Soundproofing a wall in terrace house

[yummymumtobe]

We can hear our neighbours ds (aged 3) when he wakes up in the morning. He wakes at 6.30 so once he's awake, we're awake. We can't wear earplugs as we have our own dd to listen out for (who sleeps till 8!)

We can't move bedrooms as the only double room is the one that adjoins the neighbour's ds's room.

Is there any effective soundproofing out there? I am guessing that the sudden loud noises of a child crying or chattering are harder to block out than a constant background noise like traffic. We don't want to sled a fortune if it will have no effect, but if anyone has done something that really worked I would love to know.

Who said that Victorian houses were solidly built?!

Egg boxes fixed so that the air is trapped between it and the wall are effective.

Shift furniture so that there's a wardrobe on the party wall? Polystyrene sheets... Or building a proper layer of sound-proofing under a new, second stud and plasterboard wall.
Also, floors can carry noise as much as walls. If you have bare boards, consider carpet.

I'm afraid we found it very hard. I think it's easier to block your noise leaving than theirs coming in. So could you ask them to do anything their side? I agree about the idea that Victorian houses are all solid and well built is nonsense - there were cowboys then too, such as the ones who built ours.

Watching this thread as dp lives in a terrace (end-of, fortunately) with neighbours who think that 630 on a saturday is a good time to have shouted conversations and the TV on loud 'for the news'.

The houses were built with only 1 brick thickness as a party wall, so I think the only thing to do would be to build a false wall inside the party wall, properly soundproofed. Does mean he will lose about 4" tho.

And it would definitley help if the neighbours did the same

We built did the stud wall solution with soundproof material (like insulation fabric). If you can afford the space, it works well (did for us).

Within the first weekend of moving into our lady home we decided it needed doing, as ndn yelled at his kids from bed (room adjoined ours), at the top of his lungs. Seemed to cut the noise well enough to regain our lie ins.

We did it all ourselves, ordered the fabric online, stuffed between studs, then did two layers of plaster board (as recommended).

I am loathe to speak to the neighbours about it. Firstly because it's not 'selfish' noise. A child waking up isn't really the same as TV or music. There isn't much they can do. And secondly, it then becomes a house with an issue that may have to be declared when we sell it.

We could think about built in floor to ceiling wardrobes I suppose. The only problem is that because it's Victorian there is a massive bay window and also a smaller window that is actually up against the party wall, so if we built a stud wall we would be building in front of the window. If only the child was the other side! Fireplace and alcoves on that side so ideal place to build a stud wall!

He is 3. What age do children stop crying for their mum when they wake up? Or not for ages?!!!

My neighbour's child is almost 5 and still does it. I have the same problem, and have just learnt to tolerate it. At some point, I realised my teenage DS1 was probably disturbing them, too. I've lost count of the times I've been woken by a teen after midnight then a toddler before 6am!