Noisy Neighbours

[Anton]

Well ok, they're not that bad, but next door the internal doors are the big heavy fire doors, and they close with such a bang that things rattle through our house that shouldn't rattle!

My concern is that we could get new neighbours who add to this audible delight with a bit of boombastic, 'turn up the base' type of intrusion.
Now, having had some of that before, I insulated the party wall (not the loft, granted) and it has helped to a degree. Now I'm hearing about 'flanking sound transfer' that comes at you through the floor area and requires new ceilings to be fitted along with noise insulation! Is there no end to this madness?

What do I do? Yes, buy a detached is the obvious one, but in the current climate, not an affordable option. Question: Is it possible (if not practicable) to separate semi-detached houses? (there's only the 2 of us, nothing either side) now I know that this would be a job for competent builders, but is anyone aware of it having been done?

Having read that through, I sound like a right moaning old git, but I'm not, honest!

 

[ogoshi]

If your on friendly terms with your neighbours you could try buying them a roll of draught excluder,the foam type which is sticky on one side for it to stick to the door frame.This cushions the bang when the door closes.
You would have to be tactful when suggesting they use it,perhaps telling them how much warmer your house is since fitting it.(it would be worth fitting some in your own house first in case he wants to see it.)
Hope this helps.

 

[Anton]

It's a good idea ogoshi. I've even considered paying for the installation of soundproofing on their side of the party wall. Regrettably, our relatively new neighbours appear to be on the shy side, they don't even answer the door if anyone knocks!
But it is something I'll bear in mind.

 

[masona]

I have fitted many fire doors in rest home and majority of them are fitted with door closer which control the banging on the door frame.I know they can be an eyesore,maybe you can supply & fit one for them and say that the fire regulation stated that door should be fitted with a self-closing device.

To separate semi-detached houses is very costly and would be cheaper to move.

 

[Jackie0402]

I was very interested to read that you'd fitted sound insulation.

I've got a really nice neighbour but her grown up daughter needs to grow up and move out!! The other day she was outside "relaxing" in the garden and listening to very fast, rave dance music at full volume (she'd pulled the speakers to the door).

I've tried asking politely, turning up the TV so I can hear it (but it never covers the boom boom boom) and getting in touch with the council, but there is no escape.

How did you get the insulation fitted, was it very expensive and how well did it work?

 

[AdamW]

Try growing a big tree in your garden: after 50 years or so you will be blocking out her sun

I can see a problem with you havind sound insulation for this purpose: the times when said daughter is in the garden are no doubt the hottest days. The days when you have your windows/ patio doors open. So, it looks like your only two solutions are:

1) Somehow get her to turn it down (but you have already asked politely as you say). Did you ask the daughter or the parents? If you asked the daughter and had no luck, try asking her parents. Despite the fact she is grown up they can still make things unpleasant for her if she is misbehaving! And there is nothing adults hate more than being treated as a toddler!

2) Try to limit the amount of sound coming over the fence through blocking or absorbing it.

Growing a tallish hedge would reduce the amount of noise you hear from their garden. This is not the quickest solution, but they can grow surprisingly quickly so by next summer the sound could be reduced. She may have moved out by then, though!

 

[fitter]

This is a real pain in the bum situation, which I've been through 3 times.

How old is the daughter?

How well do you get on with her parents?

Do you get noise late at night / early morning?

Is there a real chance she will move out or is that just wishful thinking?

Are the parents there when she is making noise?

 

[Anton]

How did you get the insulation fitted, was it very expensive and how well did it work?

I used the insulation 'boards' from Wickes. Simple enough to fit really, the boards can be temporarily fixed across the party wall with tile adhesive (just to hold them in place) then plasterboard straight over the top. The boards are held in place with long plastic 'plugs'. Drill through the board and insulation, then hammer the plugs home. Skim when done.

I can't honestly remember the cost, something like 50 or 60 quid per wall. But well worth it!

They don't cut out all the noise, but it muffles the worst, and loses such noise as talking, TV etc. Music Bass is a different matter.

The ideal is to have it done next door as well, obviously. But it's very disruptive and well, they won't have that now will they?

I fitted it myself, which keeps the cost down. You can also fit a 'floating' stud wall, leave a gap behind it and don't fix it to the wall at all (ceiling side walls, and floor only) Insulate the gap behind.

Either way, you lose a couple of inches of the length of the room, but you really don't notice once you decorate.