How much noise can you make in a terrace?

chiefdave

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I live in a terrace and the tv is mounted on what was the chimney breast. Its pretty much the only viable spot for a TV, given the position of the chimney breast and radiators the sofa is limited to one location and the TV is opposite. That means the TV is on the party wall.

Its an incredibly simple setup, TV, soundbar and sub. The TV is a LG OLED 55B9PLA, very happy with it. The soundbar & sub are Sony CT 80 which is a few years old with no Atmos or anything similar.

My concern is a) can I crank it up to the point it is even worth using (the LG sounds decent enough at lower volumes) and b) is it worth spending on a replacement with Atmos given its a terrace. I don't have noisy neigbours but I can hear their kids, doors opening & closing, conversations (I know what you're all thinking and yes I hear that as well!) etc. Oddly I never hear their TV or music but I've no idea if that is because they don't watch much TV or listen to music. This is the same all over the house so nothing specific to the room.

Looking at some threads on here soundproofing is going to be a very expensive option and may not be a success after spending thousands and the most popular fix seems to be move to a detached house which isn't really an option. Am I dreaming here at the thought of ever being able to crank up a movie, or even music as same applies there, a basic system (Denon amp, Project turntable and couple of Kef bookshelf speakers) that I rarely turn up, or even use at all, as I'm worried about annoying the neighbours.

Surely people who live in terraces / semis are using their systems, the buyers can't be purely people who have detached houses!!! Its a 1930s terrace with a 225mm solid brick party wall.
 
You should probably speak to your neighbours and ask them what level starts to bother them.

Legally:

"Permitted noise levels
The permitted noise level using A-weighted decibels (the unit environmental noise is usually measured in) is:
34 dBA (decibels adjusted) if the underlying level of noise is no more than 24 dBA
10 dBA above the underlying level of noise if this is more than 24 dBA"

Noise nuisances: how councils deal with complaints
 
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Been trying to catch them but was hoping to just drop it into conversation rather than bang on the door and declare I've just moved in and want to make loads of noise!

Not sure how "I can hear you in the bedroom so wondered if you could hear my TV" would go down well 😆
 
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It’s so difficult to guess how much the noise travels, it will depend on the wall and how sealed it is. I live in a terrace but it’s old with thick stone walls and one side is a museum. My neighbours who moved recently said they never heard it ! Although I think I’m opposite spare bedrooms
 
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The best thing to do is talk to your neighbours - not all terraced houses are built equally, not everyone has the same schedule, and not everyone is bothered about the same noise

Any reasonable neighbour will be happier that you're asking them rather than waiting for them to complain. Give them your number, make sure they know they can text you if it's a bit loud.

When I lived in a flat, I even went to the flats either side and below and sat in their living room while on the phone with my then-partner, who turned the volume up slowly until I could hear it. That might be a bit far or a bit weird if you don't know any of them, but they all seemed appreciative (although I'd met them all previously and knew the ones each side a bit).

Or a much simpler answer: less noise than you think, especially after about 9-10pm when people start turning their own TVs off and their houses get quiet
 
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Or a much simpler answer: less noise than you think, especially after about 9-10pm when people start turning their own TVs off and their houses get quiet

We don't have any issues where we live at the moment but, over the years, your statement here has been key. Unless you're really taking the p155, it's only when people are in bed trying to sleep that they are bothered.

Our neighbour here, who moved out during 1st lockdown, had two teenage kids and asked us about their music. We said we're not bothered as long as it's loud until x time weekdays and y time weekends.

That same neighbour, by the way, I did a bit of experimentation and it ends up if we had music loud she could tell. If we had films loud, we live near to a main road, and to her the LFE was like sounds of engines etc... she didn't notice. Honestly, our first watch of Aquaman I asked the next day she said she didn't really hear anything!

So, what you don't want is neighbours who do shift work!
 
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