[illegalsmile]

I would like to live in one instead of my current situation but the noise is what is concerning. Newer units should be more quiet than past buildings. I don't know what modern building techniques they use, if any, for sound isolation. Are there airgaps? I'm guessing no concrete slabs between floors? To me it seems like it's the difference between a high rise hotel/apt where it's like a tomb in the room and a smaller building that uses less expensive/more robust material and you can hear much more from the outside and your neighbors.

[binoct]

I'm sure it varies a bit, but generally not good in my experience. Except between the ground floor (usually retail, lobby, parking, etc...) and above everything is wood, no concrete slabs. They typically use the cheapest, least sound isolating materials so neighbor noise, both through walls and floors, is very noticeable. It's a bit jarring because they are modern and not usually low cost, but isolation is much more like the smaller building since they share more construction techniques with a cheap two-story row apartment.

[bcrosby95]

> and not usually low cost

> they share more construction techniques with a cheap two-story row apartment.

Low in cost, high in price, builders love it.

I discussed this issue a bit with someone who worked for a company that focused on affordable housing, and he told me a "joke": what's the difference between a regular condo and a luxury condo? The price.

[SilasX]

Yeah I lived in one (in the Domain in Austin) and one thing that bothered me about the noise, was that I would hear it from the unit above me through my side wall. That is, if they played loud music or talked loudly, it sounded like it was coming from the side, not from above. (Specifically, the side that was the end of the building and didn’t adjoin another unit. I was on the first floor.)

[thatfrenchguy]

I've seen multiple condos in San Francisco in 5 over 1 that have perfect sound insulation, generally they're on busy streets though (and thus you don't really want to live there).

[rr888]

In most buildings there is no concrete between walls but floors have a ~1 inch layer of lightweight-concrete, I think for fire resistance, its not solid so you hear every footprint.