Soundproofing a room: €450 wasted and other lessons
Soundproofing a room can cost €10,000 and still not work. Real experiences from people who spent €450 in vain show that noise finds its way in through every gap.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Soundproofing a room: when €450 gets you nowhere
Noise from neighbours is one of the biggest sources of conflict in shared housing. Shouting, slamming doors, televisions at full volume. The natural reaction is to fortify your own home. But the experience of those who have tried shows that buying panels at Leroy Merlin is not enough.
One figure sums up the disappointment: €450 spent on 4 cm copopren and white pyramid panels for the walls and ceiling. The result, according to the person who tried it, was "I didn't achieve much." The money, literally, in the bin. And it's not an isolated case. Another affected homeowner spent a similar amount insulating a shared wall, only to find that noise was still coming in through the structure of the built-in wardrobe and the window. Sound, like water, seeks out every sustancia ilegal.
Why do cheap solutions fail?
Acoustic insulation is not an exact science for DIY. It depends on the type of noise: airborne (voices, television) or impact/vibrational (footsteps, construction work). Against the latter, foams and sheets are barely any use. What's more, sound travels through the entire building structure via floor slabs, pillars and pipes. Insulating one wall leaves the ceiling, floor and electrical socket boxes untouched, and these act as acoustic bridges.
Professionals recommend a comprehensive treatment: walls, ceiling and floor, with specific materials (rock wool, plasterboard, acoustic sealants) and decoupling from the structure. All of this can exceed €10,000 for a single room. And even then, there is no absolute guarantee, because noise can come through the walls of the neighbour above or next door, which have not been treated.
Alternatives: from war to moving out
Faced with the frustration, some opt for confrontation: leaving an alarm clock at full volume when heading off to work so the neighbour wakes up early, or making noise on purpose. Others, the more pragmatic ones, choose the administrative route: filing complaints, measuring decibels, seeing a doctor to certify sleep damage. But bureaucracy is slow and doesn't always solve the problem.
The final, and most expensive, solution is to move. One affected homeowner admitted he bought another house and rented out the old one. "The property purchase taxes worked out cheaper than continuing to invest in soundproofing," he said. A damning conclusion about the housing market and quality of life.
The myth of soundproofing paint or cardboard egg cartons may save you a few euros, but noise from neighbours has a clear cause: lack of empathy, but above all poor construction. As long as acoustic regulations are not stricter and renovations don't cover full insulation, those suffering from noise have two options: pay a fortune for uncertain silence, or change flats.
Is it worth investing in soundproofing, or is it better to use that money for the deposit on another home? Every case is different, but the experiences of those who have tried invite you to think twice.
Noise from neighbours is one of the biggest sources of conflict in shared housing. Shouting, slamming doors, televisions at full volume. The natural reaction is to fortify your own home. But the experience of those who have tried shows that buying panels at Leroy Merlin is not enough.
One figure sums up the disappointment: €450 spent on 4 cm copopren and white pyramid panels for the walls and ceiling. The result, according to the person who tried it, was "I didn't achieve much." The money, literally, in the bin. And it's not an isolated case. Another affected homeowner spent a similar amount insulating a shared wall, only to find that noise was still coming in through the structure of the built-in wardrobe and the window. Sound, like water, seeks out every sustancia ilegal.
Why do cheap solutions fail?
Acoustic insulation is not an exact science for DIY. It depends on the type of noise: airborne (voices, television) or impact/vibrational (footsteps, construction work). Against the latter, foams and sheets are barely any use. What's more, sound travels through the entire building structure via floor slabs, pillars and pipes. Insulating one wall leaves the ceiling, floor and electrical socket boxes untouched, and these act as acoustic bridges.
Professionals recommend a comprehensive treatment: walls, ceiling and floor, with specific materials (rock wool, plasterboard, acoustic sealants) and decoupling from the structure. All of this can exceed €10,000 for a single room. And even then, there is no absolute guarantee, because noise can come through the walls of the neighbour above or next door, which have not been treated.
Alternatives: from war to moving out
Faced with the frustration, some opt for confrontation: leaving an alarm clock at full volume when heading off to work so the neighbour wakes up early, or making noise on purpose. Others, the more pragmatic ones, choose the administrative route: filing complaints, measuring decibels, seeing a doctor to certify sleep damage. But bureaucracy is slow and doesn't always solve the problem.
The final, and most expensive, solution is to move. One affected homeowner admitted he bought another house and rented out the old one. "The property purchase taxes worked out cheaper than continuing to invest in soundproofing," he said. A damning conclusion about the housing market and quality of life.
The myth of soundproofing paint or cardboard egg cartons may save you a few euros, but noise from neighbours has a clear cause: lack of empathy, but above all poor construction. As long as acoustic regulations are not stricter and renovations don't cover full insulation, those suffering from noise have two options: pay a fortune for uncertain silence, or change flats.
Is it worth investing in soundproofing, or is it better to use that money for the deposit on another home? Every case is different, but the experiences of those who have tried invite you to think twice.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (60 replies).
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