Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Noise in Common House

[Elizabeth Stevenson (tamgoddess]

We tried and failed to get people to talk more softly. It was just too noisy
to hear, even if people started out quietly. We've always had a no-running
rule, and apparently have less-rambunctious adults! Only the kids' room gets
a little noisy, and the door can be closed.

We have acoustic tiles on our ceiling now, and the difference is fantastic.
It didn't break the bank, either. Certainly, it depends on square footage,
so maybe Sharon's CH is much larger, or they need to cover more rooms. We
just did the dining room.

I have a call in to find out exactly what it cost and what brand of tile it
is, and I'll let you know what I find.

Liz

> From: Sharon Villines <sharon [at] sharonvillines.com>
> Reply-To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
> Date: Fri, 03 Oct 2003 13:18:32 -0400
> To: "cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org" <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Subject: Re: [C-L]_Noise in Common House
> 
> 
> On 10/03/2003 1:05 PM, "Rob James" <rjames [at] ucalgary.ca> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> Does anyone have experience in effective means to reduce the noise level
>> in common houses, ...other than banishing
>> the children?  (I have four kids... this sounds like a great suggestion
>> somedays!)
> 
> Acoustical treatments that _really_ work are expensive. The best in the
> business estimated ours at $35,000 but said $10,000 probably make us happy.
> We are hoping to spend less than $5,000 and see where that gets us. "Hoping"
> because we have to get it through a budget process in competition with lots
> of wet leaky things.
> 
> Even with thousands of dollars what helps best is the expectation that
> people do not yell or run in the commonhouse. Running seems to bring on
> yelling. Adults also need to be reminded of this since adults playing with
> children seem to think running is a cool thing to do.
> 
> Some groups seem to  have the expectation that if you can't hear, you should
> talk softer. Others, take the reverse course. Awareness of noise pollution
> is my current strategy.
> 
> Sharon
> -- 
> Sharon Villines
> Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
> http://www.takomavillage.org
> 
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