ᐅ Optimal Sound Insulation of Houses and Apartments: A Comparison
Created on: 1 Mar 2022 10:01
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superbadquestiS
superbadquesti1 Mar 2022 10:01Hello,
I didn’t know who to ask, so I’m posting here. I’m not sure if questions about apartments are allowed.
I’m considering buying a house or an apartment. I would actually prefer an apartment since, as far as I understand, they are usually more economical and environmentally friendly. I’m not very demanding, but I once lived in an apartment where I could hear a lot from the neighbors. Examples include: a neighbor singing, neighbors having conversations (you could hear individual words depending on the volume), neighbors’ romantic activities, footsteps in the hallway, the elevator (which bothers me the least).
In general, I’m not very picky, but that experience was really the limit, and I never want to go through that again.
Is it possible to insulate an apartment so well that it feels like living in a house? How much would that cost? What factors need to be considered during construction? I don’t have a sound level meter yet, so I can’t say how loud the noises actually are.
I didn’t know who to ask, so I’m posting here. I’m not sure if questions about apartments are allowed.
I’m considering buying a house or an apartment. I would actually prefer an apartment since, as far as I understand, they are usually more economical and environmentally friendly. I’m not very demanding, but I once lived in an apartment where I could hear a lot from the neighbors. Examples include: a neighbor singing, neighbors having conversations (you could hear individual words depending on the volume), neighbors’ romantic activities, footsteps in the hallway, the elevator (which bothers me the least).
In general, I’m not very picky, but that experience was really the limit, and I never want to go through that again.
Is it possible to insulate an apartment so well that it feels like living in a house? How much would that cost? What factors need to be considered during construction? I don’t have a sound level meter yet, so I can’t say how loud the noises actually are.
Hello,
Are you planning to buy a newly built apartment or an older one?
If it’s an older apartment, there isn’t much you can do. The measures you can take won’t prevent impact and airborne noise from neighbors being transmitted through the building structure. For airborne noise, you could install a soundproof drywall partition in front of your separating wall. However, this won’t reduce noise transmission through floors or ceilings from above, below, or next to you.
With a newly built apartment, the problem should generally be much less. Requirements today are so strict that, if properly executed, sound transmission is significantly reduced. However, it will never be completely eliminated. There are regulations specifying by how many decibels noise must be reduced before reaching your apartment.
You don’t need to take any special action other than trusting that the contractor does a good job, and if necessary, take legal action. BUT you will still hear some noise in a new building. Only in a detached house you really get a quiet environment like that of your own home.
Are you planning to buy a newly built apartment or an older one?
If it’s an older apartment, there isn’t much you can do. The measures you can take won’t prevent impact and airborne noise from neighbors being transmitted through the building structure. For airborne noise, you could install a soundproof drywall partition in front of your separating wall. However, this won’t reduce noise transmission through floors or ceilings from above, below, or next to you.
With a newly built apartment, the problem should generally be much less. Requirements today are so strict that, if properly executed, sound transmission is significantly reduced. However, it will never be completely eliminated. There are regulations specifying by how many decibels noise must be reduced before reaching your apartment.
You don’t need to take any special action other than trusting that the contractor does a good job, and if necessary, take legal action. BUT you will still hear some noise in a new building. Only in a detached house you really get a quiet environment like that of your own home.
I agree, but I’d like to add: preferably an apartment in the attic.
This usually significantly reduces the perception of impact noise since there’s no one above you, though you might still hear faint sounds from adjacent apartments. You shouldn’t really hear anything from the apartment below. This also naturally lowers noise from the stairwell, as there is less foot traffic on the top floor.
Another point I want to mention: generally, the more younger people living in a building, the more parties and loud music there tend to be. This isn’t always the case, but it happens quite often. I still feel sorry for the neighbors of our student shared flat.
This usually significantly reduces the perception of impact noise since there’s no one above you, though you might still hear faint sounds from adjacent apartments. You shouldn’t really hear anything from the apartment below. This also naturally lowers noise from the stairwell, as there is less foot traffic on the top floor.
Another point I want to mention: generally, the more younger people living in a building, the more parties and loud music there tend to be. This isn’t always the case, but it happens quite often. I still feel sorry for the neighbors of our student shared flat.
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