Hello everyone,
I have a few questions regarding sound insulation in a semi-detached house. I have already read a lot about noise issues in semi-detached homes.
The reason I need to deal with this is that after moving, we are now facing similar problems ourselves.
For the past two years, we lived in a semi-detached house (built in 2015) with neighbors who are a family with one child (2 years old). We did not have any noise problems there. Of course, you could hear the child crying loudly sometimes, but it was never really disturbing.
Now we have moved again, into another semi-detached house (built in 2020), and are plagued by many noise issues.
The house is very noisy. We hear a lot from the neighbors; here is what we hear from them:
- Normal conversations are sometimes audible (especially in the evening when everything is quiet, these can be heard very clearly)
- Loud conversations are clearly audible (disturbing even when the radio or TV is on)
- Very loud impact noise from footsteps (clearly audible, especially from the upper floor)
- Bed creaking noises
- Closing of doors (I can hear exactly which room the neighbors enter and where the door is being closed)
- Water sounds
- Setting down items on the floor or furniture
At first, we suspected the neighbors were very loud, but they have now even taken precautions (closing windows once we go to bed, closing room doors, they even bought a soundproofing panel). Unfortunately, these measures had little effect. Now both the neighbors and we suspect the issue lies with the building itself.
Together with the neighbors, we have already tried to locate the source of the noise transmission but without success. What stands out is that impact noise from the upper floor is the most noticeable; the staircase seems to cause fewer issues.
A few key facts about the building:
- New semi-detached house built in 2020, designed in an urban villa style
- Party wall is double-layered with a separating gap (on the outside you can see something in the gap)
- We suspect the roof beams run continuously through both units
- The entire house is tiled throughout
I also tried measuring decibel levels with an app but without much success. After talking to the neighbors, I was even allowed to try recording the noise, but that also did not help. Although the sound levels on the recordings showed peaks and changes, it does not sound like it does in reality.
We have now scheduled an appointment with the landlord for the upcoming weekend.
As preparation for this appointment, I am reaching out to you all to possibly get some tips on what exactly to pay attention to or what questions/points to raise.
Both parties in the house are interested in solving the problem (if it’s even possible) because we cannot live or sleep properly like this, and the other party of course also wants to live normally and not have me contacting them about noise every day.
I am attaching a few pictures I have available.
Thank you in advance for your answers.
Regards,
Dennis
I have a few questions regarding sound insulation in a semi-detached house. I have already read a lot about noise issues in semi-detached homes.
The reason I need to deal with this is that after moving, we are now facing similar problems ourselves.
For the past two years, we lived in a semi-detached house (built in 2015) with neighbors who are a family with one child (2 years old). We did not have any noise problems there. Of course, you could hear the child crying loudly sometimes, but it was never really disturbing.
Now we have moved again, into another semi-detached house (built in 2020), and are plagued by many noise issues.
The house is very noisy. We hear a lot from the neighbors; here is what we hear from them:
- Normal conversations are sometimes audible (especially in the evening when everything is quiet, these can be heard very clearly)
- Loud conversations are clearly audible (disturbing even when the radio or TV is on)
- Very loud impact noise from footsteps (clearly audible, especially from the upper floor)
- Bed creaking noises
- Closing of doors (I can hear exactly which room the neighbors enter and where the door is being closed)
- Water sounds
- Setting down items on the floor or furniture
At first, we suspected the neighbors were very loud, but they have now even taken precautions (closing windows once we go to bed, closing room doors, they even bought a soundproofing panel). Unfortunately, these measures had little effect. Now both the neighbors and we suspect the issue lies with the building itself.
Together with the neighbors, we have already tried to locate the source of the noise transmission but without success. What stands out is that impact noise from the upper floor is the most noticeable; the staircase seems to cause fewer issues.
A few key facts about the building:
- New semi-detached house built in 2020, designed in an urban villa style
- Party wall is double-layered with a separating gap (on the outside you can see something in the gap)
- We suspect the roof beams run continuously through both units
- The entire house is tiled throughout
I also tried measuring decibel levels with an app but without much success. After talking to the neighbors, I was even allowed to try recording the noise, but that also did not help. Although the sound levels on the recordings showed peaks and changes, it does not sound like it does in reality.
We have now scheduled an appointment with the landlord for the upcoming weekend.
As preparation for this appointment, I am reaching out to you all to possibly get some tips on what exactly to pay attention to or what questions/points to raise.
Both parties in the house are interested in solving the problem (if it’s even possible) because we cannot live or sleep properly like this, and the other party of course also wants to live normally and not have me contacting them about noise every day.
I am attaching a few pictures I have available.
Thank you in advance for your answers.
Regards,
Dennis
ypg schrieb:
Do your neighbors hear the noise in the same way?
It seems something is connected, maybe there’s no floating screed or the floor coverings are in contact with the walls... According to the neighbors, they don’t hear anything from us.
We are also careful.
For example, quite early on we noticed that walking on socks causes more impact noise than when wearing house slippers, so since then we have been wearing slippers.
Besides, the neighbors really enjoy gaming and wear headphones; according to them, they don’t hear anything. And when the neighbors walk through the house in the evening (to the bathroom, downstairs, etc.—which I do notice), we are usually already in bed.
N
nordanney5 Jul 2020 15:33I suspect that you are the "problem." The neighbors don’t seem to have any issues with the "noise," only you do. So don’t start looking for excuses—just move out.
nordanney schrieb:
I suspect that you are the "problem." The neighbors don't seem to have any issues with the "noise," only you do. So don't look for any issues—just move out.Based on experience with a semi-detached house, I would argue that we are not the problem. The noises inside the house have also been noticed by other visitors who came over.Pinky0301 schrieb:
I find it unusual that you can hear the neighbors so clearly in a new build. Even for someone sensitive to noise, you shouldn't really be able to hear anything, right? We share the same opinion, especially since we are familiar with living in a semi-detached house.
But being able to hear bed creaking or glasses being placed on the bedside tables next door is not normal.
Denex07 schrieb:
And when the neighbors walk through their house in the evening (to the bathroom, downstairs, etc. I notice that), we are already in bed. Wait a minute. It’s normal to hear muffled sounds, for example footsteps on a wooden staircase (vibrations) attached to the shared wall.
I don’t know anyone who would make an issue out of that. If THAT is what you mean by noise problems, then it’s not a problem.
Perception and noise are different things. Maybe you’re confusing the two because you are very sensitive. I find the issue with slippers quite questionable.
With a concrete ceiling, it can also happen that the walking style causes muffled noises. But that’s just how it is, just as you can hear car doors closing through an exterior wall or birds chirping, but only very few people find that unpleasant. However, I know people who can’t filter out “background noises.” That, of course, is a personal issue.
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