Condos-common walls

I can no longer maintain a house so am looking into purchasing a condo. I would like to know what question I should ask the builder about the soundproofing in the common walls. I have looked at 3 different condos. The salesperson at each place gave me a different answer when I asked about material used between the common walls. I want to buy an end unit located on the top floor. That leaves 1 neighbor on the side and one downstairs. Would anyone be able to tell me how I could be assured of good soundproofing material?

Reply to
Good Life
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Ask the neighbors how the sound proofing works. See if you can do an experiemnt........turn a radio on the unit of interest & then go into the neigbor's unit.

A test is much better than a realtor's (salesperson) assurance.

cheers Bob

Reply to
BobK207

Unless you have the opportunity to physically open the walls (unlikely) there is no easy method. Salespeople love to brag about triple-thick soundproof insulation, etc. Try to arrange to be there at say, 10 - 11 PM on a Saturday Night to see if you can here your neighbors TV, party, etc.

Do you want to leave your windows open? What kind of noise will you experience just from that. I once had a super-insulated condo, but in the spring, I liked to open the windows for fresh air. The neighbors kids would run around the courtyard all day screaming and jumping like the place was a public playground.

Buying a top floor condo could present its own problems. Air there air conditioning compressors located on the roof? If so, can you arrange to be inside your condo when these are turned on? The mechnical equipment up there directly over your space may be from lower-floor neighbors so you might not have control over when they are switched on.

Roof leaks? If you have any, the top floor is going to be the first to suffer. (Lower floor condos are sometimes plagued with bathtub - toilet overflows from absent-minded upper-floor owners.)

Airflow - If the common hallways are enclosed, there should be a negative pressure gradient between the hallway and your unit. Otherwise cooking smells, smoke, cigarettes, pipes, from the neighbors are going to seep into your unit.

Heat - Depending on your climate and exposure, the top floor gets the hottest in summer and will have the greatest (most expensive) air-conditioning load.

I hope I didn't discourage you. I went through the condo run-around in 2000 and it almost killed me. Never again would I purchase a condo.

Beachcomber

Reply to
Beachcomber

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (Good Life) wrote in news:29237-448A4DC3- snipped-for-privacy@storefull-3212.bay.webtv.net:

These days,many ordinary apartment buildings are being converted into condos.(just a name change and interior furnishing refittings)

were the places you looked at orignally built as condos or converted apartments? the soundproofing may be very different.

IMO,the only way would be to talk with a few residents and see what they have to say about noise from other units.

Reply to
Jim Yanik

Salespeople often know very little about what they're selling.

Reply to
Mark Lloyd

I once lived in an apartment where a neighbor's A/C (these were small central units) was on the other side of the wall from my bedroom. When it came on, it sounded like a jet plane taking off. The owner didn't seem to care. I didn't live there much longer.

[snip]

Reply to
Mark Lloyd

I don't think it's possible, unless you're buying a condo at Trump Towers or some such thing. It's kind of like the way they build the new duplexes. Instead of putting 2 garages between the units like they did in the old days, they save space by using a common wall, but at least it's interesting at times. It's truly a case of buyer beware, and when you move into the condo, you might have an old lady with a parakeet, and it's nice and quiet...but when the old lady dies and it's resold, you'll no doubt be hearing things that you never dreamed of. I know. :-)

Cheri

Reply to
Cheri

Watch out for maintence fees and special assements.

Sorry we need a new roof and sidewalks the condo fee just jumped 200 bucks a month:( Then there are intrusive rules like no satellite dishes allowed, our owned cable is all your allowed at twice the price, and a friends buying a brand new one reported yesterday it was costring him $2500.00 for ethernet cat 5e wiring... Seems one company is all thats allwowed to install some basic telephone wiring, plus $1500 to plug in and configure his wireless router. anyone who has done this knows its no biggie, perhaps a hour of mucking about, telephone does it or free for first computer 75 per for each additional.

you know condos dont do all this for free, sure they cut grass and shovel sidewalks but you pay for it...

