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Old 12-31-2014, 12:10 PM
 
Location: Chicago
460 posts, read 774,981 times
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I know the answer can vary from property to property, but as a rule of thumb, are buildings built as condos generally built to higher standards than buildings intended as apartments?

I'm in a 3-story apartment right now, on the second floor, and the foot traffic noise from my upstairs neighbors is unbelievable. I'm sure they are not actually stomping full force with each step, or jumping off of their furniture onto the floor with full force, but it sure sounds like it. Even the prior residents with their pre-teen daughter didn't seem to make this much noise. I'm looking at condos now that I've got a decent job and a reason to stay in town, but am almost gun shy to go for anything other than a top floor unit based on my recent apartment experiences.

On the same note, what recourse do you have if your condo neighbors are stompers, other than to ask them nicely to be quieter and hope they don't spitefully stomp even louder?
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Old 12-31-2014, 12:17 PM
 
238 posts, read 412,197 times
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I live in a townhouse style condo built in the late 1980s. Depending on how things were constructed, you can have the sound reverberate from next door neighbors as well. There are certain parts of the construction, joists that neighboring units have in common. I understand this type of foot noise (people walking hard on hardwood floors, up and down steps) is really hard or impossible to sound proof since you have to de-couple your walls/floors from their wall/floors.

But that is our only noise, other than that the units are well-constructed. I've heard with even some newer condos that you can hear next door neighbors when they're having a conversation or when their TV is on.

It's really hard to prevent all noise when sharing any wall/floor/ceiling with other people. You might luck out and live next to a church-mouse type, but they could move out and sell to not-so-quiet people.

Even with a single family home there are noises one has to deal with unless you live far from any neighbors.

I don't know if one could say as a rule that buildings built as condos are better than buildings built as apartments. I think a lot has to do with the quality of construction and how much or how little the developer skimped on doing things right. In college I lived in several apartment buildings built in the 1920s - they were originated as apartments for part time senators and legislative workers near the state capitol building. Those things were all like bomb shelters. Concrete floors/walls/ceilings. Never heard a thing.
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Old 12-31-2014, 12:45 PM
 
51,584 posts, read 25,511,617 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MPRetired View Post

On the same note, what recourse do you have if your condo neighbors are stompers, other than to ask them nicely to be quieter and hope they don't spitefully stomp even louder?
You have zero recourse. Many tales over the years of neighbors who bounce balls against the wall, screaming kids, loud music, trombone lessons....

Ear plus and headphones?

I once lived above a smoker. Yee gads.
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Old 12-31-2014, 01:08 PM
 
Location: Chicago
460 posts, read 774,981 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould View Post
You have zero recourse. Many tales over the years of neighbors who bounce balls against the wall, screaming kids, loud music, trombone lessons....

Ear plus and headphones?

I once lived above a smoker. Yee gads.
Surprisingly, the smoke smell isn't all that bad where I'm at, and both of my downstairs neighbors at one time or another regularly smoked marijuana (perfectly legally).

I wouldn't resort to tennis ball torture against my upstairs neighbors, because all they'd need to do is stomp more (if that's possible) to make my life miserable. Generally, it simmers down at night but occasionally they are in rare form. I don't smoke so I can't use that to get back at them.

Any tips on identifying noise problem condos during viewings? I mean its not like you can go to the upstairs unit, knock on the door, and ask if you can have someone walk on their floors to test the noise level before making an offer. I suppose you could get lucky and hear it while viewing the property, but that is a big if.
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Old 12-31-2014, 01:26 PM
 
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
2,150 posts, read 5,139,599 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MPRetired View Post

Any tips on identifying noise problem condos during viewings? I mean its not like you can go to the upstairs unit, knock on the door, and ask if you can have someone walk on their floors to test the noise level before making an offer. I suppose you could get lucky and hear it while viewing the property, but that is a big if.
Check out the construction. Many newer units feature pre-stressed concrete floor/ceiling which are probably the best option try to find one of those. Units with wood floors are most likely to flex, squeak and transmit noise. If possible find out if the upstairs neighbor has carpet or hardwood/tile. I would think carpet would be a little better at masking noise. Also older people are more likely to shuffle their feet than stomp, so that might mean something.

You could always buy your upstairs neighbor some nice fluffy slippers to wear in the house.
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Old 12-31-2014, 02:40 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
10,987 posts, read 20,462,357 times
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I live in a building which was top of the line in '59. Steel and concrete structure with plaster over mesh walls. Sound does travel particularly from the unit above if there is not sound / impact absorbing (heavy carpet) on the floor. We don't seem to have much of a problem with sound transmission horizontally. Right now a piano player is driving his downstairs neighbor nuts. The building is a co-op, the lease prohibits disturbing your neighbor with musical instruments. His behavior needs to change else we are left with eviction.
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Old 12-31-2014, 05:48 PM
 
Location: Chicago
460 posts, read 774,981 times
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My unit doesn't seem to get much noise from the units on the sides, and one of them has two small dogs that bark quite a bit. Its the upstairs unit that's the problem. I'm wondering if the apartment complex replaced their carpet before the current tenants moved in with cheap crap and didn't properly pad it. The previous tenants were also noisy, but not this bad. As I stated in the OP, it sounds like they are literally slamming their feet down when they walk, and I doubt any non-sociopaths would do that intentionally.
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Old 01-01-2015, 12:27 PM
 
238 posts, read 412,197 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MPRetired View Post
My unit doesn't seem to get much noise from the units on the sides, and one of them has two small dogs that bark quite a bit. Its the upstairs unit that's the problem. I'm wondering if the apartment complex replaced their carpet before the current tenants moved in with cheap crap and didn't properly pad it. The previous tenants were also noisy, but not this bad. As I stated in the OP, it sounds like they are literally slamming their feet down when they walk, and I doubt any non-sociopaths would do that intentionally.
Hard to know what you're dealing with exactly. Could be changed flooring surface, could be just loud walkers. Maybe both. I think that sometimes people don't understand that living in shared-type of spaces requires some basic courtesy.

I lived in an apartment once that was a renovated house. The woman above me would come home at 1 am and then what sounded like have dinner parties right above my bedroom. I complained to the landlord, but ultimately there was nothing I could do but just move out. Moving is no fun and can be expensive, but since I had basically 0 control over the situation otherwise, it was my only recourse. I never rented another apartment unless it was on a top floor. Even though there continues to be sound in my living situations, even in my townhouse condo, I find having noise from above to be especially hard to deal with.
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