Is laminated flooring aloud in upstairs flats?

Question

Hi we live in cardboard wall houses, honestly the walls are terrible you can hear everything! to top it all of they have laminated flooring and they forget at times that their floor is our ceiling, are there anything that could sound proof between us? is laminated flooring acceptable in an upstairs flat? its doing my head in i cant even sit and watch tv when their banging down, their only renting and i have bought my home please HELP!

Answer 1

buy them slippers for xmas.......nice padded soles

Answer 2

I have lived with this problem in the past and you have my every sympathy. When you live in fear of your neighbours for every waking moment, then life is truly miserable. And people can be really selfish.

I really do think that noise levels in modern residential properties are causing millions of people incredible stress in the UK - something that is supposed to be 'regulated' in planning and building law - but patently isn't. Flats need solid concrete floors at least 6" thick, with a sub-floor on top of that. Until about 20 years ago, they routinely had one. Now, builders get away with anything. - and it really stinks.

I had a brand new HA flat in 1999 with a floor above me that was just one inch thick, on top of which was an air space and then thin chipboard. Consequently every movement by my neighbours absolutely deafened me. In the end I gave up a brand new property in order to save my health because I could never go to sleep and never have any peace or quiet.

There are general rules about permitted noise levels - but it seems to me that councils are only interested in loud music etc... They can't understand the agony you are going through.

I think you're best bet is to negotiate with your neighbours and also to plead with your landlord or builder for modifications. Some people are lucky and win out. If that fails, I am afraid I would give the neighbours what they give you - and rap on the ceiling regularly, disrupting THEIR lives... Sometimes its the only way they'll understand.. In my case, I ended up living beneath not one, not two, but 5 twenty-year olds who had a 24 hour lifestyle. The Housing Association said they all had a perfect right to live in a 1 bed property - and that to complain was to infringe their human rights!!!!

I do hope you solve it. Good luck.

Answer 3

Oh u poor thing!! used to rent a flat with the same problem. They should have floating laid below the floor, that would have helped, but i reckon anything u try to do to fix it from your end would be big work. People living in flats should have a bit of consideration, there's no need to be banging around in heels if u can help it. Maybe if u leave your radio blasting a few evenings when u go out, they'll get pissed off and move out. then again someone else would only move in and the problem would still be there....Sorry!

Answer 4

If you know who they are renting from you could contact their landlord and let him know about the noise from their flooring, he may not be aware that they have laminate flooring. That would be my suggestion as it is very inconsiderate to have that kind of flooring in an upstairs flat. Good Luck

Answer 5

When I lived in NY, the lease required 80% of the floor to be covered with carpeting to make it not so loud for the downstairs neighbor. Can you find out what their lease requires? If you live in a big city I imagine these rules should be in place.

Answer 6

If they are a couple, try telling those upstairs that you hear everything they are saying, and that carpets might keep their life private. They might not worry about you hearing them clumping about on the floor, but they might think twice if they thought you could listen to their more intimate moments.

Answer 7

I would say that it is unnaceptable, but in my flat (just above a shop) we have hardboard floors and our landlord says he can't afford to carpet the place. I'm sorry! But what reminds us to be quiet is when downstairs has the radio on or has a conversation, we can hear every word and it reminds us to keep the noise down.

Answer 8

There is a clause in my contract that says I can't have laminated flooring, even though I own my own flat too. I guess it would be too nosy for the people downstairs..

Answer 9

Maybe you could suggest they add a rug. The rugs will help absorb some of the sound.

You might get some relief if you added a drop in ceiling or styrofoam your ceiling, but why should you have to.

Answer 10

you will have to sound proof your ceiling i did it when split a house into two flats keep original ceiling in lower ceiling about 3 or 400mm if poss have to check height of your windows to your ceiling fill void with sound insulation and fit fire lined plaster brd to new ceiling and sound insulation brds this will stop impact and airborne sound coming through ceiling but will not stop impact sound coming through common walls. Put up stud partitions 50mm away from common walls no contact to be made with common wall fill partition with sound proof insulation available in slab or on a roll fit sound proof plaster brds x2. re-fit all light fittings, sockets,radiators door frames etc... best to contact an architect or sound proofing firm but will run into THOUSANDS

Answer 11

There is usually a foam underlayment under laminate flooring, which will absorb the sound. The builder or installer probably forgot to install the underlayment. My floors are quiet since I installed the foam underlayment.