Los Angeles

[Moss_Star]

Are there noise issues with most attached units?    I've lived in an attached townhome for the past 10 years, I can hear my neighbor's TV, voices, sneezing, shower running, etc.  I realize it depends on the people who live in each unit...loud music, slamming doors/cabinets.  I've complained to our board but there is no much they can do.

 I like the fact that the outside landscaping and maintenance is done by the association, however the price point for my next home is below $250K, and I don't see many SFH in decent areas at this price.

I am in the process of selling ,any suggestions on finding a quiet attached Townhome or Condo? 

[TrabucoDom]

Newer construction usually (but not always) has a little better sound insulation...but you might just need to try to be picky and search for an end unit or unit over a garage, or a place where you are attached by garages instead of shared walls...a townhouse end-unit that is only attached by a garage or non-bedroom might be your dream option.

Stay away from stacked condos where the unit lies in the bottom center unless you know that it has high quality sound insulation...not sure how you would test for this...some builders have better reputations so you might find an agent who specializes in the area and knows the builders of the condos...of course you will probably need to spend more for the better places so it might push you out of your price range.

[JG1]

I used to live in one, and it even had double drywall on each side - theirs and ours (4 layers total, plus insulation between), and no one above or below.  I still couldn't stand it.  So I think it is partly construction/layout, partly luck of the draw as to who lives next door to you, and part of the facts of life of condo living, which is why I departed it, never to return, for a single family house on a larger (by LA standards) lot for even more separation from neighbors. 

I am guessing on that price range you will have to look at somewhat less desirable neighborhoods or further out into the outskirts.

You can always pay someone to mow the lawn, etc.  And that stuff wasn't "free" at my old condo - the HOA dues I paid for covered those services.

[Bruin99]

Wow, complete opposite experience.  I've lived in an attached townhome for 2 years, and can almost never hear my neighbors.  I would guess that my neighbors are generally quiet people - but I also think there's really good insulation between the units, maybe a fire wall?  Reason I believe this is because our bathrooms have these really loud bathroom fans, definitely louder than the shower.  When the neighbor turns on their bathroom fan, if it's absolutely quiet in our bathroom, I can hear there fan come through as a very low hum - so the wall is dampening the noise quite a bit.

The prior apartment building I lived in, hated it.  My neighbors were frequently loud and could hear them quite well.

[buyerinwaiting]

I have lived in two attached townhomes and 1 detached. The first place we owned, attached, was built in 1998. Firewall between the units and NEVER heard the neighbors. Also, double paned glass.

Next place was a detached rental. Very large (3100 sq feet), built in 1989, but with  single paned glass and thin walls, we heard a lot, including Harleys rolling down the street.

Fast forward to our currently owned place. Built in 2000, attached, with firewall. The only time we hear things is our neighbor has a tenant that cranks his music from time to time during the day, but that's it. (heard this maybe three times in 7 months) It is extremely quiet and just down the street from the rental.

The location on the street and construction has more to do with the quiet than the fact one is attached and the other detached.

Personally, I wouldnt want someone living above or below me.

[JG1]

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buyerinwaiting wrote:

Personally, I wouldnt want someone living above or below me.

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Or either side.  Nor within 50 feet, if at all possible.

No amount of modern construction is going to stop a subwoofer a couple of inches behind your neighbor's wall from reverberating into your unit at even moderate volume.  Contractors and audiovisual experts, please correct me if I am wrong.  And with more and more people having surround sound and soundbars, and bigger and better TVs and stereos and video games...  With attached housing, one had better hope for a widowed retiree on one side, and a widower retiree on the other.  And that they both have good enough hearing left not to blast the TV or radio.

[snowman]

firewall or staggered framing in common walls do WONDERS. you still dont want anyone above you though. even with great soundproofing there will be a transfer. there are good products out there, to soundproof a wall with minimum space lost.

if you own the home, you can add a layer of drywall, with green glue or similar product in between. just doubling the drywall does not do that much, without the guey stuff in between. not super expensive if you only do the common walls.

look for a corner unit on top floor, ( nicer anyways, more window etc.). and ask the seller if there is staggered framing or firewall. i owned a condo in pasadena, with staggered framing in common walls. on the hallway(outside) i could hear my neighbors kids go nuts. inside i could barely notice them.

now still, after all that said, buy a house with lots of land if you can swing it nothing beats that imho.

[Pasta]

Forget drywall, I'd go with brick....

[Quest]

I agree with the sentiment that soundproofing is practically impossible using wooden or steel frame construction; it is just too economicallyand tecnically exhaustive. These materials will resonate and transfer sound waves. Pasta is on the right track, placed concrete at least 8 inches thick( walls, ceilings, floors) and double pane windows are the only system I have even heard of with wide spread agreement.

[Ed_in_SoCal]

You can't chose your parents and you can't chose your neighbors...