Sound progress: a review of homeowner feedback on noise in new homes

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Posted on: 15 May 2014
By: mackene
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Filed under: News

There has been a drop in noise complaints by owners of new attached homes since the introduction of stricter industry noise standards in 2003, according to a report by the NHBC Foundation. The government introduced higher standards for sound insulation in Approved Document E, which deals with Resistance to the Passage of Sound. From 2004, Robust Details, which meet more stringent acoustic performance standards, have been available as an alternative to pre-completion sound testing in proving compliance with Part E. The report analyses feedback from owners of homes built between 2004 and 2010 following the changes to the Building Regulations, to see whether they have led to a reduction in complaints. Under the terms of the NHBC Buildmark warranty, builders are liable to put right any defect or damage in the first two years after completion of the home; it is this two-year period which the research relates to. The study found that the number of complaints about noise problems received by the NHBC for attached homes fell from seven households per 1000 in 2004 to 4 per 1000 in 2010. According to the NHBC, most of the noise complaints raised by owners of attached and detached homes could be avoided by taking additional care during construction and following accepted good practice.

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