I’ve started flat hunting. Not sure if renting or buying (could be either).
Flat for sale I’m due to view: I think the living room has at least two partition walls. Small living room: 12 foot 9 by 10 feet 1 (3.9 m by 3.1 m).
I’m thinking that would be a negative in terms of acoustics.
Not sure if putting up lots of book cases and Ikea Kallax units with LP’s would help.
If you are buying, you can rebuild the partition as a sound wall as the basis, then once you are in there, add acoustic attenuation as required.
A timber stud wall with mineral wool between and British gypsum produce sound bloc acoustic boards, one or two layers on each side, for example.
Being a non load bearing wall and positioned exactly where the old one is, will not be expensive to get done.
Stud wall construction varies enormously in quality, sturdiness and soundproofing. They can be quite substantial, and some are loadbearing, although most are not. The worst I’ve seen were in houses that have been converted to flats on the cheap, and occasionally in purpose built flats from the ‘70s and ‘80s.
If you can afford to lose a little space it might be worth reinforcing a wall if it seems to be flimsy. Acoustic plasterboard is intended to help with soundproofing, but might also help to beef up a flimsy partition wall and improve acoustics.
I viewed the flat on Saturday. As I suspected, the living room has partition walls. In that the room I spoke to the agent, and clicked my fingers to get a sense of the acoustics.
Not horrendous, but definitely poorer than the other flat I viewed that day which had solid walls. Room a bit small, but not square.
I don’t have the DIY gene, nor the funds to start spending on wall insulation as soon as I move in.
So the search continues. Not in any rush.
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