Does a hairdressers need to be soundproofed below a residential shop?

Question

I recently bought a flat above a hair salon and can hear everything! Should the shops landlord have ensured the property was sound proofed before selling the flat to me? Grateful for any advice as it's driving me crazy!

Answer 1

Building regulations (Part E in England, and Section 5 in Scotland) require that all residential properties have sufficient resistance to the transmission of sound, particularly if it is adjacent to a non-domestic property (such as the hair dresser's in your case). This may not be entirely "sound proofed" as you have put it, but should be within reasonable limits of tolerance.

However, as building regulations can only apply to developments or refurbishments that were done at the time such regulations were in force, some older buildings may still not have sufficient sound insulation as what is required of the current standards. If however, your flat has been recently refurbished, then you can reasonably expect that such standards to have been met, or should have been met.

Check the building regulations for where you are. In Scotland, sound tests can be done (and are sometimes asked for by building control officers as part of their inspections) to see if a development complies with the requirements. The Scottish Building Standards recommends floor constructions to resist the transmission of airborne sounds of up to 52dB.

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In buying the property, it should have been picked up by the surveyor whether or not the property complies with the current regulations - a quick check with the local building control department would reveal whether a building warrant application to the property was done and whether completion certificate was issued on compliance.

Answer 2

buyer beware. unless the seller represented that it was soundproofed, you are out of luck. since you bought it and are not renting, it is now on you to deal with it. Why anyone would buy a flat and not the entire property is beyond me. since it is in the air above the shop, say if the shop gets flooded or damaged some how, or he sells the property, you have nothing, really. any way, as an owner, not a renter, there is not much you can do if it was not specifically stated as soundproofed in the contracts.

Answer 3

You probably cant change much now to the fabric of the building however you could try the following to help:

You have bought the flat so your surveyor should have picked up on the noise - you can go to him for some sort of compensation

Lay carpets on the floor above the shop (deaden noises)

If the noise is unreasonable, for example loud music, you should ask them to turn it down - you cant do that with talking though. If the noise goes on late at night (perhaps even after normal shop opening hours), you can tell them to be quiet and get the local envirmental health people involved


And how noise can scissors be?

Answer 4

no - you should have visited during the day to check out what it was like when the shop was busy. Sorry but the only thing I can suggest is thick underlay and carpet. Having said that it should not really bother you much when you are out at work all day.

Answer 5

I'd love to soundproof my hairdresser, all that boring chat about their holidays, their children, their latest night out, their, car, their life, their problems. Why don't they just cut hair quicker and make more money. Then they might move to better premises and it would solve your problem as well.