New Build party wall noise issue

robatwork

shadow_1 wrote: »

Unfortunately Barratt Homes aren't budging. Keep on hitting a brick wall.

Looks like I'll have to fund sound proofing the wall now.

If it's Barratts, count yourself lucky the wall is made of brick.

paddy's_mum

You'd think that Barratts would bend over backwards to resolve this rather than accept the negative views formed by having the issue aired on such a well supported site as MSE.

markin

Not good their stairs are on the party wall, I would never buy a semi with the front doors next to each other, so stairs noise and any door slamming on the party wall, or even chatting at the door.



Small rooms have nowhere for the sound to go, and no furniture or carpets to absorb the sound.

ComicGeek

Barratts are complying with the requirements of the Building Regulations, they aren't required to do anything more than this.

The Govt writes the Building Regulations. I don't dispute that they aren't stringent enough in a lot of areas, but the house builders are only required to achieve what's written here. Not only that, but often the Building Regs version is fixed during the 1st phase of a development - so by the time the last phase is built, it can be using Bldg Regs which are out of date.

Given that the same party wall detail is used throughout, I don't see why the Govt doesn't require more stringent testing between all rooms, habitable or non-habitable. Perhaps start a campaign or speak to your MP - you're not going to get anywhere with Barratts, so perhaps focus your energies somewhere useful.

Snuggles

I've lived in a new build flat and now live in a new build semi. In both, I could/can hear all the sorts of noises you describe from neighbours. To be honest, I've always just thought it was part and parcel of not living in a detached house.

Obviously if I was being subject to loud music and raucous parties every night, it would be different, but the noise of people just going about their daily lives really doesn't bother me. In fact when I lived alone, I used to find it quite reassuring.

You say other people in the same style of property don't have the same issue, but have you actually been in their property to listen? Is it possible it's just something you're highly sensitive to, when others are not?

markin

They clearly haven't complied with the requirements of the BR, they "self certify" and that's how you end up with housing without fire blocking or even insulation in the worst cases. The most you should ever hear is proper loud music, the rest, screaming, door slamming and hoovering should be whisper quiet and in no way a disturbance if you have the tv on at a low level

Snuggles

But I guess that's my point. I'm actually sat with the TV on now and I've just heard the guy next door go up his stairs (both of our staircases are on the adjoining wall) - but it isn't a disturbance to me, it really doesn't affect my life in any way.

I hear what you are saying but I don't think it's unusual at all to hear everyday noises from attached houses.

markin

Nothing the OP describes sounds like he's just being highly sensitive, apart from possibly the running upstairs, But as his stairs are not on the party wall he likely had no reason to believe it would be apart of any daily noise, And its totally different if you can only hear them when your also on the stairs, as it would be if the stairs were back to back on the wall and separated by a corridor from living space.

hearing urinating, toilet being flushed, footsteps, running upstairs, closure of doors ( note not slamming of doors ), word to word conversations

ComicGeek

markin wrote: »

They clearly haven't complied with the requirements of the BR, they "self certify" and that's how you end up with housing without fire blocking or even insulation in the worst cases.

That's absolute rubbish, they don't self certify. Specifically in terms of noise, the builder either has to follow accredited details (which are registered and inspected on site), or undertake pre-completion testing following review of construction details and inspections during construction. Building Regulations allows this testing to be in selected plots, and then only between adjoining habitable rooms - that's the Govt deciding that, not the builders cutting corners.

If there are too many problems with the end result, then the Bldg Regs themselves need to be improved and tightened up. It's very rare that builders don't achieve Bldg Regs, but the real question is whether current Bldg Regs are fit for purpose - I don't think they are.

The OPs house layout doesn't appear to have any habitable rooms adjacent to their neighbour's habitable rooms. So the build complies with Bldg Regs even though there is significant noise transfer. That's a problem with how the Bldg Regs are written - it should be the same noise reduction targets anywhere along a party wall, regardless of whether it's a habitable room or not. But on the basis of the information provided by the OP, they won't win any legal case against the builder.

shadow_1

Snuggles wrote: »

I've lived in a new build flat and now live in a new build semi. In both, I could/can hear all the sorts of noises you describe from neighbours. To be honest, I've always just thought it was part and parcel of not living in a detached house.

Obviously if I was being subject to loud music and raucous parties every night, it would be different, but the noise of people just going about their daily lives really doesn't bother me. In fact when I lived alone, I used to find it quite reassuring.

You say other people in the same style of property don't have the same issue, but have you actually been in their property to listen? Is it possible it's just something you're highly sensitive to, when others are not?

Yeah I went in the other property and their neighbour created similar noises and we heard nothing. I wish it was us being highly sensitive...

It's just frustrating when others don't have this issue and some reason this property is allowing the sound to travel through. My option now is to take the plasterboard off the living room wall to inspect any defects in the brickwork and go from there.