Sound proofing adjoining wall (nightmare neighbours)

[Christopher83]

Hi all,

First ever post, please bear with me! Our neighbours have kids the same age as our kids, but we put ours to bed at 7pm and they put theirs to bed at 11pm. Their dining room/kitchen is all open plan, and they have laminate flooring. The noise is coming through our dining room, our living room and my son’s bedroom. Our kids are going to nursery exhausted, and we are at our wits' end.

Last week we paid plasterers to work on those walls with acoustic foam & double plasterboard, but the noise (foot fall, shouting, screaming) is still really bad. Not criticising the plasterers, as we knew it wouldn't eradicate the problem altogether, I just feel a bit helpless when it comes to solving the problem.

Do I bite the bullet and try to find the money to pay for the all singing all dancing sound proofing specialists, or try stuffing wardrobes with clothes & bookcases with books and push them all against the adjoining wall?

Or a different approach altogether? Sorry for essay-length message. PS all other options have been exhausted (talking to neighbours, talking to their letting agent, etc etc so we have to solve it ourselves).

Any advice would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks,

Chris

Read more: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/acoustic-plasterboard.513333/#ixzz5YieInyXk

 

[footprints]

I feel your pain just thank goodness they do not live in a flat above you!
My guess is a fair bit is transmitted through the floor ceiling and side walls too, house construction plays a big part too while Victorian houses have their problems modern houses made out of "Ticky tacky" are often worse.
Check under upper and lower floors any gaps in the pointing can allow noise and cooking smells through. Sound insulation between the joists on the party wall may help, stiffening up joists with noggins may also help to dampen vibration set up in your floor.
I had neighbours both sides, one that had a taste for Reggae the other for the likes of Pink Floyd. In the end Rightmove was the only solution. It was years before I could hear "Another brick in the wall" without flinching!

 

[SFK]

Chris,
sorry to say that Footprints is likely right - it might cost you more to do the soundproofing (which will only every reduce but never stop the noise) than the cost to move house. :<
Sorry to be so depressing.

Otherwise I would be looking at filling between your floors next to the walls with your neighbors with rockwool.
And then Metal frame studwall (not touching neighbors wall) filled with rockwool and hanging Acoustic board.

But as said this will not be perfect as this thread shows:
https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/wall-soundproofing-solutions.513282/#post-4264462

SFK

 

[StephenStephen]

I found post 2 - the bit about New Wall Lining, in this thread helpful:
https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/what-to-stick-on-to-soundproof-back-of-door.457487/#post-3632010

 

[Christopher83]

Just want to say a big thank you for your replies, guys. It's much appreciated and good food for thought. I'll keep you posted on progress. Gut feeling is we will end up moving, but I'm certainly keen to explore some of the options mentioned here first, not least because a move would be such an upheaval for our two kids. Thanks again.