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What type of building do you live in and how well do you hear your neighbors? How about upstairs neighbors foot falls?
Luckily I live on the top floor but I was visiting a friend's apartment. He lives on a 3rd floor pre-war walkup and I could hear every single foot fall from the upstairs neighbor. Sometimes, I think when they took a particularly heavy step, it would sound like a big boom and the lights would rattle slightly. A couple people at his gathering chimed in to talk about how horrible their upstairs neighbors were, while another person mentioned they cannot hear anything from their upstairs neighbors.
Now I'm curious.. Is this pretty typical of NYC buildings to be able to hear foot steps from your upstairs neighbor so clearly?
I don't know what, "footfalls" are, do you mean footsteps?
I think in the older tenement buildings - or anything built around or before 1920, it is common to hear footsteps. Concrete buildings like the projects, and/or luxury buildings do not have that problem.
I don't know what, "footfalls" are, do you mean footsteps?
I think in the older tenement buildings - or anything built around or before 1920, it is common to hear footsteps. Concrete buildings like the projects, and/or luxury buildings do not have that problem.
Yeah I mean foot steps. That's interesting you say that, since I'v been told that pre-wars built around the 1920s are actually the most soundproof apartments whereas the modern ones not so much
I'm lucky, I pretty much don't hear anything from inside my building unless somebody is right outside my door. If somebody drops something heavy I hear it, that's about it. But my building is only like 6 years old
Footfall definition
noun
noun: footfall; plural noun: footfalls
1. the sound of a footstep or footsteps.
"you will recognize his footfall on the stairs"
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I live in a 1940 pre-war, and yes, you can definitely hear footfalls from above. It won't shake any light fixtures or anything like that, but is clear and slightly loud when it happens. I am glad there are no toddlers above me - I don't know if I could stand it.
As it is, the people who live above me apparently don't really spend a lot of time walking around, so it's bearable. They do get ready for work in their bedroom directly above mine at an extremely early hour, well before I need to be up. So I did have to take measures to make sure I can't hear them. I don't think they have a rug in the bedroom, and I never asked them to get one, because I was able to take care of problem on my end with a white noise machine and earplugs.
I think that all pre-wars were not built the same. I have always imagined that buildings were built better in 1900 than they were in 1940, but I could be wrong.
I live in a pre-war coop, but I'm on the top floor so do not have to listen to anyone above me, or I'd go insane as I can't stand noise. Luckily for the woman below me, I have wall to wall carpeting, and I lift my heels when I walk, as I think it's unacceptable to subject someone below me to the sound of constant footsteps (for the same reason, I don't think children belong in apartment buildings, they should be brought up in detached homes, like I was).
Footfall definition
noun
noun: footfall; plural noun: footfalls
1. the sound of a footstep or footsteps.
"you will recognize his footfall on the stairs"
----------------------------------
I live in a 1940 pre-war, and yes, you can definitely hear footfalls from above. It won't shake any light fixtures or anything like that, but is clear and slightly loud when it happens. I am glad there are no toddlers above me - I don't know if I could stand it.
As it is, the people who live above me apparently don't really spend a lot of time walking around, so it's bearable. They do get ready for work in their bedroom directly above mine at an extremely early hour, well before I need to be up. So I did have to take measures to make sure I can't hear them. I don't think they have a rug in the bedroom, and I never asked them to get one, because I was able to take care of problem on my end with a white noise machine and earplugs.
I think that all pre-wars were not built the same. I have always imagined that buildings were built better in 1900 than they were in 1940, but I could be wrong.
How many stories is your pre-wall building? Maybe high rise pre-wars are more likely to be soundproof, I wonder?
How many stories is your pre-wall building? Maybe high rise pre-wars are more likely to be soundproof, I wonder?
6 stories.
Your theory may be correct.
I have also heard that buildings built later that are fireproof (no external fire escapes) tend to be more sound proof, at least between floors/ceilings -- not so much between walls from apartment to apartment.
I live in a pre-war coop, but I'm on the top floor so do not have to listen to anyone above me, or I'd go insane as I can't stand noise. Luckily for the woman below me, I have wall to wall carpeting, and I lift my heels when I walk, as I think it's unacceptable to subject someone below me to the sound of constant footsteps (for the same reason, I don't think children belong in apartment buildings, they should be brought up in detached homes, like I was).
You're a good neighbor to have
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