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Often i hear mention about extremely high audibility in apartments. I`d like to know if it`s really so bad in all apts.? What should i pay attention to when i choose the flat. I rather nervous to sounds so if i get the last floor it will prevent me from the neighbors noise?
I used to live on the 10-th floor out of 12. It was very uncomfortable due to my upstairs neighbors. They stomped as an elephant up to 12pm, In short, i sold my flat and bought another on the 16-th floor out of 16. It was relief. Therefore i`m used to living with silence. I don`t hear my neighbors downstairs/from side due to thick walls and floor (as you may know in cold climate high-rise buildings are usually built). Soon i`m going to visit US for a several months and going to live in apts. So i pretty anxious about renting..
I`m waitin of any advices!
Apartments suck for this very reason. Condos and townhouses have the same issue. I will do everything I can never to share a wall or ceiling again. In the USA most of these buildings are constructed for the very lowest possible cost (so-called "luxury" apartments too) and soundproofing requires heavy (expensive) construction elements. So it's like having a double layer of newspaper between you and your neighbor.
You can try to find a single family house for rent, but it will probably be more expensive.
I found some apartment complexes where buildings have only 2 floors and some 1br apts. have only 2 neighboring surfaces - from one side is a wall and floor. There are fewer chances in those apts. to come across with noisy neighbors. Nevertheless, now i`ve figured out why most of people in USA want living in their own house.
May be i had better not to live in apts. (with my "noise phobia") and try to find cheap small renovated house?
The less walls you share, the better. Corner top floors are usually the best. Pay attention what site your windows are facing. Pools and community areas tend to be noisy. South or west facing windows tend to make the place very hot in Summer.
Try to find a duplex for rent, or small house (some come with responsibilities like take care of the yard), but those are the best options if you like it quiet.
Cheap places could be quite loud, because nobody cares about the tenants.
Yep i know it) Even one share wall could make some irritating noise! How do you think if the corner or upper apts. are more expensive than others? I`ve never lived in USA with the neighbors beyond the wall. I used to live at my sisters house. But now i don`t wanna bother her. Even though i`m worried how to live in "paper" building)
The worst case is if a dog/cat/kids are in the upper floor! I envy people who are able to fall asleep as their head touches a pillow) I believe they have a healthy nerve system..
Are there many chances to come across with bad neighbors in nice apartment complex?
Get the upper floor for yourself. The noise coming from above is worse than the noise coming from the below. You can always put a rug on the floor. Walls are paper thin and hollow. Try NOT to get an apartment near stairs, trash compactor, or lift. Away from pool, playground, and trash containers. Remember that you can't make any permanent changes in the apartment, and lots of people have an access to it (apartment manager, staff, maintenance, phone/cable company, pest control) - so be careful with your valuables. It's a good idea to have a view at your parked car.
You'd think they'd give more thought to noise-proofing but sadly not in the US, where everything is engineered to meet codes and be passable, but not much else. It's luck of the draw having a nice neighbor that might say use headphones like I always did and thus I never heard my neighbors at all for years because they were similarly considerate.
Actual usage of a cheap materials in construction is not only issue of USA ! It is world wide trend! In Czech we have decreasing of material quality! The houses that were built 30-40 years ago are have a 8-10 inches thick of the walls made of true reinforced concrete. You cannot drill it without perforator. Nowadays houses have the walls made of gypsum concrete which you are able to drill out by the screwdriver! Naturally audibility was getting lower and lower. Now i live in a new house so i hear as my kid snore behind the inner wall)
How do you thing if upper (last) floor is more expensive than lower floor or cost not depends of it?
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