Anyone had their ceiling soundproofed?

[Jamon]

We bought our first home earlier this year - ground floor of an Edwardian house.

There is no soundproofing between the floors and we're having particular problems with impact noise at night. The couple upstairs have a tiny baby and walk up and down all night. I'm staying with family tonight to get some sleep as I was beside myself last night / today.

I've had some quotes to sound proof our bedroom ceiling - it involves putting a second, separate ceiling in thus reducing that impact noise. It would cover up all the lovely original cornicing on the real ceiling above but our health is too important now.

I'm most worried about spending the money (about £2k) and finding noise is still a problem.

Does anyone have any experience of this? Did it work?

No experience other than to say I really feel for you. I used to live in a flat where the lady above had a hard floor and I could hear absolutely everything. It used to keep me awake every night and the stress and anxiety it caused drove me to tears regularly!

I eventually moved, but if that hadn't happened I'd have done what you're considering. Do it - there's nothing worse than not being able to rest and relax in your own home!

can you get earplugs in the interim? We invested in soundproofing but for the wall and it's worked so well.

doesn't the lease specify carpets (no hard floors)?

Edwardian houses usually have thick lime-plaster ceilings (though they do tend to fall down, the cornices are usually nailed up and can be kept)

Lime plaster is heavy and noise-absorbing, unless it has holes in it, e.g. for pipes or downlighters, which should be repaired.

Do your ceilings look at all cracked or saggy? If so, you could add soundproofing measures when they fall down (sorry).

Very common if there has been damp or leaks (the nails rust away) or in towns that were blitzed and shaken about.

It is very dirty work.

Thanks Lampet. I've been crying in the night most nights with the stress of it. It's absolutely awful.

Believeit I wear earplugs and listen to white noise - you can still hear the footsteps

Piglet they have laminate hard floors above. I've spoken to their landlord and he's a horrible horrible man. They won't put carpets down. There's nothing wrong with the ceiling - it's in perfect condition , and not falling down!! As for the mess, The firm we are looking at to do the job have very good reviews for professionalism and clearing up afterwards. The inconvenience is a small price to pay for being able to sleep, anyway.

Just looking for reassurance that it works really - if anyone has had it done?

Would the upstairs LL put down carpet if you paid? Chealer to carpet the bedroom with the best underlay and nice carpet than to soundproof your ceiling.

Have you checked the lease? They generally say no hard floors in conversions.

Op, I had the same thing and put some acoustic carpet underlay down (with upstairs LL consent) but it made no difference at all. I had beautiful ornate high ceilings, and got quotes to have a suspended ceiling, but the person who lived there before me has done that to the kitchen, and that hadn't worked either. Unfortunately I think it's a real problem with converted flats and the best you can hope for is quiet tenants to move in. Sorry.