Hi, I live in a Victorian building, in a top floor flat.

I have new downstairs neighbours (students) and have suddenly got a
noise problem to deal with.

The main problem is music noise in the living room - mostly bass and
drum sounds, though at night I can also hear loud conversations. I've
asked them politely if they would mind keeping the bass / music down,
though as yet this has had no real effect as the problem just recurs
the next day.

Currently the flooring in the living room is wooden floorboards about a
lathe and plaster ceiling, covered in a 4mm layer of hardboard, a layer
of 4mm cork tiles, and some vinyl tiles on top of the cork. The gaps
between floorboards and round the butt ends were filled and sealed
before the hardboard layer was put down.

I'm wondering how much difference it would make to the problem if I
replaced the cork/vinyl tiles with a thick felt underlay and carpet?
It's mostly low frequency sound that's the problem, so I'm concerned
that it may have little effect, and would cost a fair bit.

I'll persevere with trying to get my neighbours to be a bit quieter,
but I'm wondering what I can do to lessen the effect it's having. If it
keeps on like this I'll just sell up and move.

Thanks for any input.

I'll persevere with trying to get my neighbours to be a bit quieter,
but I'm wondering what I can do to lessen the effect it's having. If it
keeps on like this I'll just sell up and move.


Environmental Health Department ? There is no way you should have to
move...

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi, I live in a Victorian building, in a top floor flat.

I have new downstairs neighbours (students) and have suddenly got a
noise problem to deal with.

The main problem is music noise in the living room - mostly bass and
drum sounds, though at night I can also hear loud conversations. I've
asked them politely if they would mind keeping the bass / music down,
though as yet this has had no real effect as the problem just recurs
the next day.

Currently the flooring in the living room is wooden floorboards about a
lathe and plaster ceiling, covered in a 4mm layer of hardboard, a layer
of 4mm cork tiles, and some vinyl tiles on top of the cork. The gaps
between floorboards and round the butt ends were filled and sealed
before the hardboard layer was put down.

I'm wondering how much difference it would make to the problem if I
replaced the cork/vinyl tiles with a thick felt underlay and carpet?
It's mostly low frequency sound that's the problem, so I'm concerned
that it may have little effect, and would cost a fair bit.

I'll persevere with trying to get my neighbours to be a bit quieter,
but I'm wondering what I can do to lessen the effect it's having. If it
keeps on like this I'll just sell up and move.

Thanks for any input.

A few inches of sand between the joists was one old answer, but you have to
make sure the ceiling can take it. You also have to lift the floor.

There was a thread on here a few weeks back about soundproofing a floor, and
ISTR there are more modern lightweight materials you can use, but they still
go under
the floorboards. Bass sounds are difficult to stop.

You might have to go for resiliently-mounted floorboards etc to decouple
yourself from down below. I don't think
the answer will be easy as a thick felt under and carpet, though undoubtedly
that will help

The answers seem to lie in:-
(1) Mass, as much of it as is safe, to stop the floor moving so easily with
sound vibrations in the first place,
(2) Absorbent materials, like acoustic foam or acoustic
rockwool etc,
(3) Decoupling, whereby you try and put something resilient between your
floorboards and the joists, as the resilient material makes it difficult for
vibrations to bridge it.

You might try looking on the web and seeing who does acoustic sound-proofing
materials etc, if you can't persuade the knobs below to shutup,

Andy.

wrote:

I'm wondering how much difference it would make to the problem if I
replaced the cork/vinyl tiles with a thick felt underlay and carpet?
It's mostly low frequency sound that's the problem, so I'm concerned
that it may have little effect, and would cost a fair bit.

IME none at all.
It was this that prompted me to rip up all the floors to put insulation
between joists, which subsequenly led to the "well I may as well put in
UFH at the same time"

Our problem was, upstairs living area above bedroom.

floor was plasterboard, 8" gap, 20mm hardwood floor (nailed to joists)
with the thickest underlay & carpet on top.

voices still came through as though in the same room, so carpet and
undelay just won't make a jot of difference in my opinion.
something between joists to fill gap would be the first step.

Either way, it's going to involve some significant work.

You could try doing all the re-laying of boards late at night once the
bloody students have gone to bed !

:¬))

--
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In article .com,
wrote:
Hi, I live in a Victorian building, in a top floor flat.

I have new downstairs neighbours (students) and have suddenly got a
noise problem to deal with.

The main problem is music noise in the living room - mostly bass and
drum sounds, though at night I can also hear loud conversations. I've
asked them politely if they would mind keeping the bass / music down,
though as yet this has had no real effect as the problem just recurs
the next day.

Currently the flooring in the living room is wooden floorboards about a
lathe and plaster ceiling, covered in a 4mm layer of hardboard, a layer
of 4mm cork tiles, and some vinyl tiles on top of the cork. The gaps
between floorboards and round the butt ends were filled and sealed
before the hardboard layer was put down.

I'm wondering how much difference it would make to the problem if I
replaced the cork/vinyl tiles with a thick felt underlay and carpet?
It's mostly low frequency sound that's the problem, so I'm concerned
that it may have little effect, and would cost a fair bit.

