Living Under a Heavy Walker
We just moved into an apt. that was vacant for 8 yrs and although the people above us are awesome they walk like a bunch of elephants. When we moved in they said if there is anything that is annoying our music, etc. let us know b/c the apt. below us has been vacant for…
We just moved into an apt. that was vacant for 8 yrs and although the people above us are awesome they walk like a bunch of elephants. When we moved in they said if there is anything that is annoying our music, etc. let us know b/c the apt. below us has been vacant for so long. Anyway, yesterday I was napping and thier walking woke me up! So, here’s the question… (and yes, I know we live in NYC but we are gonna live below these people a long time). Do we say something? If so, how? Again they are super nice people (with no kids if that matters). I’m just not sure how to bring it up… email, conversation or let it go?
Right on, northsloperenter. A neighbor merely asking somebody to not wear shoes and use rugs is hardly going too far in their requests. Every single person in NYC I know does those things for their neighbors. It’s basic consideration. YOU move to the burbs, jodie1028, if you want to live where you can make all the noise you want. That’s always my response to the situation. Seriously. If you never want to compromise the way you live your daily life then you should buy a freestanding house or move out of the city.
“If you want quiet, move to the burbs.”
May your next upstairs neighbors have twin toddler boys.
We had neighbors once that complained about us walking. My roommate and I were 2 small females and we did not consider ourselves noisy at all. They asked us to always take our shoes off and to cover our floors with carpet. My response – as soon as you start levitating in your apartment I will start levitating in mine. You live in New York. If you want quiet, move to the burbs. In fact, two years later, they did.
11211 – Have you looked at http://www.soundseal.com/impacta/soundeater.shtml
I had that problem eons ago, and ended up breaking the lease and moving out – but only b/c also hated many other things about the apartment. If this place is perfect in all other ways but the heavy footsteps, there have been plenty of useful suggestions.
In our house, we noticed that putting carpets with padding made a huge difference in noises between floors.
that sounds like an ambitious project 11211.
are you putting down rubber fill under the floor or something else? I worry about rubber in case of a fire.
Let us know what you do, I am interested in that project.
Sounds like they have a hardwood floor above you.
You were lucky living in a NY apartment with no upstairs neighbor without living on the top floor of a walkup.
Expect some noise from now on.
If they have a regular routine, like rob and others said you will get accustomed to it. For example the garbage/recycling trucks come by 6 times Thursday mornings (garbage, paper, metal, each side of the street) but I no longer really notice even though it is very loud.
Also if they are wearing hard soled shoes and have no rugs I might mention it to them now while they are still settling in. I have noticed my upstairs neighbor wears sneakers and it is much quieter then when he has a guest who wears hard soled shoes. If it’s important to you mention you would be willing to pay half for rugs for high traffic areas directly above where you sleep.
I’m currently embarking on an ambitious (impossibe?) task of installing a new hardwood floor and putting soundproofing underneath so that my neighbors downstairs can no longer hear my footsteps at all (with sneakers on). I’ll let everyone know what materials I used and if I even came close when it’s done. Will be going to thick rugs with pads when it doesn’t work.
“my advice is just as legit as everyone elses.”
In what sense?
Because it is thoughtful? Useful? Likely to have a positive result if followed? Is actually intended to be helpful rather than a vehicle for unloading whatever whimsy or annoyance has floated to the top of your consciousness at the moment of your typing?
If you want to be taken seriously, be serious.
I agree with Rob. Be polite and direct. It might be harder, but dancing around the issue is not only passive aggressive, but also probably won’t help get the point across.
Rugs and getting used to what home “sounds” like should add up to a solution.