Cheap Soundproofing
One of the most common questions we get is how much does soundproofing cost? Many of our customers do their homework, looking at a range of options before choosing which is best for them. They’ve often priced DIY soundproofing materials so that they can compare costs to hiring the professionals. But typically, it disguises the true cost of DIY soundproofing a wall. A bit like any building project you see on Grand Designs, it’s often not long before costs start spiralling.
You see, soundproofing is not just a case of buying a few boards and slapping them on the party wall. For example, you may need to employ the services of an electrician to extend electrics in the area you are treating. This could include things such as the plug sockets, ceiling fittings and TV cables. Not hiring a professional to do this could invalidate your house insurance.
You may also need someone to remove a radiator if there is one on the wall you wish to soundproof. Not only that, but any skirting boards, picture rails or dado rails will also need to be removed. This can often result in damage to the boards and rails, which then need replacing. Finally, you’ll need to remove, or at least roll back, any carpet from the wall you are soundproofing.
As you can see, the costs involved expand. But it doesn’t stop there.
After you fit the soundproofing, all these things need putting back in place. Light fittings, plug sockets and radiators will all need fitting again and it’s crucial that whoever does this, does not compromise the soundproofed wall or all your hard work will be for nothing. The same is true for skirting boards which will need to be isolated from the floor. Soundproofing will also make slight changes to the size of your room. Therefore, you’ll also need someone to not only refit the carpet but also cut it to the new size too. Oh, and did we mention the decorating?
While DIY soundproofing may initially sound like a simple and cheap way to reduce noise in your home, these additional soundproofing costs can soon stack up and problems occur, even for the most experienced DIY-er. Worst of all, you may also find that your soundproofing doesn’t work very well. It’s not uncommon to end up with only a very small reduction in noise, and in some cases, the noise becomes worse.
To DIY or not to DIY?
Of course, hiring professional soundproof installers such as Quietco rather than taking the DIY approach comes with the advantage of a complete service. You don’t have to worry about fixtures and fittings, electrics, plumbing, carpentry, carpet re-fitting or decorating. It is all handled for you.
However, that doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for everyone. It obviously costs more, and it will not suit everyone’s budget. But before we delve further into how much soundproofing costs when hiring the professionals, we first need to look at the difference in the soundproofing works carried out.
One of Quietco’s key principles is what we call ‘tucking it up and tucking it down’. Rather than the soundproofing layers stopping at the floor and ceiling, we ‘tuck’ them down beneath the floorboards and ‘tuck’ them up into any plasterboard ceilings. To check whether your ceilings are plasterboard, simply give them a tap. If it sounds a bit like a drum, they’re plasterboard. But why go to this effort? Because it’s the only effective way to stop sound travelling below or above your new soundproof wall.
A professional soundproofing installation also includes a survey to identify the noise paths in your home. This is important because much of the noise you hear can travel along the flanking walls. These are the walls that are at a right angle to the wall you want to soundproof. Soundproofing these too is the difference between a noise reduction of 30% and one of 80%.
As you can see, the results you get with professional soundproofing companies are far superior. However, this comes with additional services, material, and labour. This obviously leads to additional costs.
How much does soundproofing cost?
As we’re sure you can appreciate, the cost of soundproofing a room will vary depending on the range of services and the amount of walls, ceilings and floors that needs soundproofing treatment.
An average flanking wall perpendicular to the separating party wall, such as a window wall or wall separating the front and back bedroom, will cost between £2,500 – £3,500. With multiple noise paths often needing treatment, 80% of our domestic soundproofing projects cost between £6,000 and £20,000. Yes, it’s a significant investment.
However, the £1,000 some people spend on DIY soundproofing materials, often ends up being a waste of money as it reduces such a small amount of noise. For many, hiring the professionals is the difference between you moving or staying in the home you love. Only you can decide the price you’re willing to put on that.
But before you make any decisions, there’s a simple test you can do to see if your flanking walls will need to be treated. This will give you a better idea as to how much your soundproofing will cost and if your project is going to be at the lower or higher end of the range. Put your ear tight against one of the flanking walls and put your finger in your other ear. Can you hear anything such as the TV, conversation, or music? If so, then it’s likely this wall will need treating if you want your soundproofing to work.
Is soundproofing right for you?
There are a few other things to consider before you go ahead with soundproofing a room or your home. Consider whether the noise is airborne or from impact. Airborne noise is things like the TV, music, or conversation. Impact noise includes doors banging, people running up and down stairs, and children jumping about. If you’re only suffering with impact noise, we wouldn’t recommend soundproofing, especially if your house was built from 1990 onwards. However, it is incredibly effective for airborne noises.
Also consider in which rooms the noise bothers you the most. We would never recommend only soundproofing the party wall or doing every room in one go. It’s far better to soundproof a room or two first to get a good idea of the reduction you can expect to achieve.
Soundproofing can be life changing, especially when following the 4-step soundproofing method. While other options such as a DIY approach are available, we have found that they do not get you the noise reduction you expect, whether that’s noise from neighbours or road traffic noise.
The first step to discovering how the 4-step soundproofing method can help you is to book a FREE noise diagnosis call. Simply fill out our form to get started.
