Airborne & Impact noise

[Chachi]

So, for over 1 year (a 2014 new build end terrace) noise levels have been very distressing thanks to ASB neighbours in the adjoining property. Complaint after complaint and eventually being forced to start a 'community trigger' (that's another story).

 

Long story, ASB neighbours moved on after I provided substancial evidence, recordings,CCTV and so on. New neighbours moved in, and guess what? Yep, noise at ridiculous levels.

 

After boring holes here and there and using an inspection cam from Amazon at £50, I noticed there was simply the cavity after a dot and dab to the breeze block in the Party wall. No insulation to be seen.

 

I removed the plasterboard under the stairs to expose breeze block with expanding foam directly from the stairs to the block itself. Small wonder I can hear every step nextdoor thinking its  stranger in the house. I would compare this newbuild to a cardboard box. Sick and fed up with noise I decided to do alot of research into building regs, concentrating on Part E. I also researched Soundproofing and in the end have gone it alone.

 

First stop was the carpet shop to buy 3 rolls of foam underlay (£40 roll 30-sqmtrs per roll) then off to BQ and purchased 8 packs of 50mm Soundproof panels at £81 per pack, then spray contact glue at £7 a pop (on 7th can). The whole Party wall has now had the first layer of underlay, then the large foam panels by a final layer of underlay. WOW! It's all hush, no voices bouncing off walls, the odd impact noise muffled.

 

So I have now started under the strairs doing the same. Infact I may have gone a tad far because I have even done the hall ceiling! Pro soundproofing would have hit me around £2500 without the fitting, yes okay, I have spent a bit but not £2500 and the results are amazing.

 

Now the fun part with wall art This time I made a large frame and purchased a large cotton canvas sheet, stretched and staples over the frame to make a huge panel...Now I need an artist... IT CAN BE DONE!

 

Don't let noisy neighbours affect you, have fun soundproofing and enjoy your results because the way I have described works 100% Oh, I just did the box room as well If you want to know how I thrashed the council in a community trigger, just drop me a line.

 

Edited January 21, 2022 by jack
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[SteamyTea]

8 minutes ago, Chachi said:

Now I need an artist

I know quite a fee, and the last 2 years has been very quiet for them.

8 minutes ago, Chachi said:

If you want to know how I thrashed the council in a community trigger, just drop me a line.

Write up a blog on here about it.  I had noisy neighbours, but after threatening the absentee landlord about it, they seem to have got better tenants.

Trouble is the last bad tenant in that house only moved a door away.  And now has a small, noisy car, as do his friends.

Edited January 20, 2022 by SteamyTea

[tanneja]

@Chachi have you got a link to the panels please?  Happy for you that you got a great outcome for yourself with minimal financial sacrifice.

[Chachi]

Very Sorry to hear SteamyTea. Check what is accepatable noise levels of a vehicle and if the vehicle is impacting on your life/welbeing then audio record it in various rooms within the house. The most useful thing I did about noise was audio recorders in each room, but different devices. There is a noise app I was often directed to, however, this app is useless and I knew that my own audio recordings were fine. I left recorders running all day and night and transfered each recording to a daily folder, building up a great log. I then cut these into short segments and played them as a background in a community trigger meeting, which I insisted on having audio recorded. At the same time as the noise nuisance (screaming,swearing,shouting,slamming doors,music) was being played in the meeting I read out over 20 reports of ASB. As all of this was going on I handed a number of images captured on CCTV all supporting my case. The Council, Local Police, Housing company for the ASB neighbours all had to accept the evidence to the point the housing company also made an offer which I declined. That is the very short version.

[Chachi]

Hi Tanneja. Link to panels are https://www.trade-point.co.uk/departments/instasoft-polyurethane-acoustic-insulation-board-l-1-2m-w-0-6m-t-40mm-of-6/5411545016787_TP.prd?gclid=Cj0KCQiAraSPBhDuARIsAM3Js4rthhFAjSvHGvgv8fNjWGrmPtLHZkzeT36fUKanSOlTAxyI6MK_V4oaAle5EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

I do hope I am okay to post links. Forget a 2* rating, thats because of a price increase. These panels with x2 underlay front and back are very very good and do an amazing job. 6 Panels in a pack and covering 4.32sqm or 46.5sqft which itself is quite a space.

 

Hope this helps

 

[tanneja]

Thank you @Chachi.  I am no expert but hopefully you have made sure these panels are fine for fire regs, it seems to say they should be fitted behind plasterboard, if you aren't doing that then to the laymen that is me I would assume they need a BS class 0 (Euro B) fire rating if they are the finished wall / ceiling material.

[markc]

Many new builds are so poorly built that this is now a common problem. It may not be the case that the neighbours or their cars are actually noisy but the house is amplifying the sound.

I recently visited a new build detached house where you could hear next doors TV but not when outside, then people talking outside sounded much louder when heard from inside the house

[Chachi]

Quite right Markc. It just comes down to a quick throw up and use of cheap materials. If there is a shortcut to be taken it will be taken.

[Chachi]

Yes indeed Tanneja. I am making sure I do a far better and safer job than those who built the place. Finding many shortcuts, my next task will be to check the 'cladding' to ensure they are not acm. I have a great great concern that many new builds up until 2017 have had unsafe materials in the builds.The panels that are now installed will go behind soundbloc plasterboard.