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I'm not sure if this is the right forum. If not, apologies.
We have been living in our co-op unit which we purchased last February with no issues with neighbors until last week. Our previous neighbor, an ER nurse who was apparently very quiet, sold her unit to a very nice girl who plays the french horn (she is a professional musician).
We're pretty laid back people by nature, but I am pretty dismayed by how much this change has messed with our ability to enjoy our new home. First, we can hear our new neighbor (and her mother more particularly) very clearly through our walls. Like the entire conversation. Most of our unit has walls adjoining hers, and only in our bedroom, with the door shut, can we escape hearing them talk. They tend to talk in a very loud (I hate to say it) kind of 'American' way. Given that this is a two-way problem, if this were all I would probably just politely let her know about the thin walls and the fact that we can hear her conversations and hope that she tries to moderate her voice some (my boyfriend and I both tend to speak at very low volume so I doubt she has heard us, though it may of course cut both ways).
However, the much larger problem became apparent last week, which is that she practices the french horn 3 times a day for about an hour in her bedroom. This fills the entire house. I have bought professional-grade earplugs through which I cannot hear my boyfriend if he is speaking next to me, and I can still hear the french horn. As I am a scientist who works from home a lot, this is kind of problematic. It would also be a pretty annoying feature when we have dinner parties.
The thing is, I DON'T really want to tell her to quit practicing, because I think she should have the right to do as she needs to in her home. And as a professional she needs to practice. One solution I have come up with is to offer her the use of our "maid's bedroom" which is on the upper floor of our building, away from other units. The problem is (1) while clean, it has not been renovated into the guest room/office yet, and (2) I don't know if this suggestion can be made in a way which is not rude.
We have also been wondering if it would be possible to noise-proof the walls adjoining her unit in some way. We are planning on living here for a very long time, so though it might be an expense, it may be worth it even if she moves away, as apparently the walls are not very soundproof. (They are plaster over some kind of hollow plaster blocks, circa 1915).
I really do NOT want to start a war with our neighbor (in fact I would like to be friendly with her as much as possible) and I respect her right to practice, but we are just very noise-sensitive people and I'm really feeling the hit to our quality of life in our home. Any diplomatic suggestions would be very welcome...
This is a co-op. Complain to the board and let them give her a notice about the noise.
Is there nothing in your HOA rules against that sort of noise? Musicians usually rent practice rooms to do their practice, not use their own apartment.
This is a co-op. Complain to the board and let them give her a notice about the noise.
Is there nothing in your HOA rules against that sort of noise? Musicians usually rent practice rooms to do their practice, not use their own apartment.
That's interesting that you say they usually rent a practice room -- I would have thought so too. I mean, I wouldn't mind if it were quiet piano playing but a french horn is one of the loudest instruments, I would not want to annoy my neighbors, personally.
My very quick research online has lead me to believe that practicing music is not usually regarded as a criminal amount of noise-making. Nor would I want to escalate things to a conflict like that, I'm more interested in finding a solution that keeps us friendly with the neighbor.
There is technically a noise ordinance, but it's mainly about construction noise being limited to working hours for those doing renovations. I'll need to check again if there is anything about music. Though again, I think that would be rather a slap in the face to the neighbor, and I would dread making an enemy.
The fact that you can hear them talk makes me thinks it isn't the best construction. If you are someone that works at home that could be a problem.
It was built in 1915. I doubt there is any insulation in the walls.
OP, I would talk to your neighbor and explain that you work at home. I'd ask if she would be willing to split the cost of soundproofing the wall between your units since she practices at home and you work from home. The use of the guest room is a nice idea in the meantime, but it won't solve your long term solution if you have a guest in there and she needs to practice.
The fact that you can hear them talk makes me thinks it isn't the best construction. If you are someone that works at home that could be a problem.
It's a concrete, brick, and plaster building from 1915, so not exactly paper walls. We never heard a peep from the previous neighbor. Unfortunately I think part of the problem is that they are loud talkers. My boyfriend says the mom has a "CNN" voice...
Musicians usually rent practice rooms to do their practice, not use their own apartment.
I'm not sure where you came up with that idea, but the ones that I know use their own home. I'm a professional musician as well is my husband. The only ones that I know that use a private space is if it is included with the orchestra with which they play. Also, French Horn isn't the loudest, I'd have to say for acoustic instruments it would be the trombone. Then you have amplified instruments which can be VERY loud.
I agree with the poster that maybe you can have some insulation blown in to help.
Put on your big girl pants and have an adult conversation with this person. Did the board have to approve this person since it's a coop?
Well I am planning to, I just wanted to get some advice before plunging in, because it's a sensitive topic and I like to make sure I'm not being unreasonable. The board rarely doesn't approve someone. The realtor who sold the place is one of our neighbors in the building and did forwarn us, but we weren't really given an option to object. I think it would have been kind of wrong, in any case. I guess I expect(ed) that the new neighbor would be understanding if we make the case that it's too loud. Hopefully we will be able to figure something out.
I'm not sure where you came up with that idea, but the ones that I know use their own home. I'm a professional musician as well is my husband. The only ones that I know that use a private space is if it is included with the orchestra with which they play. Also, French Horn isn't the loudest, I'd have to say for acoustic instruments it would be the trombone. Then you have amplified instruments which can be VERY loud.
I agree with the poster that maybe you can have some insulation blown in to help.
Thanks for the perspective from a musician, that is helpful. How would you feel if someone offered you a practice room a flight up from your apartment?
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