Noisy apartments (San Francisco, Oakland: hardwood floors, rent, condos)

[Hardliving]

Hi,

I've been searching all over the Oakland area for an apartment that's reasonably quite. I've been living in my present apartment for 6 years. 2 people have moved out below me because they've complained that I make too much noise. I've told them that the floors and walls are paper thin. There was a guy from Africa who would come knocking on my door each time I stepped over a part of the floor that made a creaking noise, flush the toilet, or close cabinets. The Landlord had told me that this man had moved 3 times in this apartment and complained everytime he moved to another room because of the person living above him. He eventually moved out because he couldn't take it. Then another person moved in here from Japan and had the same problem with me, so he would slam the cabinets and yell so loud that I could hear him cussing in his apartment below me just because I would walk to the bathroom or try to cook something for me to eat -- it was ridiculous. I am not a big person and I practically walk on eggshells just to avoid confrontations from noise-sensitive neighbors below me. Now there's a new person living below me who does the same thing that the previous neighbors did. Well, I'm finally moving out myself because this is ruining my life and stressing me out. I've already gave a 30 day notice to my landlord and seen my new apartment. But lo and behold...I just found out that a huge guy lives above me and I don't know what's going to happen now. Now I have to deal with this guy who is probably a heavy walker. Whether living below or above someone...Oakland is a city that has poorly built apartments unless you're rich and buy a house or a condo. I don't know what to do...I'm just praying and hoping that this new apartment that I am moving in on October 1, 2009 is more insulated and has thicker floors and walls. If anyone has any advice to offer I would greatly appreciate it.

Sincerely,
Hardliving

[jrb724]

Oakland (and other places in the Bay) does have a lot of shoddy construction. Paper thin walls seem to be pretty common place. On the other hand, if your neighbors are loud, you may have noise regardless.

I'd look for a place with lots of insulation and/or plaster walls/ceilings. You won't find plaster in newer units but they are in some older units. Its an older style of construction that is not used much anymore due to cost. Insulation can be hard to find sometimes as well, especially in the ceilings. Many newer units and even condos don't have insulation in the ceiling. I had a coworker who had noise issues in her condo. She ended up getting insulation installed in the ceiling and this helped the noise significantly. Try to look for a complex with quiet neighbors (lower density usually means a bit quieter) and test the walls.

[sabbytabby]

Oh goodness we have the same problem here in San Francisco, seems everyone has hardwood floors. The guy upstairs drives us insane and we've asked so many times (nicely) if he at least wouldn't wear his shoes in the house, or 'drag people across the floor all hours of the day'... We practically tiptoe too because we're above the managers, and we bought carpeting (like we're supposed to)...my best advice would be to always live upstairs and a corner apt if you could so you'd only have to worry about one neighbor. Oh yeah, tenants have rights, it's really hard getting them to quiet down. Our landlord suggested calling the cops...yeah right.
Good luck, I feel for ya...
p.s. we're moving out too, supposedly our new place has double walls and the upper units don't have hardwood flooring...we'll see...

[City Boy]

I think it depends where you live obviously, the newer construction has feet of concrete in between floors so you hear nothing. I know my apartment I'm in now I can't hear anything upstairs or anywhere else other than outside when the windows are open . The Building was completed in 2008.

[Ultrarunner]

^^^ A lot has to do with when the building was built... and the materials used...

If you live in a building with concrete construction like a modern high rise, you can expect it to be quiet...

Wood Frame, Platform Construction.. typical of apartments 1 to 3 stories in height allows sound to travel...

I had lots of problems with a building I managed with beautiful Hardwood Floors...

I carpeted over all the Hardwood and used commercial carpet padding.

Installed Floor to Ceiling Drapes... really deadens sound

Installed double Pane Windows...

Removed Garbage Disposals and Dish Washers from upstairs units

Instituted Rules about when Laundry could be done...

Problem 95% cured...


I've also rented apartments to hearing impaired individuals that fronted 580 and told them the rent was less because it was near the Freeway... they said noise is not a problem

[City Boy]

Yeah and since alot of the buildings out here are old, especially in SF there will be noise. Our condo had wood floors and all the units wood floors and the noise was just ridiculous, that's also a new building. It's just the wood floors exacerbated the noise.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Living in a 1950s apartment ....

11PM some night ...

"Unh ... unh ...

"Unh ... unh ... unh ...

(Sound of bed squeaking ... now, slightly thumping against the walll ... )

LOLOL!!!!!

[BayAreaNoiseControl]

Many times the only solution is to move but where? Noise issues are at an all time high in the Bay Area.

There are many companies and services that offer soundproofing services that have helped many city dwellers feel more comfortable in their apartments and homes.

Here's a quote from an SFGate blog regarding the city's ever increasing noise problem:

"San Francisco lawyer says noise is an issue that often can’t be resolved

Noise created by neighbors is by far the biggest issue for people living in multi-unit buildings in San Francisco, says David Gellman, a San Francisco attorney who specializes in condo conversions and tenancies-in-common.

“You think it would be money,” says Gellman, who is a partner with the firm g3mh. “But more commonly the problems are about noise. When someone calls and says, ‘I have a problem,” I know that it’s going to be about noise.”

Gellman says that noise issues are also the most difficult to resolve. “There’s a lot of subjectivity to it,” Gellman says. “It’s closely related to people’s personalities. Some people can tolerate noise while others can’t. And it’s intensely personal. When it’s personal, people’s reactions are irrational.”

Most often Gellman has to advise people who are frustrated by a noise issue to move. He says putting carpets down reduces contact transmissions such as people walking on hardwood floors, but they don’t help with voices, music, flushing toilets, TVs. Insulation being blown into the ceiling doesn’t do much in a 100-year-old building either."

I have seen many people solve these kinds of issues with proper soundproofing. There are things you can put on or in walls, ceilings, and floors that will help absorb and block noise.

Hope this helps and good luck in your living environment improvement efforts.

[sonarrat]

The first thing I do when I'm looking at an apartment is get on Zillow and find out when the thing was built. If it was before about 1980, there's no way it will ever work. I have a piano - enough said.

[rparz]

mod cut just try to live your life; I'd tell them "Welcome to the big city."
It's not your responsibility to ensure there's adequate sound deadening between floors.