10-29-2024, 10:00 AM
(10-28-2024, 07:37 PM)dtkvictim Wrote:(10-28-2024, 06:32 PM)tomh009 Wrote: Many/most modern condos don't have concrete walls, either, only concrete floors (and maybe a concrete building envelope). We have drywall ... and, yes, we can definitely hear our neighbours.
Quite unfortunate. It's a major barrier to denser living that should be taken more seriously, but probably won't be because it's not killing people directly like fire and because people are unable to push for better while held hostage to the housing shortage. I wonder how much cost adequate soundproofing would add to a project like this.
"Adequate soundproofing" is probably much less expensive than concrete walls--and more flexible.
Sound-isolating drywall is readily available; using a double layer of this type of drywall on each side rather than a single layer of conventional drywall makes a huge difference. Conventional drywall construction has an STC of 30 or so, meaning a 30 db reduction in sound level. Using sound-isolating drywall takes that to STC 50, and two layers to about STC 100. Using a single layer of sound-isolating drywall on the exterior walls of a typical condo or apartment would probably add less than $3000 in cost, maybe $2000 for a small unit.
Unfortunately it typically doesn't enable the builder to increase the price of the unit so there isn't much incentive to do this, especially in condo buildings where the developer will hand over responsibility to a condo corporation (the owner of an apartment building would have more of an interest in managing noise complaints in the long term).
The good thing is that it's not particularly difficult to retrofit better drywall in most rooms in a condo, kitchens and bathrooms aside. If you love your condo but are frustrated by the noise, it's worth considering this option.