Noisy Condo Tenants

[simuls]

First off, this isn't a competition, this is a forum about sharing information. If it differs, let's be adults about it and lose the aggressive tone.

I mentioned new builds and conversions. Edge is new, not a conversion, and the condo tower at the printing factory is new, not a conversion.

I noticed my error and you're correct about Edge/PF. I've been inside Edge, and it has concrete walls between units, but not down the hallway. I think you're mistaking interior suite walls (between a bedroom and living room, for example) as between unit walls. I don't know about PF.

Why don't you name them? You were wrong in your first sentence, why should I believe you now?

DNA phase I/II have concrete walls between units and down the hallway. Zip/Battery park also have concrete walls between units, I'm unsure about the hallway. Pantages - concrete, Radio City - concrete all around, College Park - concrete all around, all Cityplace building are concrete between units, not down the hallway.

Your ancedotal evidence doesn't trump mine at all. The new builds I see around the city have single stud drywall partitions.

I've looked at cityplace and liberty village, thay have single stud drywall.
Why don't you go and look at some of the condos I mentioned...and tell me where the concrete walls are?

Ok, I have. Just today I've seen X, Murano, Maple Leaf Square, everything being built in Liberty Village, Bridge, Bohemian Embassy, West Side Lofts, Cityplace, Harbourfront West, and they are all concrete between units - although not all have concrete down the hallway.

It was quite a nice walk actually, thanks for the suggestion!

And w.ll.am is correct. Noise travels through everything and in my experience, it has more to do with ceiling/floors than anything else. There are drywall products that are super effective for cutting down on noise. It would be great if builders chose to go this route, because despite what some people on this forum believe, their margins are anything but super thin.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

What I have observed over the years since I watched my first condo being built is that where concrete walls are not poured between units, they are later bricked up with cinderblock where one suite separates from another. I'm talking about condos here, not office buildings or conversions.
As for floors with hardwood/laminate flooring, new projects (built in about the past 15 or so years) install a material (I don't know what it is although I've heard that cork can be one of the materials) which helps to buffer materials hitting or impacting the hardwood and transmitting through to the unit below, I believe the term for this is "floating floor". There is usually a clause in the P&S Agreement about this and restrictions for other types of suite renos. but some people will still do things like rip out carpet and lay down hardwood without installing the material between the concrete floor & new hardwood. Presumably they do this either to save money or because they simply don't know otherwise. If anyone has ever lived in an apartment buidling pre-1980 with a heavy or noisy neighbour above you'd understand the dramatic difference that the material between the hardwood & concrete can make.
I don't know about conversions but I'd be surprised if they were any different.
My brother is a firefighter and I might see him on the weekend. I'll ask him about fire code and see what he might know of this subject or if he can lead me to a source to investigate this.

 

[ducati0000]

my place under construction I can clearly see solid walls all around,for those who got it studded and drywall only it must be low key project.

 

[dosbox]

As for floors with hardwood/laminate flooring, new projects (built in about the past 15 or so years) install a material (I don't know what it is although I've heard that cork can be one of the materials) which helps to buffer materials hitting or impacting the hardwood and transmitting through to the unit below, I believe the term for this is "floating floor".

I live in a condo completed just over a year ago. I grabbed a piece of the engineered hardwood that was being ripped up due to damage, and it has a thin layer of foam glued to the base.

And my place has concrete walls between units.

 

[gei]

Not at all. I live in Cityplace and the units are remarkably soundproof. I had a neighbour for a while who liked to throw parties quite often. I never heard a thing through the walls. The only problem is when my other neighbour chooses to open their patio door and play loud, beat-driven music at 8am on the weekend...

+1

I live in Cityplace too (albeit the older buildings north of the tracks), and have had no sound issues whatsoever over the past few years. I am actually very impressed with the soundproofing.

I myself have had the occasional loud party that goes on until 5am (once or twice a year at most.... say for my birthday or something)... and have never received a noise complaint. Then again, on those rare occasions I always knock on my neighbours' doors and invite them over. My neighbour often gets home at 3am on the weekends and plays music... but I never hear a thing unless I'm getting home at the same time and walking past his door.

Long story short.... your problem is more likely bad neighbours... not the building itself. Unless they've gotten more lazy with the new cityplace buildings...

 

[ducati0000]

Gei you are right regarding the tenants rather than the building,the issues with CityPlace is the ratio of owners to renters in these buildings is very high.Like I mentioned last year the time I had to sleep over at my friends place for a few days the amount of "non residence" was noticeable.It sure looks like a one bedroom unit is being rented by 3-4 people.Always a new face going in and out of the units on her floor.The shared rooms (gym,pool,etc,etc) maintenance is spotty and the carpets already look old.She is planning to move to a Sauga condo next year and sell her current one at CP.The feel of these condos isnt what she expected,she doesnt feel safe here.

 

[Wooba]

There are condo's being made without concrete walls between units? Where are these as I've never ever seen or even heard of that? It's horrifying!

I don't know how common it is, but the current building I live in has only columns for support, not solid walls (approx 3 years old). I have just studs, drywall and insulation between me and my neighbour. I finished a building last year that was the same. As one of the other posters mentioned, double drywall meets code, it does not have to be concrete walls.

 

[Pretzel]

Question?

When you purchase pre-construction, is there any way to find out whether the walls in between suites will be concrete or drywall?

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

When you purchase pre-construction, is there any way to find out whether the walls in between suites will be concrete or drywall?

Ask.

 

[CanadianDriver]

When you purchase pre-construction, is there any way to find out whether the walls in between suites will be concrete or drywall?

even if the sales guys tell you that walls are solid concrete, it's better if you visit the construction site for yourself (from a far, that is)

 

[PIX]

I have pretty much no noise issue with neighbors beside me. Only with the 4 (including dog) living above my unit. I have a 2 bdr + den and no matter where I am in my condo I can hear constant banging, running, yelling etc. Is there some government body that tests and enforces sound requirements in the Ontario Building Code, sound transmission ratings? I doubt if Cityplace will give my issue any serious consideration.

 

[cdr108]

I have pretty much no noise issue with neighbors beside me. Only with the 4 (including dog) living above my unit. I have a 2 bdr + den and no matter where I am in my condo I can hear constant banging, running, yelling etc. Is there some government body that tests and enforces sound requirements in the Ontario Building Code, sound transmission ratings? I doubt if Cityplace will give my issue any serious consideration.

you'll probably have to hire someone pvt to test the noise transmission; or write to Mike Holmes.

 

[Pretzel]

Ask.

I don't know, I am always under the impression that the sales people may not be entirely well-versed in the structural components of a building. They appear to be more knowledgeable with respect to finishes of suites, ceiling heights, etc...

even if the sales guys tell you that walls are solid concrete, it's better if you visit the construction site for yourself (from a far, that is)

They're currently working on the foundation

 

[cdr108]

When you purchase pre-construction, is there any way to find out whether the walls in between suites will be concrete or drywall?

you could ask for architectural drawings, but developers may not be willing to release or show you them.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Once again, this is where a Condo Lawyer comes in. You ask if there are concrete walls on your suite's exterior walls then you have that added into your P&S Agreement along with any other adjustments your lawyer recommends before the 10-day cooling off period ends.