Soundproofing?

[Puddington]

Hi all, posting here for traffic but if there's a particular board it would be more suited to you can let me know!

So, we are interested in soundproofing our living room. We moved in in February and share a party wall with next door neighbours and have been having a bit of an issue with noise. It's not anything they are really doing out of malice (it's mostly their kids banging about and roaring/screaming, sounds like they are running on the hardwood floors with shoes on all day and jumping off furniture or similar, and we can occasionally hear their booming TV) and so I don't want to make any waves or anything and would rather just take measures on our side.

We've approached two places (we are in Scotland) for a quote and been estimated circa £900 for materials; neither of the places do installation but we do know a good local joiner who did work for us before.

I'd be interested in hearing anyone's experience of soundproofing, how much it cost, how much space you lost in the room (we are fortunate to have a fairly large living room so I'd gladly give up some space for peace) and most importantly whether it worked!! I will freely admit I am very sensitive to noise but all the banging is driving me insane and I'm pinning all my hopes on this.

TIA

[mineofuselessinformation]

Is there a cavity in the wall?
If there is (and you will need to drill several holes to do it), you can fill with expanding foam.

[Puddington]

@mineofuselessinformation

Is there a cavity in the wall?
If there is (and you will need to drill several holes to do it), you can fill with expanding foam.

Thanks for your reply!

Excuse my total ignorance but I'm actually not sure Having googled it seems you can tell by the way the bricks are laid, our house is built from traditional Scottish granite so perhaps more likely to be solid wall?

[saleorbouy]

Please do not squirt expanding foam into your walls especially if they are brick. You will likely cause damp issues.
Soundproofing is quite complex depending upon the frequency and also the means of transmission but generally it can be reduced by adding mass ( That is why a brick wall is better at reducing transmission than a dry stud wall)
The best source of information I could direct you to is the soundproofingstore website. Some good videoes and etc explanations etc.
I have recently been looking at systems to fit to my in laws partion wall in their new home in Ireland. If you are competent at DIY some can be fitted without a contractor reducing costs.

[Puddington]

@saleorbouy

Please do not squirt expanding foam into your walls especially if they are brick. You will likely cause damp issues.
Soundproofing is quite complex depending upon the frequency and also the means of transmission but generally it can be reduced by adding mass ( That is why a brick wall is better at reducing transmission than a dry stud wall)
The best source of information I could direct you to is the soundproofingstore website. Some good videoes and etc explanations etc.
I have recently been looking at systems to fit to my in laws partion wall in their new home in Ireland. If you are competent at DIY some can be fitted without a contractor reducing costs.

Thank you, we have had a look at that site and were quoted the £900ish on the ReductoClip Direct to Wall System specifically

[mylovelydd]

I would ask for this to be moved to the DIY/House section.
I want to know the answers to this too, I'm so over next-door's racket!

[Puddington]

@mylovelydd

I would ask for this to be moved to the DIY/House section.
I want to know the answers to this too, I'm so over next-door's racket!

Thanks, I've asked for it to be moved! I'm sorry you're in the same boat. The noise is really wearing on my nerves now.

[KimMumsnet]

Evening, OP. We'll pop this into the DIY forum for you now.

[Notthissticky]

Following. And can I say a huge thank you on behalf of your neighbours for your attitude to this? We're in an upstairs maisonette and our downstairs neighbour is of the opinion that we've ruined her life, which she has made clear in some very unpleasant ways. I suggested to her that she could soundproof her ceiling and you'd have thought I was making her eat shit from the look on her face. Having to work hard not to tread on egg shells in my own home...

[Puddington]

Thanks for moving the thread for me

And @Notthissticky, I just sort of feel like even if I DID cause a huge fuss (I'm just not the type!) and they took it on board with the best will in the world nobody can make a child be silent 24/7, so I'd rather take steps to ENSURE I get peace and quiet

Don't get me wrong I do have empathy for people who are driven nuts by noise, in my previous house (it was terraced, this is a semi and I'd hoped noise wouldn't travel so much) I had absolute genuine arsehole neighbours on one side who had frequent parties, blaring music, random people in and out all the time, a constantly yapping dog... I did speak to them about it politely a few times but if anything it just made them step it up. It was a rental place so unfortunately I couldn't do any soundproofing, I would have looked into it in a heartbeat otherwise!

I know the cost is a bit prohibitive for some people and it's frustrating to feel like you have no options, but in some cases (as it sounds like in yours, and it is in my current place) it's the fault of thin walls or flooring as opposed to people being loud specifically to be annoying. The fact normal noise drives me doolally isn't really their fault!

[Notthissticky]

You are so reasonable and pragmatic, your neighbours have no idea how lucky they are!!! Yes, it's the crap flooring that's the problem here. Took me a long while to accept that that is the problem, not my toddler or my baby. Neighbour did a real number on me... Even if she had a point though, I think the fact that she started the conversation off by saying that my toddler is mardy and then mentioned that her heart sank when she found out I was pregnant (of which she "didn't get much notice" - I wasn't aware she was entitled to this) means she has forfeited any goodwill and sympathy she may have had for us. I should add I'm not in the best place mentally ATM so this is getting to me much more than it should. I'm also super sensitive to noise so can really empathise with her in that sense. It would have been so nice to have a neighbour who dealt with it like you instead though! I hope you find solutions that work for you. In the meantime, head phones with active noise cancellation, ear plugs and white noise have helped me block out the deliberate noise coming from downstairs... Might be worth considering for yourself, in addition to soundproofing?

[Notthissticky]

goodwill and sympathy from* us!

[Changingwiththetimes]

I'm moving from a detached to end of terrace and noise was a big consideration as I had awful neighbours previously (childless and they objected to me even sneezing in my kitchen at night and would bang in the wall).
My new neighbours have just done an extension. I have looked at their floor plan and my new one to see the possible problem areas. I believe they are a young couple, and it's just me and my teenage kids. It's hall adjoining and I think the noise potential is in the master bedrooms which share a wall (the back bedroom has built in wardrobes on the party wall).
But my worry is my bathrooms are also against their bedrooms! That could be embarrassing... I will definitely be looking into adding a layer in between.

[chickenbreast]

We have adjoining walls in semi soundproofed. Our part of the house used to be gp surgery so they needed to sound proofed because of that. We can't hear our neighbours at all. You wouldn't know the walls are soundproofed if you are not told.

[user1471538283]

I had soundproofing put in. I bought the absolute best and it made a difference with tv and voices but not with banging doors. I lost very little space.

If your neighbours put down carpet that would help.