Noisey neighbours, friendly advice on what to do.

davilown

Zoe1345 said:

MFWannabe said:

All of the above advice is good 
They're not really being nuisance noisy neighbours if they’re just moving around their property, unfortunately you need to find ways to handle and cope with it until you move if that’s what you want to do. Very good suggestions here of earplugs, moving bedrooms and sound proofing 

Definitely do not start a noise war! 
Good Luck; I hope you can find a solution 

All above attempts to deal with have been taken. 
Noise war comment was sarcasm. Although I do think someone needs to make them directly aware of how noise travels in the houses when they are trying to sleep, and it might make them more considerate. As talking to them has not helped despite a response of " we've always know how bad the soundproofing is". 
Not vilifying as such, as I said, they are a lovely family. And I have no desire to fall out with them over it. 

Unfortunately they are living in their house, not doing anything wrong - if it’s that bad, you need to move

Zoe1345

davilown said:

So I think I’m right in saying that what you’re hearing is just normal household noise, albeit at different timings to what you would normally consider normal?
if so, unfortunately you’re only real option is to move. They aren’t making excessive noise beyond what can be reasonably expected from a house where people work different hours/shifts of the day. 

Shower - normal noise
Up and downstairs normal noise

With regards to your sound insulation, have you insulated the roof and between the floorboards? When we were in a semi this was where the noise transferred most effectively as there was no insulation in between.

ear plugs = essential piece of kit in life

If you can’t move, rearrange your living space so your living area is in the bedroom adjoining and your sleeping area is furthest away.

"Normal" noise executed at excessive levels in the late / early hours, that is disproportionate to the level of noise they make doing the same activity in the daytime + the addition of 3am shouting up stairs and shouting matches with kids. (That's as susinct as j can put it without having to repeat myself). 

Already established there is little we can do more than we have. In other parts of the thread. 

Already established that due to property layout and we cannot move rooms, or furniture more than we have, in any way that will ease noise. 

Already wear earplugs. Flanking soundproofing was done in floor and ceiling. 

lookstraightahead

I can't actually see that you can really do anything then. I moved because of road noise, I think that's what you are going to have to do here. 

Zoe1345

lookstraightahead said:

Zoe1345 said:

theoretica said:

Zoe1345 said:

theoretica said:

Zoe1345 said:

Aranyani said:

Zoe1345 said:

Aranyani said:

Perhaps you should start sleeping in a room that doesn’t connect to their bathroom? 

Yes, I would, if there were one big enough for our bed. Alas we dont have the luxury of 2+ double bedrooms. Pretty certain for most people this would be the first thing they'd consider! Even so, the sound reverberates through that entire side of the house, so unless I wanted to sleep on our staircase or in our bathroom then it would be difficult...

I'm sorry to have upset you so much with my suggestion! 

In my experience terraced houses generally have good room sizes, 2 big square rooms downstairs and 2 big square rooms upstairs, with one slightly smaller due to an added bathroom.  Is yours not of this design?  Even if the smaller bedroom isn't really a proper double if it just fits the bed you could still sleep in it and have your wardrobes and so on still in the big room.  Even if the sound carries there too it wouldn't be as bad?

I'd be curious to know what you moving around and your activities of living sound like to them.  With such poor soundproofing they must hear you too sometimes.  Have you ever invited one of them to come over and listen to what the running shower sounds like from your side of the wall?  What sort of hours do they work?

Not at all upset. Just baffled that you'd assume I may not have thought of this as an option, if it was. Terrace houses vary wildly in design and size - ever been in a 6 bed townhouse in bath, or a back to back up north? Wildly different doesn't even begin to cut it. We have 3 rooms. 1 room, is only just big enough for a small single. This is the only room on the other side of the house. I don't think myself and my 6ft husband will be fitting in there. The biggest room is the one we sleep in, the other is my husband's office, he runs a business from home. Both of these room side onto the vampire - elephant neighbours.

If I had your situation I would try camping out in the small single (or even living room floor or wherever in the house is quietest)  to see if it works to get some better sleep now and then even if you and your husband have to alternate nights. 

Sounds like a good plan... well, actually it doesn't, it really won't solve much! I noted before that the living room isnt very much better at all (same side of house). The small bedroom is SMALL and currently being used as a workshop for husband's work. So I'd have to sleep under the table. With the boxes of "stuff" I'd probably have about a meter square space to use. Maybe ok for 5ft me. Certainly not my husband. 

Of course it isn't as good as your neighbours miraculously changing their ways - but if you put not rearranging your house even temporarily over a potentially better sleep then you cope with sleeplessness far better than I do!

It's isn't really a case of reorganising the house alone, it's also reorganising my husband's business. It's not feasible unless we don't want sleep as well as to not pay the mortgage. If I could, I would in a snap, believe me! 

You're just changing office! 

The little room that doesn't join them (the only room that doesn't) is a workshop, not an office. Cannot be situated in the same room as clothes etc. Due to the nature of the work. And as noted we'd be lucky to fit a blow up single mattress in there ... If we moved out half the kit. To clarify again, the actual office also sides onto their bathroom, so it would be much help. 
I do find it mildly amusing that so many people seem to think that if the solution was as simple as that then I wouldn't have already taken it... And that sleeping in a sleeping bag on a cramped floor (because the rooms certainly not big enough for a proper bed) would even be a solution for a year for both myself and my husband ... There must be alot of keen avid regular campers on this forum!  

