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I have wondered about those expensive high rise condominiums you see in places like Miami Beach or New York or along the lakeshore in Chicago. Has anyone ever lived in one of those?
Can you hear your neighbors thumping around upstairs like you can in lots of apartments or do most of those places have better soundproofing?
I would hate to think of paying outrageous sums to live in places like that and then hear you neighbor everyday moving around in the kitchen upstairs.
The only experience I have is in high rises along the East Coast and Gulf, but they are much quieter than a basic apartment building. High rises have concrete construction as opposed to wood framing, which is a much better sound insulator. In Chicago, I couldn't say since they might have different interior construction due to not having to meet hurricane codes.
And, I totally agree about paying to not have to hear other people. That is what drove me the nuttiest during apartment living, especially since there's always that one neighbor who is a night-owl, or must hop from room to room, or plays some insanely loud musical instrument, etc. Hope you can find something quieter!
High rises have concrete construction as opposed to wood framing, which is a much better sound insulator.
I somewhat disagree. For years I owned and lived in a unit on a high floor in a high-rise condo. The building was brand new back in the early 1990s when I bought the unit. Floor/ceiling slabs were concrete, but interior framing between the individual units was drywall attached to metal studs. It was hardly soundproof, in fact, quite the opposite. The concrete slabs carried sound throughout the building, and the drywall on metal studs not only amplified, but actually carried sound through units/party walls.
My personal opinion, stay away from any new or new-ish construction. A 30- or 40-year old highrise, that's likely another story.
I have seen quite a few apartment buildings that were turned in to condos. No difference.
Old apartment buildings that are converted are usually much quieter than new construction at least around here. The new stuff is quickly built and probably on the cheap.
I viewed a few units in a brand new six unit building with my mother and sister and while they were looking at one unit, I was in the one next door and you could hear every word spoken in the next apartment over. I knocked on the wall and it sounded hollow. A lot of the people walking through were talking about it as well.
As for quiet, as said above, many apartment buildings have been converted to condos so apt/condo means nothing. And there have been condos built that went bust and are now apartments so again apt/condo means nothing.
Its the constructiuon and not the lable of apartment or condo or co-op or whatever is being used.
I live in a new mid-rise and was under the impression it would be quieter than a typical apartment and I am very disappointed. I asked about the construction and about the concrete barriers but I didn't check the answers I got. This is the loudest place I have ever lived, partly, I believe, because there is no carpet. I'm always joking about the riverdance crew/furniture movers that live above me! Also, because of where my unit is located has been problematic. There are two buildings and I live right between them on the outside facing the other building. There is a parking garage gate directly beneath me and one just across from me. There is also the built in dumpster below me next to the gate. When someone moves in, this is where the moving trucks are situated. I feel as though I'm living in an industrial park with beeps all day from the gates being accessed, large trucks, loud movers, metal bangs and thumps, waste management trucks beeping and lifting the large dumpster and seemingly throwing it back down causing the building to shake. I work from home and often think I need to get an outside office just for a little peace and quiet. I'm an apartment locator and should have known better but I didn't because it was my first highrise/midrise experience. Be warned!
Condominiums?
What is the difference between condos and apartments?
Is it much cozier that the modern apartment?
That's why they are much more costly that apartments.
I live in an older high rise condo and it is much much quieter then apartments. I rarely hear my neighbors, mainly just noise from outside. Like anything of course it can vary greatly from building to building. Ours has concrete walls and therefore is quiet. Some newer buildings I could imagine may not be that way if the developer built them on the cheap. As always do your research.
I'm thinking of buying a unit in an older high rise building(1977). I went in for tour of the place specifically to test the soundproofing. I play the piano, and was told that the sound only travels through one side of the building into the centre hallway. Because this is a corner unit and I would have east and west facing views in the living room I'm not worried too much about floor to floor or side to side noise transmission.
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Advice for high-rise living.