It would help, but for bass frequencies you need to add mass. And I'm
afraid it's not easy. The 'Edinburgh' way is to make 'coffins' between the
joists. Basically, a box strong enough to take the weight of a sand or
clinker infill, etc. But you'd need to get a structural engineer to make
sure your joists can cope with the considerable weight.

I'll persevere with trying to get my neighbours to be a bit quieter,
but I'm wondering what I can do to lessen the effect it's having. If it
keeps on like this I'll just sell up and move.

Other way is to mask their noise with noise of your own that's your choice.
I can happily fall asleep listening to *my* music at quite high levels.
During the day I listen mainly to R4, so speech from elsewhere wouldn't
really bother me. Living in London there's always noise from somewhere -
even if just traffic and aircraft.

--
*Yes, I am an agent of Satan, but my duties are largely ceremonial

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Thanks everyone for your input. I will see how things go over the next
few weeks before deciding what to do.

wrote:
Thanks everyone for your input. I will see how things go over the next
few weeks before deciding what to do.

On the assumption that you work during the day, whilst they sleep off
hangovers and smoke pot, you could try recording them at their loudest
and playing it back (with additional amplification of course) on a loop
with speakers placed faced down on the floor... :-)

writes
I have new downstairs neighbours (students) and have suddenly got a
noise problem to deal with.
snip
If it
keeps on like this I'll just sell up and move.

Thanks for any input.

Nothing useful to say on the d.i.y. front, but my 2p on the social side
of it:

I've had the noisy-student-neighbour thing a few times as different
people moved in & out over the years.

Friendly negotiations have usually worked and obviously that's the best
way if possible, but if alcohol-induced forgetfulness and/or sheer
inconsiderateness cause it to fail, there are two courses I'd consider
taking.

One is (as someone mentioned) to get in touch with the environmental
health people and get their process started - it takes a while to go
through its various stages, and this batch of students may well move out
anyway in June, though sometimes even the earlier stages (e.g. warning
letter) can make a difference.

If the students aren't the owners, it's also worth talking to the
landlords (a) to find out what is in their contracts about consideration
for neighbours, (b) to encourage the landlords to get quieter people
next year, (c) because the landlords "having a word" may be a quick
solution. If you don't know who the landlords are but do know which
college the students are at, you may find that the student accommodation
office can give you a phone number for the landlords.

h.t.h.

--
Jennifer * * * * original music: www.single-bass.co.uk *
* * everything else: www.uncharted-worlds.org *
* * * * * * intuition . imagination . integrity *
* * * * * * * * * love counts more than gender *

In message , Jennifer Moore
writes
writes
I have new downstairs neighbours (students) and have suddenly got a
noise problem to deal with.
snip
If it
keeps on like this I'll just sell up and move.

Thanks for any input.

Nothing useful to say on the d.i.y. front, but my 2p on the social side
of it:

I've had the noisy-student-neighbour thing a few times as different
people moved in & out over the years.

Friendly negotiations have usually worked and obviously that's the best
way if possible, but if alcohol-induced forgetfulness and/or sheer
inconsiderateness cause it to fail, there are two courses I'd consider
taking.

One is (as someone mentioned) to get in touch with the environmental
health people and get their process started - it takes a while to go
through its various stages, and this batch of students may well move out
anyway in June, though sometimes even the earlier stages (e.g. warning
letter) can make a difference.

If the students aren't the owners, it's also worth talking to the
landlords (a) to find out what is in their contracts about consideration
for neighbours, (b) to encourage the landlords to get quieter people
next year, (c) because the landlords "having a word" may be a quick
solution. If you don't know who the landlords are but do know which
college the students are at, you may find that the student accommodation
office can give you a phone number for the landlords.

h.t.h.


Assuming that the OP is living in a HMO, (House in multiple occupation -
this can be a block of self contained flats), they will have to be
licensed in the near future, and soundproofing is a hot issue. So he
could get the local Housing Officer to inspect and advise the landlord
nicely of his soon to be obligations.

--
Richard Faulkner

wrote:
Hi, I live in a Victorian building, in a top floor flat.

I have new downstairs neighbours (students) and have suddenly got a
noise problem to deal with.

The main problem is music noise in the living room - mostly bass and
drum sounds, though at night I can also hear loud conversations. I've
asked them politely if they would mind keeping the bass / music down,
though as yet this has had no real effect as the problem just recurs
the next day.

Currently the flooring in the living room is wooden floorboards about a
lathe and plaster ceiling, covered in a 4mm layer of hardboard, a layer
of 4mm cork tiles, and some vinyl tiles on top of the cork. The gaps
between floorboards and round the butt ends were filled and sealed
before the hardboard layer was put down.

I'm wondering how much difference it would make to the problem if I
replaced the cork/vinyl tiles with a thick felt underlay and carpet?
It's mostly low frequency sound that's the problem, so I'm concerned
that it may have little effect, and would cost a fair bit.

I'll persevere with trying to get my neighbours to be a bit quieter,
but I'm wondering what I can do to lessen the effect it's having. If it
keeps on like this I'll just sell up and move.

Thanks for any input.

block of wood and hammer. Place on floor, and when noise occurs, hit
wood. Training takes time but works well.

NT