Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: noise

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On 5/22/2003 8:35 AM, "Diana Carroll" <dianac [at] alum.rpi.edu> wrote:

> Did you have a noise policy in place before move-in?  If
> so, did you change it after move-in?  If not, do you have
> one now?  Have you had conflicts over noise?  What type
> tends to be the most problem -- noise between units in the
> same building, noise from kids, cars, pets, basketball,
> parties, music?

Noise is way up there on conflicts here. Although people have been very
understanding and not escalated the problem they have had to rearrange their
lives to deal with noise. Our builder apparently chose to use two layers of
wall board between units instead of fill the walls with a noise foam of some
kind. I say apparently because we are still studying the problem.

Between units we can hear voices, babies crying, things dropping on the
floor, sex, conversations in bathrooms, etc. All lined up like that it
sounds horrible but it isn't because no one makes all those noises at the
same time. But it is irritating and some people sleep in rooms they would
otherwise not be sleeping in to avoid the noise. We can't take baths because
the sound of rushing water when the bath empties is so noisy it sounds like
water is rushing through the walls.

By all means, if you have adjoining units, spend the money filling up those
walls. The empty space creates a drum effect. Sounds are much louder when
they hit the other side of the wall than they are when you make them.

There are also conversations about where the basketball hoop goes because
one of the prospective places is outside the windows of two people who do
not want to hear balls bouncing and boys yelling all weekend and every
evening.

Noise is big for some people and nothing for others, which is the problem.
Diversity!!!!

Sharon
-- 
Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org

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