When searching for soundproofing companies you want to know the costs involved in soundproofing. But first, you have to start with the problem: the noise in people’s homes.
What is noise?
How much soundproofing costs depends on the noise you are experiencing and how it’s travelling through your home. This will impact the work you require. But let’s first look at what noise is. Noise is unwanted sound.
- Sound describes the physical component
- Unwanted is the emotional and psychological effect that noise has on a person.
Home means different things to different people. However, it is often describe as the most personal, sacred place to shelter from the rest of the world. This is why unwanted noise in one’s home is so intrusive.
Can we put a price on it?
Imagine coming home from a hard day’s work and all you want to do is sit down and relax with a cup of tea. Maybe you want to lie on your bed and relax in the safe and peaceful tranquillity of your own home. Many of our clients were not able to do this before soundproofing. Clients would say “I used to pull up in my car on to my drive and immediately my eyes would be drawn to the neighbours property. And I would think, oh no they are in! What am I going to hear tonight? What time are we going to bed tonight? Now, thanks to soundproofing I no longer notice my neighbours. I don’t even look at their house anymore” (testimonials)
Most soundproofing enquiries start with, “we hear everything from next door. It’s like they are in our house. We hear their TV programs, raised voices, coughing, and even follow conversation. How much does soundproofing cost?”
To the more extreme cases: “the neighbours play heavy bass music most nights until 2.00am. They have 4 dogs that they leave outside barking every night. Their kids slam all the doors and run up and down the stairs. I hear them argue and shout at each other most evenings, and one of them has a night shift. I don’t get any sleep. How much does soundproofing cost?”
Soundproofing Correctly; treat flanking areas
Quietco believe that everybody should be able to enjoy peace and quiet in their own home. We have helped hundreds of clients with noisy neighbours get their quality of life back and be able to enjoy spending time in their own home.
Soundproofing installed correctly, means treating the flanking areas which give you respite from the neighbours noise. On a concrete construction, 50% of the noise will come through the party wall. The rest will come from flanking areas. This is the same for a concrete ceiling construction where only 50% of the noise will come from the ceiling itself.
All soundproofing companies offer party wall soundproofing solutions. However, it is soundproofing the flanking areas as well that truly gives that amazing soundproofing result. Treatment of the flanking areas is the difference between those clients that get 50% reduction in noise to those that do not hear their neighbours anymore.
30mm panel systems for treating flanking areas
Quietco very rarely installs systems to only the party wall. This is because it is very unlikely the noise is only transmitting through the party wall alone. The floors, ceiling, flanking window wall and other walls perpendicular to the party walls also need treating. Many soundproofing companies are offering 30mm panels that can be fixed to the wall in a day. The laboratory figure for a 30mm panel system is around 6dB Rw+Ctr. These values mean the product has been tested in laboratory conditions to give an indication of acoustic resistance and will not take into account real life factors. Because each individual use of a product will vary according to the situation it’s used in, it’s best to get a soundproofing company’s expert opinion on how much soundproofing you will need in your home.
Quietco do not install 30mm panels to the party wall.
Our TPS30W system is only installed to flanking areas.
Apartments and Flats
If you have an apartment and have noisy neighbours above or below, it’s not just the ceiling or floor which might be transmitting the sound. The noise can travel through the walls, too.
Simply put your ear on the flanking walls and try and hear what noises you can hear transmitting through the structure of the walls.
If you have plasterboard ‘dot and dab’ walls then you will hear quite a bit of noise up and down these flanking walls. (See our blog on how plasterboard will make the noise twice as loud).
If you are hearing the noise from your neighbours above you, then treating your ceiling is only part of the solution. Soundproofing of the flanking walls will cost more than the soundproofing cost of just the ceiling.
Semi-detached houses
If you have a semi-detached property, you know the noise is coming from the party wall. You know it needs a soundproofing wall system of some kind. BUT how much noise is coming from the flanking areas?
Understanding the amount of noise transmitting down the flanking areas will tell you the true costs of your soundproofing investment.
Simply put you ear on any of the following areas to see where else is transmitting the noise:
- Flanking window wall nearest the party wall.
- Chimney stack.
- Archway wall.
- RSJ boxing.
- New extension wall.
- Patio door wall.
- Wall separating the front and back bedroom.
- Bay window wall.
- Wall at the top of the stairs.
Put your finger in one ear and the other ear on that flanking area and then give us a call and tell us what you heard on 01926 658 638.
Why do I need soundproofing?
Noisy neighbours affect your health. You may find yourself talking quietly around your own house, or telling your kids to be quiet all the time. You might fall out with your neighbours, the police get called and your house registered with a noise problem.
There is no doubt noise has health effects such as stress through emotional and psychological effect. This can lead to headaches, fatigue, and sleep disruption. Or worse, it could even cause joint and bone problems, lung disease, cardio-vascular problems and heart attack (Diana Weinhold, 2015).
The main point here, is that neighbour noise does not necessarily have to be loud or excessive to be an annoyance. Low level noise causes you to feel stressed and uncomfortable and may well be at a decibel level that falls well within current building regulations.
Over the years, Quietco has soundproofed hundreds of domestic homes with our tried and tested systems, whether it is for your ceilings, walls and / or floors. We have trademarked systems that help you get peace and quiet back in your home.
How much does soundproofing cost?
Of course, the cost of your soundproofing investment will depend on the solution(s) applied and your individual requirements for your property. Typically, we find that 80% of our domestic soundproofing projects range from £5,000 to £20,000.
Quietco offer a bespoke solution and every job is different with some homeowners wanting everything done for them and other homeowners wanting just a single wall system.
Summary
Soundproofing is no doubt expensive. But it can be considerably cheaper then moving and arguably less hassle too.
In less than two weeks your lounge and bedroom could be a place where you can relax and enjoy peace and quiet.
We have many different soundproof wall systems, soundproof ceiling systems and soundproof floor systems. They have different thicknesses, different percentage noise reductions and all treat different types of domestic noise.
Get the most out of your investment
Through our detailed consultation visit we work with you to create a tailored soundproofing solution for your property and specific noise issues, giving you confidence in the investment you make.
