Possible to soundproof a condo room?

[DenverRob]

Greetings,

I'm currently house-hunting, and I've told the real estate agent that I need a basement big enough to use as a studio/band practice room. However, it's hard to find a place with a basement that 's in my price range. I've been assuming that, if I use a ground floor or upstairs room, the noise from amps,drums, etc will bother the neighbors, especially if it's a condo with a shared wall. Perhaps I'm wrong? Is it possible to soundproof a room so that you can make noise without bothering the neighbors (not to mention isolate my room from *their* noise during recording)?

Thanks,
Rob

[DenverRob]

To clarify my question: I was reading some of the other threads in this section, and so I just want to point out that I'm not looking to build a professional or even semi-professional studio, with near-perfect acoustics and isolation, etc. I just want to be able to play my electric guitar at midnight without the neighbors calling the cops. And record a demo without the neighbor's stereo getting into the mix.

So, with that in mind, do I hold out for a house with a basement, or can I get away with a house or condo with a large ground or 2nd floor room, and somehow soundproof it?

Thanks,

[Rod Gervais]

Rob,

One of the problems with condos is the ownership.

For example - you don't own the drywall on the party wall - you only own to the face of it. The same with the owners on the side of you.

The space in between the 2 faces of drywall is community property - and you can't modify that without prermission from the condo association.

So removing drywall to properly treat your area ends up out of the question, and even adding drywall modifies community property (because you are penetrating the community property for attachment to structure) - so it really becomes difficult to acheive what you're looking for.

Personallly - I would hold out for my own house.

Rod

[TimOBrien]

Simple answer: No.

Sound absorbing (there is no such thing as sound-proofing) takes mass and isolation.

Aint gonna happen in a condo shoved up against someone else's nose....

[Blue Bear Sound]

Originally Posted by TimOBrien

Simple answer: No.

Sound absorbing (there is no such thing as sound-proofing) takes mass and isolation.

Aint gonna happen in a condo shoved up against someone else's nose....

That pretty much sums it up!

[DenverRob]

Thanks guys, although it wasn't what I wanted to hear. But I appreciate the brutal honesty. Guess I need to get a better job so I can afford a house with a basement.

What about a ground-level or 2nd story room in a standalone house? Can those be made soundproof enough so the neighbors, whose house is 10 feet away, won't call the cops? In this case I could modify the walls, since the wall isn't shared. But what about windows? Would the sound just go out the window? Is a basement (or room without windows in a standalone house) the only real solution?

Thanks again,
Rob

[DenverRob]

Hey guys,

I looked at a place today that I can afford. It's a triplex with a basement. The basement walls that border the neighbor are brick, or rather, stone. It's unfinished--cement floor, explosed ceiling, etc. It's an odd shape and kinda small--the room you come into from the stairs is 12x11, then the back room, slightly offset is 13x9, with a pipe running diagnoally across it--will probably have to put a raised floor in there; maybe an isolation booth?. Then there is another area with the furnace, partially walled off. The ceiling--when one goes in, will be about 8'. Not great, but better than many. It's smaller than I would like, but it might be all I can afford in Denver. Any ideas? Think with a few grand spent on contractors I could make it work as a small studio? Or should I hold out for something bigger? The rest of the house is nice, meets all the critieria.

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

but it might be all I can afford in Denver. Any ideas?

Holy moly. Rob, I just noticed this is in Denver. I've read some real horror storys about building studios in basements in Denver. It appears that SOME areas of Denver have soil conditions that prevent certain types of standard construction to be approved by the Building Inspection Department. One person told me he couldn't even build partition walls supported by the basement floor. They had to HANG from the floor above!! The floor had to be wood too, with joists supported by the foundation walls. NO SLAB!! You might want to check it out with BID if you have plans for a raised floor or other types of construction.
fitZ

[DenverRob]

I'll ask some construction guys about the building code issue. Sounds weird though. If true, I wonder why?

[DenverRob]

What do y'all think about the "bass traps" from www.realtraps.com? Effective?

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

Sounds weird though. If true, I wonder why?

From my understanding, some areas in Denver have soils that can't support slabs or certain types of footings. But don't take MY word. Thats why I suggested talking with your local Building Inspection Department. I only read about it.
fitZ

[Rod Gervais]

Originally Posted by DenverRob

I'll ask some construction guys about the building code issue. Sounds weird though. If true, I wonder why?

The reason for this is that those areas have problems with expansive soils.

The soils have a very high clay content - when the ground water is low - they dry out - and they can pack tremendously - but - when the ground water raises - and they get wet - they expand tremendously -

You can get 3" of movement easily - which then requires that the struture above be carried with either piles or cassions - which bear below this material - and then the floundation is constructed as a floating member - and doesn't effect the remainder of the building.

Strange - but true.

Rod