Noise Insulation

[Anonymous]

I live in the basement flat of a listed georgian house in Gravesend, Kent. A few months ago a new family moved into the house above my flat and have been doing extensive renovations we have since discovered that there is no insulation between the floorboards and my ceiling. Basically it is unbearable, i have suggested getting the insulation put in from the floor above which they refused to do, i heard about the possibility of insulation using Rockwool from my ceiling to cut out the noise but i can't seem to get anyone to give me a quote or an idea on how effective this might be. Please help i am desperate - Sleep deprived in Gravesend!!

 

[Anonymous]

Is the problem that the new neighbours have noisier living habits than their predecessors? Or is it just the noise of the renovations?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi, they do have noisier habits and i have tried talking to them to see if they could be more considerate but i was told to learn to live with it. For my own sanity i have decided to carry out the work as long as it's not too expensive.

 

[Anonymous]

Poor you! I can only offer sympathy, but there are people on the forum who can offer real practical advice. Keep logging in.

 

[Anonymous]

In this day and age and with flat living being what it is I can't believe there's no 'noise nuisance' clause in your respective contracts. Call your agent and/or the Council for advice first before taking more expensive practical measures.

 

[Anonymous]

I can think of few things worse than neighbours who are not only noisy, but also show no inclination to do anything about it. You have my sincere sympathy.
Frankly I don't think that rockwool is going to fully solve your problem - it'll help a bit, but won't be a complete cure. The thing that all received wisdom seems to suggest is that - as a first step - you should set about trying to seal any possible air gaps (however small) between your room and the room above.
After that... well have a look at the website below. They seem to have quite a lot of advice on ceiling acoustic insulation products and techniques. Of course, they're trying to sell you something, but the site a is certainly worth a read. I found it by googling "acoustic insulation". Have a go and see what else you can find.
Good luck.


http://www.soundstop.co.uk/

 

[Anonymous]

Most georgian domestic floors seem to be whats called single floors - wooden joists running in one direction, with planks running across the top at 90deg to the joists.

The ceiling laths below are then usually nailed directly to the same joists. In between the floor boards and your ceiling laths is often nothing but fresh air. Sound is transmitted directy through the joists as they provide a continous phsyical connection between the knocks etc on the boards above and your ceiling finish.

The people above could add pugging (sound insulation) in the space between by lifting their floor boards - this would be quite cheap to do and easy if they dont have fixed floor coverings and havent moved in.

If you cant get there, you can either remove your ceiling and do it from below (expensive and messy) or add a false ceiling which is physically isolated from the exsiting one. You will lose a few inches of headroom though.

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you everyone, i am so grateful, i have just been going through the archive and it is amazing how many people suffer from noise related problems. I will take all advise and suggestions on board and keep you posted.

Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Great website - the ceiling access solutions look perfect for this, I would have thought. I cant imagine that these would be too expensive to do either.

 

[Anonymous]

Trully great website, i have someone recommended by them coming down to give a quote on Saturday. Lets hope i don't need a small mortgage for the work to be done.

 

[Anonymous]

There's probably something in your and their leaseholds giving you a right to 'quiet enjoyment'. This may well go so far as to require them to have carpet - I wonder if bare floorboards are part of the problem here. If so you might get the freeholder to enforce it. Could be cheaper (for you) and more effective.

 

[Anonymous]

Whether or not you end up being able to afford their recommended solution, please do post details of it here. The information could be useful to others.

 

[Anonymous]

The people causing the noise are the freeholders and i have checked my lease for the quiet enjoyment clause which does not mention anything about carpets - when they moved in they knocked down a wall in their hall and removed all the carpet and underlay on the floor directly above me so there are no quiet areas in the flat. I might pop down to the local CAB and see what they say!
I have tried the building and environmental control department at the council and they can't offer me a solution either.

 

[Anonymous]

Of course, noise can travel both ways, can't it?
Perhaps you could develop a taste for the sort of music that has one of those really penetrating bass sounds and just wait until they complain.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh dear...

 

[Anonymous]

Actually a colleague at work has recommended a "revenge CD" from the i want one of those website so at £7.99 that might be a better noise insulation option.

 

[Anonymous]

indeed..........

 

[Anonymous]

Well, the weekend has brought more wonderful results, the insulation guy did not turn up - this is the 3rd time. My neighbour sent me a letter yesterday 18/12 informing me of his intention to seek legal action if i continue to complain about the noise as "he" finds it harrassing! So i am at the looking for a lawyer stage and getting the council involved formally which i did not think we should do before. So up to the panel - any one know of a good insulation company based in London, Essex or Kent, i have tried the ones in Dartford, they make appointments and never show up. Also a good lawyer who deals with Leasehold issues would be helpful.

 

[Anonymous]

Thinking about it, I may have been wrong - 'quite enjoyment' may be a right in law, common or otherwise. Any lawyers out there?

 

[Anonymous]

The quiet enjoyment clause in my leahold agreement states

"That the tenant paying the rents hereby reserved and onserving and performing the several convenants and stipulations herein on his part contained shall peacefully hold and enjoy The premises during thesaid term without any interruption by the landlord or any person rightfully claiming under or in trust for it."