Party wall insulation - Agreement needed?

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@BogEyes

How have you come to that conclusion if you haven't tried it? Just curious because there are numerous reviews stating the solution worked for them, reviews can be faked but I looked into a few of the reviewer profiles and they seem genuine to me

It's a fair question, because as you say I haven't tried it.

From all the research I have read though, it comes down to two different types of noise. There is acoustic noise, so, people talking/shouting, music/television being played, and then Impact noise, which is generally when there is a collision of two objects which creates a vibration.

The solution this company is trying to sell you will be more effective against acoustic noise, and less effectrive against impact noise.

The problems I am experiencing are mainly impact noise. This is because, being semi-detatched, there are walls in my house connected to the walls of next doors house. So when they close the doors, cupboards and drawers in the middle of the night, the vibrations travel through their wood floor, into the joists, into the walls, out my walls, into my joists etc. The way my house is built may be different to yours...

There isn't really a solution against impact noise that I'm aware of. Hence, for me, ultimately moving home in the future is the only solution to the problem.
 
Soldato
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@BogEyes

When you say connected you mean the centre wall running through your house goes through the party wall and through next door too?

There would be an easy way for me to check that from the loft of I pull some insulation back
 
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I think this would dampen both noises surely? You suppress the impact vibrations travelling any other method than through interconnecting joists/beams. If floating floor and wall added, then you reduce these further, but losing space.
 
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@BogEyes

When you say connected you mean the centre wall running through your house goes through the party wall and through next door too?

There would be an easy way for me to check that from the loft of I pull some insulation back

I mean that, semi-detatched houses are connected in many different ways.

Walls are generally connected, so if you think of the front of your house. When their front door slams, the vibration travels down the wall, past the party wall down the outside of the building. How do these fake walls combat that?

Think about your roof structure. The doors upstairs are slammed, the vibrations can travel through the (wooden in my case) walls, into the ceiling rafters, in turn into the roof rafters which are then resting on the walls.

It all comes down to what noises you are hearing, that determines what the solution is. Or if there even is one.

It's an expensive can of worms once opened.

Like I said, I wish I had a solution for you. I feel your pain. Just don't be so naive that these companies that advertise as 'soundproof specialists' will completely solve your problems after taking your money.

They're not sound engineers (neither am I), they don't have any 'specialist' knowledge in my opinion.

I'm just trying to give you an insight into my own frustations and realisation that the construction of the house I bought is mostly to blame, and that any potential solutions are likely to have flaws.
 
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Soldato
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@BogEyes

I thought you might be interested to here that the sound proofing was completed today in the upstairs bedrooms

It's early days yet but my son's room was pretty much finished yesterday apart from plaster and it's made a drastic difference to his room, they quoted around 80% reduction and I would say that's about right if not better, voices couldn't be heard neither could impact noise but like I say, early days

The master bedroom wasn't quite finished last night and I could still hear next door but there was a large difference in the volume of the sound. Screaming was ever so slightly audible, impact noise could be heard but greatly reduced, now that's it's finished it might be even better, time will tell but so far so good
 
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@BogEyes

I thought you might be interested to here that the sound proofing was completed today in the upstairs bedrooms

It's early days yet but my son's room was pretty much finished yesterday apart from plaster and it's made a drastic difference to his room, they quoted around 80% reduction and I would say that's about right if not better, voices couldn't be heard neither could impact noise but like I say, early days

The master bedroom wasn't quite finished last night and I could still hear next door but there was a large difference in the volume of the sound. Screaming was ever so slightly audible, impact noise could be heard but greatly reduced, now that's it's finished it might be even better, time will tell but so far so good

brilliant news
 
Soldato
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brilliant news

Thanks, second night last night and fully installed to both rooms now, my son's room is really good really can't hear anything other than the faintest of murmurs and muffled bangs that are very faint

Our room is definitely a lot quieter and can only hear the loudest of screams and no general voices at all but the banging can be heard although it's significantly reduced and no longer feel like they are in our house

Was it worth it? Yes I think so, it's the only aspect of the house we are unhappy with and significantly cheaper than moving, will probably get downstairs done in the next 12/24 months
 
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I have been looking at PU Foam Cavity wall insulation for the same reason as you.

I've only managed to find a handful of companies who do this. Most companies don't seem to touch cavity wall insulation with a barge pole now either. There seems to be more companies removing the stuff than installing it!

Anyway, in answer to your question, when I asked the companies if I would need to get permission from the neighbour, they essentially said no. As in, they would be happy to undergo the work without the neighbours consent.

I've been quoted around £55-60 per square metre for a 75mm cavity gap. However I haven't accurately measured the party wall gap yet, it may only be 50mm.

Either way, I'm looking at around £1500-2000 to undertake the work.

The issue then is, it's impossible to say how much it might help, or even hinder, the actual problem.

For me its impact noise, which from the research I have done, is very difficult to combat.

Ultimately the house is poorly designed.

I feel your pain.

Foam is great but it can cause problems. In particular, fumes can leak in to the property for years after installation.

You do not need to inform a neighbour that you are having insulation installed.

Insulation does not help that much towards noise. If that's what you are after you are better constructing a secondary wall on your side of the party wall.
 
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@BogEyes

I thought you might be interested to here that the sound proofing was completed today in the upstairs bedrooms

It's early days yet but my son's room was pretty much finished yesterday apart from plaster and it's made a drastic difference to his room, they quoted around 80% reduction and I would say that's about right if not better, voices couldn't be heard neither could impact noise but like I say, early days

The master bedroom wasn't quite finished last night and I could still hear next door but there was a large difference in the volume of the sound. Screaming was ever so slightly audible, impact noise could be heard but greatly reduced, now that's it's finished it might be even better, time will tell but so far so good

Really pleased to hear its been beneficial :) The toll these types of issues take on our mental health can be taxing. Can't really put a price on that can we.

Foam is great but it can cause problems. In particular, fumes can leak in to the property for years after installation.

You do not need to inform a neighbour that you are having insulation installed.

Insulation does not help that much towards noise. If that's what you are after you are better constructing a secondary wall on your side of the party wall.

In my case, constructing a 2nd wall is not an option due to the small dimensions of the house anyway, plus, it would recquire doing both upstairs and downstairs (£££).

My house is just very poorly designed in relation to noise pollution, I blame the open cavities between both houses and the way in which the floor joists from both houses enter those cavities.

I will be selling as soon as I can.
 
Soldato
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Really pleased to hear its been beneficial :) The toll these types of issues take on our mental health can be taxing. Can't really put a price on that can we.



In my case, constructing a 2nd wall is not an option due to the small dimensions of the house anyway, plus, it would recquire doing both upstairs and downstairs (£££).

My house is just very poorly designed in relation to noise pollution, I blame the open cavities between both houses and the way in which the floor joists from both houses enter those cavities.

I will be selling as soon as I can.


Sell its the best way beleive me.
Glad the soundproofing has helped the op. But in my case the idiots were inside and out and mentally they drain you.
Glad I got out i really feel for people living next door to scumbags
 
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Sell its the best way beleive me.
Glad the soundproofing has helped the op. But in my case the idiots were inside and out and mentally they drain you.
Glad I got out i really feel for people living next door to scumbags

Totally agree, depends on the type of person you are too I think. I've lost the mental battle, and as you say, come summer time, guess who is in their garden being inconsiderate?

I thought party walls were solid, its just the outside walls that were cavity

Some party walls are solid, some have a cavity. Just the same as external walls, some are solid whereas we typically think of them as having a cavity.
 
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