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Old 06-23-2011, 10:59 PM
 
110 posts, read 267,847 times
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I am considering renting the top floor of a duplex. I have lived in a few top floor apartments before with little noise issues, but I am wondering if noise transfers more easily in a duplex given it is just a converted house and therefore probably less insulation between upstairs and downstairs units than even normal apartments. Being on the top floor I realize I won't have to deal with footfall issues, but does noise from a tv, stereo, or even normal talking come through a duplex more easily than an apartment? Does anyone have experience with this?
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Old 06-23-2011, 11:14 PM
 
924 posts, read 2,223,215 times
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Thanks for posting this - I will soon move to an upper duplex and am curious about feedback from those who've BTDT (been there done that). My future landlord indicated there isn't that much insulation in the 60 year old home between top and bottom floors but luckily he and his family will sleep in the basement. But I suppose I'd be able to hear his TV, his child and maybe more during the daytime. Oh well, it can't be as bad as my current situation of upstairs elephants.
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Old 06-23-2011, 11:42 PM
 
Location: Southern California
3,113 posts, read 8,349,655 times
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I've lived on the top floor of a 100-year-old Victorian - and heard absolutely nothing! Some old houses are very well insulated - it just depends on the quality of the original construction!

And I've also lived on one side of a private little duplex a few blocks from the beach - that should have been good construction, but clearly wasn't - because every time my neighbors raised their voices, I could hear everything. And believe me, I didn't want to! I lasted exactly six months before moving...

It's really hard to tell just by looking at a house or duplex if it's going to be quiet or not. Is there anyway you can arrange to see it at a time of day when the neighbors are home? Nothing else like testing under REAL conditions!
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Old 06-24-2011, 08:46 PM
 
Location: Brooklyn New York
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sometimes I hear my downstairs neighbors TV, not a lot, but you can hear it if all is quiet....
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Old 06-27-2011, 10:23 PM
 
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
204 posts, read 1,501,987 times
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I think it's got a lot to do with construction. While I realize the configuration you speak of is "up/down" I own a "side by side" ranch style. Your noise comes though one wall only. I've lived in a "fourplex" where I was the "bottom" being forced to listen to the racket from the "top." I'd rather hear noise from the floor or wall, but I cannot handle noise passing through a ceiling.

Another consideration is wall/floor construction. As stated, most duplexes are glorified homes and generally won't offer concrete and metal sound insulation. Pick the highest apartment in any "up/down" duplex. Anything coming from below will be deadened by your floor, padding and carpet pile.
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Old 06-28-2011, 11:29 AM
 
Location: Philaburbia
41,725 posts, read 74,665,297 times
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I lived in a second floor flat of a converted 100-year-old home for nine years. The owners lived downstairs; the house changed hands three times while I lived there.

The most I heard was from the second owner, who had three toddlers -- they liked to run up and down the hall, and the downstairs had no carpeting. It wasn't all that annoying.

And the landlady told me she could always tell when I was getting company, because she'd hear the vacuum cleaner more than once in a week's time.
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Old 06-29-2011, 06:50 PM
 
110 posts, read 267,847 times
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Thanks everyone. I think I'm going to pass on the duplex, since among other reasons it seems really difficult to know what it will be like living there (noise-wise) until I'm actually living there.
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Old 06-29-2011, 09:22 PM
 
Location: Brooklyn New York
18,359 posts, read 31,439,029 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IMOGAJAD View Post
I think it's got a lot to do with construction. While I realize the configuration you speak of is "up/down" I own a "side by side" ranch style. Your noise comes though one wall only. I've lived in a "fourplex" where I was the "bottom" being forced to listen to the racket from the "top." I'd rather hear noise from the floor or wall, but I cannot handle noise passing through a ceiling.

Another consideration is wall/floor construction. As stated, most duplexes are glorified homes and generally won't offer concrete and metal sound insulation. Pick the highest apartment in any "up/down" duplex. Anything coming from below will be deadened by your floor, padding and carpet pile.


words to live by !!!!!
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