Townhomes with thin walls? (Burke, Reston: hardwood floors, to rent, how much)

[Germany2DC]

Hello,

My family and I will be moving to FFX County in a few weeks and will be looking for a townhouse in the Burke/Springfield area.....first to rent and then eventually to buy. We were wondering how well (or poorly) the townhomes in the area are built and we understand that most of townhomes were built 30+ years ago. Are the walls very thin causing inhabitants to constantly hear their neighbors? What are your thoughts overall?

Thanks.

[HokieFan]

I live in a townhouse in Woodbridge. It was built in 1996.

I have neighbors on each side. One set of neighbors has children and frequent parties. The other set is an older couple with no children living with them. I hardly ever hear the older couple.

I can hear bass when my neighbor's music is loud, and when their kids are running through the house (especially when the one kid bounces a basketball on the hardwood floors). We and my neighbors have hardwood floors so I think if we had carpet, the noise would be even more muffled.

It's only annoying when the kids are thumping around past 10:00pm (go to bed already! and stop bouncing that damn ball!) or they have a party - which seems to be every three-day weekend. (these inconsiderate neighbors get the stink eye every time I see them)

[Vectorhead]

I think that in general, the older townhouses are better built than the newer ones. I have a lot of friends in the 1960s townhouses in West Springfield. I'll ask them your question.

[Nate_VA]

I live in a townhouse in Reston that was built in 1969. It has cinder block walls between the units. I only hear noise when one neighbor has the surround sound blasting, and even then it's not unbearable. However, I think cinder block walls are rare for townhouses in this area. I would definitely check out the place in the evening when people are at home, and see how much you can hear.

Why homebuilders don't construct sound proof townhouses is baffling. You'd think they would be able to market that as a feature and charge a premium for it. I know I'd pay it!

[FCNova]

Mine was built in 1970 and has the cinderblock firewall between units. I would assume that's a requirement, but maybe building codes have changed over the years. I would definitely not buy a TH that didn't have that because noise would be an issue, not to mention safety if the adjacent home caught on fire. Noise is a very minor issue in my TH even with the firewalls. It's really only because our couch in the living room sits up against the wall with one neighbors kitchen on the other side. Sometimes in the evening when we're relaxing we can hear some noise(banging), I reckon them either making dinner or cleaning up. They're a family of 5 so I'm sure there is a lot of activity in that house. Not a big deal. If you're in a TH you really should expect to occasionally hear neighbors, it's just part of the deal.

[SandyJet]

chinese sheetrock of stuff thrown up in housing boom

[z28lt1]

I lived in two townhouses in the area, one in Herndon and one in Fairfax, both built in the 90's. One was an end unit, so I only had one direct neighbor. Never heard my neighbors a single time in either of them (although they weren't the partying type, so it was just day to day noise that I never heard.)

[car54]

I don't think masonry firewalls are required anymore. If not, I'm also not sure when the change occurred. In driving past townhouses under construction it just doesn't look like any block is being laid between units.

Builders probably convinced (wined and dined?) the politicians that a couple of sheets of "fireproof" cheap crap sheathing is just as good as masonry. And even if it is, from a fire rating standpoint, I don't think there's any way it's equal from a soundproofing standpoint.

[gomason]

Never been an issue for me in the 11 years I lived in a townhouse. Only time was when my neighbor played the drums in his house.

[LuvVA]

i have lived in a townhouse for several years (built in 2002, Loudoun Co.), never heard any noise from my neighbors. Only once my neighbor told me that my sub-woofer in basement was loud. I had to redirect it and I never heard from him again about this noise.