building regulations.. anyone?

[starlover]

further to my noisy neighbours thread, I have been trying to find out about building regs governing the soundproofing of wooden floors (or soundproofing in general)

Have found that I need Part E, which was amended recently... But can't find what the regulations actually say!

Does anyone know, if you decide to put wooden floors down in an old flat... do you have to sound proof them?

[morningpaper]

The answer was 'no' about five years ago but it might have changed. Unbelievable innit?

[starlover]

yeah, there was an amendment to it in 2004.... but can't figure out what exactly it is!

I am shit at searching for stuff on google.

The leasehold agreements on the flats do say that you can't do anything that causes a nuisance to adjoinuing properties... to may have to try and go down that route perhaps...

[throckenholt]

dh's building reg book says

45 dB airborne sound insulation and 62dB impact sound insulation - whatever that means - I have no idea how you measure it.

I would contact the local council building control and ask them - they are responsible for enforcing building regs.

[starlover]

yeah, i might just do that...

does it count if they have just stripped back the existing floorboards?

[throckenholt]

um - to be honest the book is as clear as mud - I can't tell if it is only for new floors or applies to existing floors as well - sorry.

[soapbox]

Starlover - I don't think it will count if they have just stripped back the existing boards as building regs usually cover only alterations to existing buildings and new buildings, i.e. they do not apply retrospectively.

You are more likely to find the answer you need in your lease agreement. I assume that you either share the freehold, in which case there should be an agreement or have a lease from your freeholder.

Depending on when the lease agreement was written there may well be a clause in there about not having bare floor boards on upper floor flats without installing appropriate installation. In fact many leases stipulate that the floors and stairs must be carpeted.

I'd have a look at the lease and then go to the council if that doesn't reveal anything!

[starlover]

i will speak to my landlady. she lent us the leasehold agreement thingy before, so i'll perhaps go through it with her and see if it says anything.

all we know is that upstairs have hard floors, not sure if it's original floorboards, or something that have put in on top... so perhaps contact their landlady to find out.

argh!