Zoe1345

lookstraightahead said:

I can't actually see that you can really do anything then. I moved because of road noise, I think that's what you are going to have to do here. 

We are planning on moving as I stated. But we can't afford to move yet. My OP noted that the reason we are doubting how we tackles this is BECAUSE of the move, and debating whether to kick up a fuss before hand. 

I think this is all going in circles now... Or perhaps it's just my dilerium from the lack of sleep !

Aranyani

I hope you didn’t pay the market rate for a 2 bedroom house, seeing as you don’t have one. 

Zoe1345

davilown said:

Zoe1345 said:

MFWannabe said:

All of the above advice is good 
They're not really being nuisance noisy neighbours if they’re just moving around their property, unfortunately you need to find ways to handle and cope with it until you move if that’s what you want to do. Very good suggestions here of earplugs, moving bedrooms and sound proofing 

Definitely do not start a noise war! 
Good Luck; I hope you can find a solution 

All above attempts to deal with have been taken. 
Noise war comment was sarcasm. Although I do think someone needs to make them directly aware of how noise travels in the houses when they are trying to sleep, and it might make them more considerate. As talking to them has not helped despite a response of " we've always know how bad the soundproofing is". 
Not vilifying as such, as I said, they are a lovely family. And I have no desire to fall out with them over it. 

Unfortunately they are living in their house, not doing anything wrong - if it’s that bad, you need to move

I refer you to the numerous other posts about "moving"  

davilown

Zoe1345 said:

davilown said:

So I think I’m right in saying that what you’re hearing is just normal household noise, albeit at different timings to what you would normally consider normal?
if so, unfortunately you’re only real option is to move. They aren’t making excessive noise beyond what can be reasonably expected from a house where people work different hours/shifts of the day. 

Shower - normal noise
Up and downstairs normal noise

With regards to your sound insulation, have you insulated the roof and between the floorboards? When we were in a semi this was where the noise transferred most effectively as there was no insulation in between.

ear plugs = essential piece of kit in life

If you can’t move, rearrange your living space so your living area is in the bedroom adjoining and your sleeping area is furthest away.

"Normal" noise executed at excessive levels in the late / early hours, that is disproportionate to the level of noise they make doing the same activity in the daytime + the addition of 3am shouting up stairs and shouting matches with kids. (That's as susinct as j can put it without having to repeat myself). 

Already established there is little we can do more than we have. In other parts of the thread. 

Already established that due to property layout and we cannot move rooms, or furniture more than we have, in any way that will ease noise. 

Already wear earplugs. Flanking soundproofing was done in floor and ceiling. 

Excessive levels for you because you normally sleep during this period? During the day you are much less likely to hear them due to additional ambient noise of the road, animals, kids etc. I doubt it is excessive to them, just to you.
perhaps they are not the issue.

Zoe1345

Aranyani said:

I hope you didn’t pay the market rate for a 2 bedroom house, seeing as you don’t have one. 

*Rolls eyes* Yes, we blindly paid for a two bed value property, without realising there weren't two large bedrooms in the house, but went ahead with the purchase none the less.

No, we payed the market rate for exactly the property we got in the location we got. And technically it would be three bed, there are three upstairs rooms. 

Zoe1345

davilown said:

Zoe1345 said:

davilown said:

So I think I’m right in saying that what you’re hearing is just normal household noise, albeit at different timings to what you would normally consider normal?
if so, unfortunately you’re only real option is to move. They aren’t making excessive noise beyond what can be reasonably expected from a house where people work different hours/shifts of the day. 

Shower - normal noise
Up and downstairs normal noise

With regards to your sound insulation, have you insulated the roof and between the floorboards? When we were in a semi this was where the noise transferred most effectively as there was no insulation in between.

ear plugs = essential piece of kit in life

If you can’t move, rearrange your living space so your living area is in the bedroom adjoining and your sleeping area is furthest away.

"Normal" noise executed at excessive levels in the late / early hours, that is disproportionate to the level of noise they make doing the same activity in the daytime + the addition of 3am shouting up stairs and shouting matches with kids. (That's as susinct as j can put it without having to repeat myself). 

Already established there is little we can do more than we have. In other parts of the thread. 

Already established that due to property layout and we cannot move rooms, or furniture more than we have, in any way that will ease noise. 

Already wear earplugs. Flanking soundproofing was done in floor and ceiling. 

Excessive levels for you because you normally sleep during this period? During the day you are much less likely to hear them due to additional ambient noise of the road, animals, kids etc. I doubt it is excessive to them, just to you.
perhaps they are not the issue.

Very helpful. Yes, because we normally sleep at 2am, unlike most people (the discussion about night shift workers has already been had), unlike a family who have kids in school, who certainly wouldn't normally sleep at this time. But indeed, let's go with I'm the issue. You can read the other posts in the thread with others to ascertain the issue and make your mind up (it really makes little odds to me) but I do hope one day you don't have to deal with the noise we do at 3am every night. 

As was stated earlier in the thread, perhaps, for constructive and helpful comments sake, don't assume others aren't capable of distinguishing"normal" levels of noise from excessive.