Soundproofing walls?

[Abubu]

Hi,
We are in a semi detached house and I find the noise from neighbours really disturbing. I don't think they are particularly noisy (in fact with small children I expect we are noisier) but I think the walls are very thin (although oddly my neighbour once told me the exact opposite - she doesn't seem to notice it at all).

Anyway,I can hear doors slamming, voices etc, sometimes I think I can hear someone in the house at night which is particularly disturbing. I am continually running up and down the stairs in the evening like a loon because I think the children are running around the corridor when in fact it is next door.

Has anyone had soundproofing done on their walls? What kind of cost is it and is it worth it?

Thanks

Our plasterers put an extra soundproof board one of our internal walls (between a bathroom and bedroom) and it made a massive difference. It wasn't hugely expensive I really can't remember how much, but definitely not more than £200 but it was smallish wall and they were in skimming the whole house anyway so that was probably a factor in the price. They plastered over it when they did the rest of the room and you'd never know it's there apart from the lost couple of cm of space. We got it to eliminate loo noises, so I'm not sure how it would hold up to slamming doors and voices. I think you'd still hear them, though they'd be more muffled.

A lot depends on how your walls are constructed.If they have a breeze block inner wall,no amount of soundproofing will really help,as the sound travels around through the walls.Next time it is really noisy,go and put your ear against the wall furthest away from your shared wall.If you can still hear the noise clearly,soundproofing won't help,unless you do the whole house and also seal all the gaps between floorboards,joists,eaves ect.

However,if your walls are single skin brick,soundproofing the shared wall will be possible and should improve matters.

We had a similar problem,our neighbours are elderly and very quiet,but the walls are concrete blocks and conduct noise easily.I sometimes cant tell if someone upstairs is moving about in our house or theirs and can often hear their tv.But I've gotten used to it and don't notice it any more,plus they are lovely neighbours to have,it is a small price to pay.

A friend solved a similar problem in her victorian semi by laying really thick carpet and underlay in all the rooms that adjoined. Apparently it made a huge difference in deadening noise from next door - the house had had completely stripped wood floors before that.