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“You have bad luck with neighbors, I’ve noticed that” this is what he told me after I was complaining about my current neighbor. I have only had issues with neighbors living above me, never had issues with shared walls. Back in HS, I lived in an apt where there was a two year old that drew my gma and I crazy with his running, jumping, playing etc. I bought a first floor condo almost 3 years ago and worst decision yet. I figured it being a 1br/1br, it’d be unlikely if I lived below a family with kids. Since I’ve lived here only single people lived above me but it’s still a pain in the ass. Two tenants, both that lived alone so far but it’s the walking, stomping, talking, dropping things, tv, music etc. Its silly when people chalk it up to apt living but that’s not good enough of an excuse, you can still be mindful of these everyday living sounds. I’ve lived in apts in NY and never dealt with this before moving to FL. Is this the expectation with living below someone or am I just extremely unlucky as my dad put it?
People who are noise sensitive perhaps should not live in apartments, close to other people. Humans are noisy creatures and if you are close to them, you are going to hear them.
What your dad pointed out: if you have the same problem everywhere you go, it might be you.
I have had many neighbors since coming to the USA. Are people loud? Yes, sometimes. But in many cases, it is cheap construction materials and bad soundproofing. I try to avoid buildings built in this century. You might want to look into buildings built before the mid-90s housing boom. In my experience they tend to be more solid, better insulated, and better sound-proofed.
That said, after reading your post about your ceiling thumper, I will say that you need to work on your conflict resolution skills. Escalation is not the way to go. For example, I live in a good, solid building, and while I do sometimes hear the sounds of life, like when my upstairs neighbor puts on her shoes before she leaves for work in the morning or goes out in the evening or when she moves their furniture to vacuum, it is a very quiet building overall and there is nothing that can be done about those occasional sounds anyway. However, the neighbors on the other side of my bedroom wall have a vibrating massage bed. I looked up possible solutions and told them about pads they could put under their bed to minimize the VERY LOUD thumping that would shake the wall and floors and keep me up until 2:00 a.m. during the week.
Well, the pads didn't work. We had another conversation--POLITELY--but in the end, they were still running their bed late at night and it was disrupting my sleep. So I looked in the lease, where I found a clause that says that between the hours of 10 pm and 7 am, we are not allowed to run stereos, exercise equipment, or anything that could be heard outside of our own apartments. I sent a POLITE email to management expressing my regret that the neighbors and I couldn't work it out, I hated complaining, the neighbors are very nice, etc., but that I needed my sleep. Management addressed it with the neighbors (as they are obliged to do as their part of ensuring "quiet use" of my apartment) and that took care of it. Sometimes I do hear their bed going, and depending on the setting they use, sometimes it shakes the floor all the way out in my living room, but it is off at 10 p.m. sharp and that is what is important.
Adults try to work out their problems with one another, and if they cannot, then they get an intermediary involved in enforcing any rules that are being broken. But they also realize that they will have to compromise and adapt as well, like me hearing thump-thump-thump from 8:30 to 10 p.m. and having to go into another room for a little while if it annoys me. You will be very hard-pressed to find an apartment building that is silent. Be prepared to determine what you can live with, even if you don't like it, and what you can't.
People who are noise sensitive perhaps should not live in apartments, close to other people. Humans are noisy creatures and if you are close to them, you are going to hear them.
What your dad pointed out: if you have the same problem everywhere you go, it might be you.
Yes, well, not everyone is born with a silver spoon and can buy or rent a single-family home the day they move out of their parents' homes. Also, some people move around because of their jobs and are not going to buy a new house every few years, as with military people. And finally, some people, such as myself, do not have the time to maintain a house that they own and do not want the hassle of dealing with things that break, lawn care, etc. I have owned a house and I will not do it again as long as I am in the USA. Does this mean I should be kept awake by unreasonable noise? Of course not. In fact, it is easier for renters in some ways, as most leases have rules about noise, rules that can be enforced. Good luck owning a house next-door to rude neighbors who are also homeowners. That is a far more difficult problem to try to resolve, especially when it's some inconsiderate jerk who thinks nothing of running a leaf-blower at 7:01 on a Sunday morning just because it's legal and he can. Your response is out of touch with the experience and circumstances of millions of people.
Should’ve done your homework before you bought this unit. Didn’t you ask about the construction of the building? That alone will tell you how noisy your unit will be.
What you’re hearing is daily living noise and there’s nothing, outside soundproofing your own unit, that you can do about it.
Two tenants, both that lived alone so far but it’s the walking, stomping, talking, dropping things, tv, music etc. Its silly when people chalk it up to apt living but that’s not good enough of an excuse, you can still be mindful of these everyday living sounds.
Yup, everyday living sounds. People have a right to their everyday living sounds.
Condos are often converted apartment buildings or built from scratch, both cheaply done, with no sound proofing between the floors.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dsg1696
I’ve lived in apts in NY and never dealt with this before moving to FL.
My sister lives in an apartment in Manhattan and has the same issue with noise coming from above. It's what happens when everything is built with wood or tile floors and no carpet.
Maybe Florida has a different building style.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dsg1696
Is this the expectation with living below someone or am I just extremely unlucky as my dad put it?
Probably a combination of both.
You can sell it and buy a top floor condo someplace. But then you'll have the people below you complaining about you all the time.
any time someone buys a condo or some sort of apartment, the top floor is always the best, not that you wont hear any noise, but at least there wont be any running stomping from above, I'm on a top floor, and while walking up 4 flights of stairs can be draining at times, to me, it is well worth not having one live above me.
Bad enough there are people on either side, but at least no one above.
any time someone buys a condo or some sort of apartment, the top floor is always the best, not that you wont hear any noise, but at least there wont be any running stomping from above, I'm on a top floor, and while walking up 4 flights of stairs can be draining at times, to me, it is well worth not having one live above me.
Bad enough there are people on either side, but at least no one above.
I’ve never had issues with people next door to me only above though that’s why it’s bad luck according to my dad. And me too
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