How to sound proof ceiling in apartment

Gatica

We're living under fairly normal neighbours. Unfortunately they seem to work late hours and we can hear them walking around and the usual sounds of someone living there. Therefore, we'd like to soundproof our ceiling.

We've been told by surveyor that the ceiling would need to be torn out (won't the neighbours fall through then? ) filled in and then lowered or something to that effect. Just wanted to see if this is the only way or if there's other alternatives to sound proof our ceiling without tearing up the house.

We've no problems with next door neighbours (must be a concrete wall there) but I'm sure it's not concrete above us.
Also, would love to know approximate cost of sound proofing a fairly standard double room. We'll probably start there and then do the rest...

mfceiling

Gatica wrote: »

We're living under fairly normal neighbours. Unfortunately they seem to work late hours and we can hear them walking around and the usual sounds of someone living there. Therefore, we'd like to soundproof our ceiling.

We've been told by surveyor that the ceiling would need to be torn out (won't the neighbours fall through then? ) filled in and then lowered or something to that effect. Just wanted to see if this is the only way or if there's other alternatives to sound proof our ceiling without tearing up the house.

We've no problems with next door neighbours (must be a concrete wall there) but I'm sure it's not concrete above us.
Also, would love to know approximate cost of sound proofing a fairly standard double room. We'll probably start there and then do the rest...

If it's a standard timber joist floor above then you will have to remove the plasterboard from your ceiling to see exactly what in the way of insulation/sound deadening has been used between floors.

You then have 2 options.

1. Pack between the joists with the best sound deadening insulation you can buy. Screw resilient/z bar to the joists and double board the ceiling with gypsum soundbloc board.

2. Again pack between the joists with insulation but then install a new ceiling below that - using special sound blocking hangers and then a new ceiling from that...again i'd go with double soundbloc board below that.

The problem you still could have is that the neighbours have a wooden floor down and are clacking about above you in high heel shoes and boots - i have wooden floors in my daughters bedroom and you can hear every bloody thing hitting it from downstairs!!

Gatica

Thank you for the advice. I think you're right and part of the problem is their wooden floors. However, if we could block out their kettle boiling and them peeing in the toilet, it would still be an improvement.