I DONT want to own something and have others tell me what I can and cant do with my property!

but whatever floats your boat

Reply to
hallerb

Reply to
bob kater

" snipped-for-privacy@aol.com" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@c74g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

IIRC,Federal law prevents that as long as you mount it on your own property,not any common property.(For 18 inch dishes.) Of course,if you don't have line-of-sight from your exposure,then you're SOL.

Reply to
Jim Yanik

Since you brought it up... Don't count on Fire Codes being the same everywhere. And don't count on any kind of building compliance on condos which are less than "brand new".

Wood framed "garden apartments" converted to condos or condos built new in that style often have less than adequate fire stops in the attic space common to all units. Fire at one end spreads very rapidly to engulf the entire attic space when not well protected.

We had one such incident here in Cleveland, OH this week.

3-story bldg, 79 units destroyed/uninhabitable. 2 fatalities.

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Reply to
Speedy Jim

Just went thru that this week with a friend, the condo marketers song and danced around the law finally told my friend we will not sell to you if you demand a dish. They didnt want them on the front of the unit which happended to be where it had to go:(

I pointed out federal law said he could put it on his front porch, a argument started that their covenants come before any federal law. with that kind of attitude what other trouble is he in for.

incidently the current law is one meter.

time will tell they ended up allowing the dish but hit him up for 2500 bucks for ethernet wiring pure rip off...

Reply to
hallerb

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Reply to
bob kater

Condo's are tricky animals. If your board is extremely political, it is difficult to get an honest audit of expenses.

I lived in a condo where the developer had a sales office on the premises. With deceptive agreements buried in the bylaws of the condo association, this developer had his lawyer declare large rooms, storage spaces, about half the parking garage, and otherwise revenue producing property a "limited common element" assigned to his personal use. He rented these out, kept the money, and the condo association gets stuck with the property tax bills.

In addition, we didn't find out until five years after buying in, but this same developer had all his utilities on condo association common area meters. We were paying for his heat, light, air conditioning, and the electric bills to run his business for years.

This guy was an incredible operator. His building manager owned a few of his own apartment buildings, so that many of our cleaning supplies, lightbulbs, garden supplies, garage door opener remotes, and replacement expenses were diverted to his personal building. His favorite activity was stealing our fire extinguishers and one time he even took a snow blower.

The point is... even if you have the best volunteer condo board, they are still only working part time and it is difficult to provide oversight and controls to areas outside of their immediate realm.

As for me, no more condos.... ever!

Beachcomber

Reply to
Beachcomber

some condos limit plumbers to certain companies, supposedly fearing a bad plumbing job can effect your neighbors.

of course this can lead to higher plumber prices, if just a couple are allowed to work in your home.

someone on condo board might get kickback for every plumbing job done.....

Reply to
hallerb

Which does not belong on the list?

  1. Gonorrhea
  2. AIDS
  3. Herpes
  4. A Condo

Answer: #1. You can get rid of Gonorrhea.

Reply to
HeyBub

I think you guys have probably saved me from making a major mistake. I will now rethink my housing plans. I never would have thought so many problems could arise in what looked like an ideal housing choice for someone who is getting on in years. Thanks to all at home repair.

Reply to
Good Life

:)

-- Cheri

Reply to
Cheri

Glad to be of help!

If the problem is maintaining your home you might ask your neighbors and friends about a handyman type, for minor repairs, and hire someone to cut grass etc.

Even those these cost bucks it will be far cheaper than selling your home and buying a condo.

just consider the realtor fees and fees to sell a home. 6 or 7% of the total equity in your home:(

If your short on cash and up in years investigate a reverse mortage, which will draw down on the equity in your home while paying you enough $ to cover costs.

Reply to
hallerb

" snipped-for-privacy@aol.com" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

You buy(don't "demand a dish",that's idiotic.),-then install your dish,then stand up for your rights under the law.(IF they try anything..they may already know they have no legal basis for their rule.Let them try to trump Federal law!)

And you can use concealment or disguise so it doesn't look like a dish.

HARDLY. The Federal law was enacted in response to such tactics. But..if you're not going to stand up for your rights.... then you pay thru the nose for broadband cable.

Reply to
Jim Yanik

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