Townhome Feedback

[OnMedic]

Hi all,

We are looking at moving from our 2,100 single family home to an upscale 2,100 sq. ft. townhome (only a few rows of 3, leaving only the middle owner with 2 common walls) in an exclusive neighbourhood.

Our only real concern is the potential for noise through the common wall. The builder sales person states that it is insulated and the wall studs offset with a space between the walls to trap noise.

What are your experiences and does anyone have feedback on construction methods used or ideas that minimize common wall noise.

Thanks all!

 

[mom2grace]

I lived with my mom for a while in a townhome. I know there was one connected, maybe 2. We never heard anything through the walls!

 

[2BigKIdz]

We lived in a townhouse for a year, 1991-1992. We were in a row of 5. The people to our left had a large lab and 2 wild boys, we could hear them very well, especially running up and down the stairs. The guy to our right played the electric guitar and we definitely heard that, but other than that it was fairly quiet. I don't think these town homes were very well built (according to my uncle, a fire inspector) even though they were a "premiere" builder in this area. My husband's aunt lives in that same development and she and many of her neighbors have had issues with poor construction but she loves her place and has lived there close to 20 years.

 

[ilovepcot]

Years back when I lived in a townhouse, the couple next door complained to me about my music. They admitted upfront that "they" couldn't actually "hear" the music but their dog could feel the vibrations and it scared her! I was so dumbfounded they would tell me this with a straight face that I numbly nodded that I would turn down my music for their dog! I never was bothered by noise, but I did have problems with noise in apartments as well as duplexes. I can't help but wonder if buildings that start out as condos as opposed to apartments that "become" condos arent' built with better insulation.

 

[luvthatduke]

We live in a very well-built twin,
and can't wait to someday own a single family home.
We love our neighbors, but we hear them (and they hear us).
You really won't know if your decision is right for you,
unfortunately, until you're actually living in the townhome.

 

[bicker]

Our row of townhouses were built in 1999, and I've heard noise from out in the street, but never from the neighbor on either side. I suspect that if it got loud enough, I would sooner hear the sound that had traveled out the front or back of their unit, bounced off something out there, and came in through the front or back of my unit.

We previously lived in townhouses built in 1992, and did hear television and such through the walls, at times. Prior to that, I lived in a row of townhouses build in 1986, and could hear just about everything through the walls.

 

[Disney Doll]

A lot probably depends on the construction. My friend lived in her first townhome, which was a cute, and fairly well-built place. She could hear some stuff through the walls, and actually ended up with a nut next door who would tap on the walls every time she moved, opened a cabinet or flushed her toilet. She decided to move. I'd have handled that differently, but she and I are different personalities.

She now lives in a townhome that my DH found for her that has cinderblock party walls. She doesn't hear a thing from either neighbor on either side.

 

[Cindy B]

We;ve been in townhouses as well. Yes, you could hear a lot of stuff, steps noise , people getting "busy" and music.

 

[Living with the Land]

I just moved from a townhome this summer. When you look at the property again ask to see next door if it is vacant. Otherwise, go knock on the neighbors door and ask if one of you can come in their house and make noise while the other tries to hear it next door. This sounds crazy but it is important. We had neighbors at one time that were very loud (if you know....) upstairs. However, when we had a crying infant they would beat on the wall.

I love my new house I can be sooo loud.

Holly

 

[mickeyfan2]

Offset studs will help to eliminate noise. Also the firewall (usually concrete blocks) will reduce noise too.

 

[jrmasm]

We live in a townhouse built in late 2003. The only time we hear the neighbors is when the windows are open. Built properly, common walls are not an issue.

 

[OnMedic]

Thanks for the feedback. Very Mixed! I think I will ask the other neighbours that have purchased some of the other units, as well as the person in the middle to turn up TV and stereo and such louder then they would ever image listening to...

The people in the middle have no children, so I would suspect are fairly quiet, but you never know. However, we do have 2 small children that like to be loud once in a while (like all kids). I also have an awesome Klipsch home theatre set-up powered by Denon, and could see an issue with great action movies.

Looks like more onsite investigation may be needed.

Cheers,

 

[mickeyfan2]

I also have an awesome Klipsch home theatre set-up powered by Denon, and could see an issue with great action movies.

As an owner of Klipsch horns, rear speakers and center speakers, I believe this will be a problem. Our family room (home of the speakers) is well insultated by 8" walls and those speaker are heard in the rest of the home.

 

[thinkerbell]

I think as Bicker indicated, it probably depends on when your townhome was built. Ours was finished about a year and a half ago. Our builder told us that in our state they were required to put some kind of firewall between townhomes. Ours isn't cement blocks but some kind of fire resistant sheetrock or something. They also put something else between that to keep noise down. We are in the middle of three and we never hear anything from one side and only hear kitchen cabinets banging on the other side--occasionally. We do live in between two older retired couples though so that could also be a factor. Other than us and about four other households(out of about 80), everyone in here is retired. We love it. Makes us feel a little safer leaving our house to go to work each day.
Sometimes when someone asks us where we live we tease and say in a retirement village.

 

[we3disneygo]

we lived in a townhome in Chicago before dd was born our's was the end one....we never heard anything from our neighbors, it was very nice.