Help...Sound Issues in my flat

Minx1986

Hi,

I need help! I have a front door that takes me upstairs to my first floor flat. My downstairs neighbour, also has a front door, so from the outside of the building you would think it was your typical 2 mid-terrace houses. My question is, A) what type of floor should I have (and if Chipboard is ok, should it be screwed/nailed down along the joists?) and Is there a minimum depth between floors required, and soundproofing.

My new neighbour is not as deaf as my old one, and has pointed out that she can hear my little !!!!-tzu (and us) moving around the flat. We're not heavy footed, or in the case of my dog (at 6kilos) jumpy. And now she has pointed it out, walking about I can hear the floorboards terribly. This is a new build, only built in 2012. Surely there must be some regulations in place that should of prevented my issues? Can anyone shine any light on this? Thank you in advance!

anselld

It would have been built to the building regulations in force at the time including sound proofing although poor workmanship is still a real possibility.

The type of floor covering is fairly critical. Many leases specify carpets or equivalent soft coverings. Wood or laminate in flats can be a disaster.

So long as you have complied with any rules on specified flooring type and you are not taking tap dancing classes there isn't much more you can do. Possibly get a carpenter/builder to screw down anything that is loose.

Viberduo

Even so some people complain at the slightest noise for whatever reason.

I tip toed in a flat I rented a few years ago and almost nightly I had neighbour at door screaming he couldnt sleep or I kept him awake all night, which was impossible as I was in bed around 11 one night and he woke me up at 3.30am! and another time I was away for a week and he was at my door saying I had parties every night that week! I literally never wore shoes in house and went round on tip toes.

Davesnave

You haven't made your issue explicit, but I'd guess it is the squeaking of the chipboard floor which is impossible to cover-up, regardless of floor covering.

Unfortunately, chipboard floors are common in modern property and the squeaking equally common. Various solutions might be offered, but in my experience, none works for long.

I re-laid a floating chipboard floor once after the builder had gone home for the weekend, but despite using extra noggins and various other improvements to strengthen joints, the squeaks arrived after a few years wear & tear.

I now live in a bungalow with solid floors.....

Fraise

Minx1986 wrote: »

Hi,

I need help! I have a front door that takes me upstairs to my first floor flat. My downstairs neighbour, also has a front door, so from the outside of the building you would think it was your typical 2 mid-terrace houses. My question is, A) what type of floor should I have (and if Chipboard is ok, should it be screwed/nailed down along the joists?) and Is there a minimum depth between floors required, and soundproofing.

My new neighbour is not as deaf as my old one, and has pointed out that she can hear my little !!!!-tzu (and us) moving around the flat. We're not heavy footed, or in the case of my dog (at 6kilos) jumpy. And now she has pointed it out, walking about I can hear the floorboards terribly. This is a new build, only built in 2012. Surely there must be some regulations in place that should of prevented my issues? Can anyone shine any light on this? Thank you in advance!

Firstly, I'd like to say what a lovely decent person you are: some neighbours don't give a hoot about disturbing people. Noise is one of most common complaints between neighbours, and what's tolerant for one neighbour may not be for another, as you've discovered.

Squeaking floorboards can be irritating, and they don't just affect flats: my last house had a few squeaky floorboards upstairs, and when my family walked across them I could hear them squeak, but I got used to it and it wasn't continuous. We did eventually nail them down and that did the trick, but I'm not sure how you'd go about solving your problem.

Couple of suggestions:

As they were only built 3 years ago there may be some warranty. Perhaps contact the solicitor and building contractors, telling them the problem and that you want it rectified.

If they refuse, ask a local tradesman who specialises in carpentry and flooring to give you an estimate to stop the floorboards squeaking. If it's on the high side have a word with your neighbour and see if they will go halves with you. If the noise is that bad they should see it as an investment.

You don't say what flooring you have and no flooring is going to cure loose floorboards, they need to be nailed down, but if there's any other noise issues in the future from impact (footsteps) to acoustic (music etc) except for soundproofing between the floor and ceiling and cutting out all noise, you can buy Impact Underlay Red which is fitted under carpets and your neighbour won't hear a thing. I can't praise it enough. You can also get acoustic underlay too...brilliant. If you want wood or laminate floors the company do special underplays for that too.

I actually think your squeaking floorboards can be easily remedied. Just keep your neighbour in the loop so they're aware you're sorting it out...it will make them more relaxed.:)

Davesnave

Fraise wrote: »

I actually think your squeaking floorboards can be easily remedied. Just keep your neighbour in the loop so they're aware you're sorting it out...it will make them more relaxed.:)

If they were floorboards then this would be the case, but preventing chipboard floors squeaking is harder.

Put it another way; our local posh kitchen & bedroom place squeaks so badly that the sales staff apologise about it. As they build kitchens from scratch, they have joiners on-site, yet this situation continues. Presumably, their only remedy would be to re-floor the place.

They haven't solved it, and neither have I, though screwing down and strengthening affected areas can work for a while. I believe that glueing the tongues with some kind of flexi-adhesive is also recommended, both during construction and as a remedy, but I have no experience of trying that.

Maybe someone who has will be along soon.....:)

Doozergirl

There won't be a warranty anymore. The builder's workmanship warranty runs out after 2 years.

If it is squeaking boards then they need to be screwed, not nailed. It takes longer to screw them down and developers will cut corners and use a nail gun, but there's no permanent grip in a nail.

But yes, there will be a minimum joist depth set by building regulations for structural supportamd yes to soundproofing also.

It is better to have carpet in a flat, but some peoplearemega sensitive. My old next door neighbour used to complain but then he genuinely must have sat in silence. If you share a wall with someone, it's inevitable that some noise might travel.

anselld

Davesnave wrote: »

If they were floorboards then this would be the case, but preventing chipboard floors squeaking is harder.

Put it another way; our local posh kitchen & bedroom place squeaks so badly that the sales staff apologise about it. As they build kitchens from scratch, they have joiners on-site, yet this situation continues. Presumably, their only remedy would be to re-floor the place.

They haven't solved it, and neither have I, though screwing down and strengthening affected areas can work for a while.

Glueing all joints is the only way to stop chipboard squeaking and that is obviously impossible post-install.

Davesnave

anselld wrote: »

Glueing all joints is the only way to stop chipboard squeaking and that is obviously impossible post-install.

We cross-posted. I remembered reading that and looked it up.

I took up my floor and relaid it, but that was before skirtings went in! Obviously, stairs would present particular problems too.