penthouse flat which looks like it was appended to the rest of the building at a later date. Will this explain the lack of concrete between this flat and the one below.

Noctu

Don't do it. It's not worth it. Speaking from bitter experience...

thequant

Noctu wrote: »

Don't do it. It's not worth it. Speaking from bitter experience...

What happened ?

Noctu

Spent a lot of money, time, and effort researching soundproofing, had a hellish few days getting it all installed (floorboards taken up as part of it so pretty much everything had to come out of the room and moved around different rooms), lost inches off the rooms, had to redecorate it all including getting paint matches and coving, dado rail, skirting board matches (it all broke when we took it off) only to see maybe a 20% improvement in sound. We had done everything we possibly could with the best materials, expanding foam in any spaces, etc etc. We couldn't have done any more. We came to the conclusion that you simply can't do anything about the inherent nature of a structure which lets in so much sound and impact noise.

We are on the market and will only be moving to a detached property!

thequant

Noctu wrote: »

Spent a lot of money, time, and effort researching soundproofing, had a hellish few days getting it all installed (floorboards taken up as part of it so pretty much everything had to come out of the room and moved around different rooms), lost inches off the rooms, had to redecorate it all including getting paint matches and coving, dado rail, skirting board matches (it all broke when we took it off) only to see maybe a 20% improvement in sound. We had done everything we possibly could with the best materials, expanding foam in any spaces, etc etc. We couldn't have done any more. We came to the conclusion that you simply can't do anything about the inherent nature of a structure which lets in so much sound and impact noise.

We are on the market and will only be moving to a detached property!

Thanks, this was the sort of feedback I've been looking for. lot's of opinions on this issue, but very few people who have actually tried.

How much did you spend on trying ?

Noctu

Nearly 4 figures, only managed it cheaper as hubby works in the shopfitting industry and could get hold of the specialist materials (acoustic plasterboard etc) at trade price. Labour isn't cheap either as it's back breaking work - the special plasterboard is very heavy and you have to use 2 layers to do a decent job - and you have to do it properly, ie stand it all proud of the joists and existing wall/structure etc and not to just drill into the existing floor or wall as the screw will transmit sound (!)

If you can deal with the noise then fair enough... but I just had to add our experience. We genuinely wanted to stay in our home and have done a LOT of improvement work to it but despite our best efforts it just wasn't worth it :-(

Good luck whatever you decide.

AdmiralX

Impact noises travel via walls too, so offending walls might have to be insulated not only just floors. The floor beams or joists of the flat below floor meet the walls and at that point they transmit up the sound.

The_Earl_of_Streatham

Bear in mind that there is no such thing as "soundproofing", you pay your money, endure your inconvenience and get a certain level of attenuation.

If this kind of thing is important to you you need to make the right sort of decisions at the outset and not rely on aftermarket solutions.