Sound test £1500 !!!!

[Monsoon]

I've been speaking to building control and they say I need a Pre completion test on my soon to be converted flats.

The BCO reckons it will cost between 1000-1500quid to sound test the party floor - apparently it can take a couple of hours

Has anyone had a tests on a building? is it really that much money for a couple of hours testing?

I cant help thinking this just obviates the BCO responsibility. Surely when he inspects the work he will see the correct levels of sound insulation are installed. Or to put it another way, I can buy whole lot more rockwool and sound insulating plasterboard if I didnt have to pay someone with a clipboard and sound analyser to come round and charge me a small fortune

 

[Deluks]

Surely when he inspects the work he will see the correct levels of sound insulation are installed. Or to put it another way, I can buy whole lot more rockwool and sound insulating plasterboard if I didnt have to pay someone with a clipboard and sound analyser to come round and charge me a small fortune

I'd imagine it probably does cost quite a bit, as you'll have to call in acoustic specialists to do the testing. Having said that you can pick up a sound meter for not too much money ( http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=46362&TabID=1&C=SEO&U=strat15&doy=search )

All you have to do is learn how to use it, what frequencies and volumes you'll need to soundproof against etc.

To be on the safe side anyway: double up on the plasterboard on the ceiling, and put carpet down on the upstairs floors with decent underlay. Filling between the two with a min of 4" rockwool and I don't see any problems.
Except of course, sound can travel through the structure. If the upstairs floor is resting on the same joists the downstairs ceiling is attached to, then you may have issues.

Time for a read:

http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1161265

Hope you can make sense of it though, especially stuff like

(4) Where building work consists of the erection of a dwelling-house or a building containing flats, this regulation does not apply to any part of the building in relation to which the person carrying out the building work notifies the local authority, not later than the date on which he gives notice of commencement of the work under regulation 15(1), that for the purpose of achieving compliance of the work with paragraph E1 of Schedule 1, he is using one or more design details approved by Robust Details Limited (a)

 

[Static]

Or follow a Robust Detail for the item.

 

[Monsoon]

From what I've found out so far .... Robust details only applies to new builds and not to 'material change of use'.

I can certainly follow the robust details blueprint for acceptable levels of sound installation, it's just they wont let me sign up to their special arrangement with building control.

To put it perspective it only costs £30 per plot for Robust details and over £1000 for pre completion testing!