Sound proofing a semi

[Junjulaug]

We moved into a semi a year ago having lived in a detached house for 10 years. Our neighbours are elderly, and I’m sure we make way more noise than they do.....but....their tv is constantly on, and last night I could hear one of them snoring through the walls. There are 2 shared chimney breasts between the houses and I’m convinced a lot of noise comes via the chimney (our side is blocked up). What is the best way to sound proof a house - we’d be prepared to spend quite a bit of money on something that worked.

We didn’t find a way. We spent quite a bit of money knocking off the plaster, having polystyrene backed plasterboard put on then replastered. Actually lost a bit of room as it was inches thick. It didn’t work.

Seemingly semi’s share joists so the sound can travel through those and not just through brickwork. The constant noise (we could actually watch our tv with our volume off as he was hard of hearing) made me ill.

We sold up and bought detached. You have my sympathy.

Friends of ours our bookshelves (full of books) along the party wall. Worked pretty well.

It depends on the construction of your house,as to whether soundproofing will work. If the walls are breeze block,not much will help. Breeze blocks transmit noise really well. If you get someone to tap on the inside of an outer wall of your house,and you go to the opposite side of the house and you can hear the noise,that's how efficient they are at transmitting noise. As a previous poster says,sound will also travel along joists,through chimney breasts,through adjoining lofts and through any tiny gaps.