Sound Testing for Compliance with Lease Conditions

Sound Testing for Compliance with Lease Conditions.
Are you installing hard floor finishes in an existing apartment block? If you are changing a carpet floor finish to wooden and/or tile flooring in a leased residential dwelling, then you will need to check what your lease allows you to.

In existing apartment blocks, it is very common for the corresponding residential lease to contain clauses that may restrict alterations to floor finishes, this is normally where carpeted flooring is in place, but this also applies to where hard or wooden floor finishes are being altered as well e.g., wood to stone finish.

Usually, the lease clause will state that the sound insulation testing of the new floors is required to provide the same resistance to sound as the existing floor construction. In our experience, most lease conditions require sound testing prior to works commencing to ascertain the existing acoustic performance, thereafter the second set of sound tests must be undertaken once the works are complete to check that the sound insulation is the same (or better) than the original flooring.

APT Sound Testing & Compliance with Lease Conditions
Sometimes the lease will also stipulate that an acoustic consultant must be employed to prepare a robust acoustic design for the floor, to ensure the desired sound reduction will be achieved. It can be difficult to ensure that a wooden floor construction will offer the same acoustic performance as an existing carpeted floor, and therefore a detailed acoustic design, as well as careful site installation, is required to ensure compliance with the clause of the lease.

Our Process for Sound Testing for Lease Conditions
We have assisted hundreds of clients to comply with the acoustics for their lease clauses, so please get in touch if you need help. We usually undertake the following process to achieve compliance:

1. Preconstruction Sound Testing – This offers an accurate overview of the acoustic performance of the existing floor partition/s prior to the commencement of construction works. It also enables us to offer a targeted acoustic design using the sound insulation performance of the existing construction.
2. Acoustic Design Review – We will analyse the sound test results as well as the existing construction detail of the party floor; thereafter, we will review your proposed floor specification and forward our findings via an easy-to-follow acoustic design report. The report will contain the materials to be used as well as installation instructions to meet the requirements of the lease. The acoustic design review is very important to ensure install the correct materials to attain compliance with your lease.
3. Site Visit – Our engineers will visit the site and check that acoustic materials are being installed as per the manufacturer’s guidelines.

4. Post Completion Sound Testing – Once the new flooring is installed, we will conduct post-completion sound testing to provide evidence that the lease requirements have been met, we then provide the test reports to provide to your management agent for sign off.

Due to the complexity of acoustical and noise problems due to varying constructions, it is impossible to cover all problems in a short article; however, in our experience, if we are employed from the beginning of a project, it should result in compliance with your lease and may avert costly legal battles at the end of the project.

If you need help with the acoustic design and sound testing to comply with the lease condition/s on your project; or, you have a problem with raised noise levels due to neighbours changing their floor construction, please contact us now, we provide can provide an acoustic design and sound testing solution to satisfy your lease condition then please contact us now at info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk or phone us on 01525 303905.