Soundproofing - noisey neighbours

[gibby]

Hi,

I live in an ex council house and having problems with noise coming through.

Its rather strange as if the neighbours are just talking downstairs, we hear it very clearly upstairs.

Ive had the wall to bits and its basically plaster then 1 brick, a cavity, then a brick.

Im wondering what the best option would be as Ive no idea if anything will work.

Would it be worth filling the cavity with cavity wall insulation?

thanks

G

 

[Perry525]

It can be difficult to track the path of noise.
Is the noise coming through an open window?
If not, I would guess that there is a hole or holes between you and them.
Which way are the joists laid?

 

[gibby]

No, its not a window but seems to be amplified from their downstairs main room our bedroom above on the other side of the wall.

I dont know about the joists but will try to find out.

I did find some sort of air passage which might have something to do with it.
In one of our rooms on the same side was a gap for a fire, which appears to have air flow through it.
Its been covered up with a board. Its not a room we use much.

Also, in both of the bedrooms upstairs, part of the wall has been built out at an angle and we don't know why, as its not the same downstairs.

G

 

[Big Tone]

I’d be interested in a solution too. I have a pretty good neighbourly relationship but just lately their new dog is barking and howling like its nads are trapped in mole grips, especially when left on its own.

Don’t rule out that it could be coming via the floor boards. I was told this can be another path by which it is coming through. Mine definitely sounds like it’s coming directly through the wall and I have considered some soundproofing even if I lose a few inches of living room space.

As an aside... I have had bad experiences of this problem in flats and swore I’d never live in one ever again in my life. But just recently I viewed one my friend has bought, a new build with all the modern regs, just like another one he rented a while ago. In the words of the agent, “you wouldn’t notice if they were clog dancing upstairs”.