New Home Owners And Snagging Forum
Advice on buying a brand new home => Snagging and defects => Topic started by: Billy on May 09, 2017, 01:07:55 pm
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I've been reading this forum with great interest as I have recently bought a new build. While the issues have been bad, so far they have been relatively good at fixing them. At the moment I am going through a fix of the usual squeaking floorboards and in the process managed to get a look into the construction of the floors.
It is a terraced property and the sound insulation between houses is fine (I can hear the occasional person stomping on the steps, but little else), however the insulation between interior floors is pretty poor. Even if I speak quietly in the master bedroom, a person in the room below will be able to understand every word.
The construction used is 21mm chipboard on joists and then straight to the plasterboard ceiling. The floors have carpet and a cheap carpet underlay. Crucially, there is no further insulation in the cavity between floors.
I have read the NHBC and government standards, but they seem quite vague.
The NHBC only refers to something along the lines of sufficient sound insulation for the purpose, while the government standards only seem to set out a permissible sound level with a recommendation (mineral wood, see 5.23 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/468870/ADE_LOCKED.pdf).
Is this construction in line with regulations, or could should I pursue this further?
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As far as I am aware, there is no requirement for sound insulating a floor in the same dwelling.
The key elements for residential dwellings are separating walls and floors between dwellings and internal partitions within dwellings.
Not that it is not good practice to add some sound insulation anyway.
NHBC Standard - Sound insulation 6.4.5
Upper floors shall be constructed to ensure that sound transmission is adequately limited. Timber upper floors should comply with building regulations and Chapter 9.3 'Floor finishes'