If you live in a townhome, can you hear your neighbors?

Question

how bad is it? Don't most townhomes have a 4-ft firewall that dampens most noises?

Answer 1

It really depends on how the townhouse was constructed. The townhouse I live in I bought because the builder had double insulated sound batts between adjoining party walls. Also the way the townhouse is constructed only two rooms adjoin and my niece and sister claim they can hear the neighbors sometimes. I can hear the neighbor walking around upstairs (she sounds like an elephant) but no matter how well the walls are sound proofed you can always hear the bass on someones stereo pounding thru the walls.

Before you rent or buy, visit on the weekend when everyone is home to see if you can hear anything next door. Nothing worse than renting a place where the neighbors play their stereo or tv too loud or party all night long.

Answer 2

I live in a townhome and there are cement walls in between the houses. I very very rarely hear my neighbors. I only hear them when they are hammering into the wall to put up a picture or something like that, banging hard on the wall. I also heard my neighbors music through the wall once when it was very loud. But on a day to day basis, it's really quiet. The only time you can really hear neighbors is when the windows are open since you live so close together.

Answer 3

Yes, you will likely be able to hear your neighbors and their various activities. Townhomes are not constructed all that different tha apartments, with the exception of the firewall, which in most cases is nothing more than a couple sheets of fire resistant gypsum (sheetrock), but that is in the attic area so it won't really affect your living area.

It all depends on the quality of construction of the townhome and most are built with price, not quality, in mind.

Answer 4

I live in a townhouse and the blueprints show double walls, but not 4' apart. I lived next to this lady for 10 years and never heard her. Another family moved in and I hear them every time they come or go. The double walls, unlike an apartments single walls, really do help. The neighbors are the biggest factor.

Answer 5

I lived in a townhome for 10 years and I very rarely heard out neighbors and our neighbors rarely heard us and I had three little boys running around the place.

Answer 6

Depends upon how well build they are. I lived in one where you could here the neighbors breathe. I've lived in a couple where they could have set off a small bomb and I would not have known.

No place has a 4 foot wall; that would be absurd.

Answer 7

Of course, you can actually hear your neighbors even if you are not living in a townhouse. It really depends if you keep paying attention to what they are doing.

There are townhouses that are so called "sound proof". But if you really try to listen to them you will still be able to do so.

Answer 8

Yes, you can hear your neighbors. However, if the twonhouse is properly built, then you should only be able to hear them when they are being VERY loud and violatiing the rules about excessive noise.

Answer 9

yes...because my grandmaw used to live in one and sometimes you would hear their toilet flush or their dog bark.