Sound proofing hall

[jbolo]

I live in a converted 1930's house. I have the ground floor flat. The flats are separated by the original bannister and plasterboard. I have had several quotes, one which will reduce the size of the hallway (which I am not bothered about) from a sound proofing firm and another from a builder who says he will be using slightly more expensive material, but will not reduce the hall. The prices are similar and I am not worried about a smaller hall. My question is which one will give me the best outcome. I have had work done by the sound proofing company and the building company and both are trust worthy and good at their jobs.

Proposal for attached acoustic lining system to the hall wall.
To remove the skirting board and dismantle the existing plasterboard face of the hall wall.
To remove the front door and door lining and narrow the door opening.
To cut down the front door for new size and rehang.
To cut to size and friction fit a 45 Kg insulation slab to the exposed framework.
To install a system of resilient bars set horizontally over the wall plane at 450 mm centres.
To install a primary layer of 19 mm plasterboard plank secured to the resilient bar system.
To seal perimeters and butted joints of plasterboard to airtight.
To install secondary layer of 12.5 mm fireline plasterboard secured through to resilient bar.
To tape plasterboard joints and apply plaster skim coat to the walls.
To refit the skirting and door architrave.
To remove all debris from site.
and
hole way wall
striping the current wall down, building a stud
wall frame with 75mm timber, will install
50mm think hight density rock wool then we
will dress the walls with soundproofing
acoustic plasterboard, we will tape joint the
plasterboard joints and fill them, and paint the
walls
the current door will stay as it is and the wall
will be coming out exactly as much as it
currently is,
but we will have to strip it out in order to
rebuild,
1.00 1,650.00 20% 1,650.00
02 acoustic plaster board sheets 15mm think,
rock-wool sheets 50mm thick high density
acoustic,screws,filler tape joints, paint
1.00 560.00 20% 560.00
04 Rubbish collection and disposal of rubbish.

 

[Deluks]

A smaller door might make it harder to get furniture in and out.

The resibar option will give better soundproofing.

What is the noise that you are trying to keep out? If it's footfall on the stairs then you still might get flanking sound going through the structure.

Nothing you've posted implies slightly more expensive materials, resibar, plasterboard, rockwool slabs are all relatively cheap compared to the labour involved. Rehanging the door and the resibar bumps up the price, so I'd expect the first quote to be more expensive.

Is there an option to replace the studs with smaller ones? Maybe from 4x2 to 3x2?

You could also just use 2x 12.5mm plasterboard to save a few millimetres with little effect on performance.

 

[jbolo]

Thanks for your reply. The hall is small and so would prefer not to loose width. The first quote is the one from a sound proofing company and is slightly more expensive because as you say of the frame and door reduction. The noise is general foot traffic and lack of privacy as the hall has a flimsy feel to it. The second quote implied was using more expensive material?
'Is there an option to replace the studs with smaller ones? Maybe from 4x2 to 3x2?', what are the studs? A I could ask about reducing the thickness of the plasterboard.
What one would you go with? I honestly have not a clue?

 

[jbolo]

Thanks for your reply. The first one is the most expensive and I will loose about 2 inches from the hall. I went back to him and he reinstated that. The second one I will not loose any width. The noise is about privacy. Just to make it that much harder to hear conversations and to make things a bit more sturdy. Its a terrible conversion. I am also going to change my glass front door with a fire door. Saying all that what would you go for? as I have no idea about these things.

 

[Deluks]

The studs are the timber uprights that the wall is made of, (assuming it's timber, it could be metal framework)
If the wall is structural (is: holding up the ceiling above, or supporting part of the stairs) then it's likely 4x2 and would be a hassle to mess about with it.
If it was put up against the existing stairs and exists just to create a separate dwelling, then you could potentially rebuild it using timber that's less deep, giving you more space for your soundproofing bars and plasterboard.

It might also be possible to add a layer of plasterboard in between the studs before adding the insulation slabs. You are still creating more mass, but on the inside of the wall instead of adding to the thickness.
It will have to be carefully measured and cut to fit the gaps between the timbers, and stuck in place with liberal amounts of acoustic sealant, with extra sealant around the perimeter. Then the insulation slabs and your new acoustic plasterboard over the top.
If that makes sense...?

It's impossible to give an answer as to what would be the best option, because only you know what would be an acceptable level of noise from your neighbours.

Both the options offered will improve on what's already there, to a degree.