New build soundproofing regs

jamesl1989

I moved into a new build a few months ago. General quality has been fine (few snagging bits, but otherwise nothing major), but the soundproofing is very poor. In particular, we can hear water going through pipes when toilets are flushed above us - is this in line with the building regs?!

JoJo1978

Flat? I live in a house, my husband is in the shower right now and I can hear the water. I can also hear if he flushes the loo. This is a wind up, right?!

Soundproofing in newer houses is poor, but regardless of house age you'd expect to hear water in pipes

jamesl1989

But this is sound from the pipes of a different flat, not the same flat - I would have thought the pipes would have been insulated in what are essentially exterior walls?

davidmcn

Count your blessings. I used to live in a flat where you could hear what the upstairs neighbour was putting into the pan, never mind what was coming out...

Not sure what exactly current regulations require, but I think it's fairly commonplace - AFAIK the drain pipes don't require to be behind anything more substantial than a sheet of plasterboard.

googler

jamesl1989 wrote: »

But this is sound from the pipes of a different flat, not the same flat - I would have thought the pipes would have been insulated in what are essentially exterior walls?

Even blocks of flats these days are built on timber frames with external "architectural brick" (looks like brick, but has no load-bearing value, it's just for decor).

All that's between you and the pipes is woodwork and plasterboard, I'm afraid.....

All I can recommend, if your purchase was a genuine new build (i.e. you bought it off the developer) is to look at the planning application on the local council's website, and inspect the various floorplans for clues as to the plumbing arrangments. It might be possible to see if things are routed next to other flats, or taken through stairwells and common areas.

ruperts

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/resistance-to-sound-approved-document-e

I did a quick word search for ‘pipe’ and it looks like they should be surrounded by at least 25mm of sound insulating material such as mineral wool.