If you live in a duplex or row house...

[Anonymous]

...what is the noise factor like from your neighbors? We live in a condo now and can rarely hear anything through the interior walls. But I feel like I am constantly shushing my kids because we live above other people and they are small kids who are, of course, rambunctious and noisy. Wondering if those who live in older, sturdy brick row houses or duplexes ever experience noise from your neighbors, or worry about being noisy?

[Anonymous]

We lived in an end-unit 30-year old brick townhouse and never heard our neighbors.

[Anonymous]

depends on the house. I own a rental where you can hear everything the neighbors are doing-walking up the stairs, having sex, taking a shower kids playing, etc.

[Anonymous]

Agreed - totally depends on the house. I lived in a duplex that had a baby next door. We heard every single cry.

[Anonymous]

Live in an end unit row house and can hear neighbor going up her stairs, but no talking or other noise. Not sure if she can hear me yelling at the teen girl.

[Anonymous]

can hear loud noises and bumps

[Anonymous]

We live in a Wardman row house and, with the exception of the phone ringing next door sometimes, we rarely hear anything. we also have quiet, elderly neighbors though...

[Anonymous]

We live in a rowhouse, and can hear loud running up the stairs once in a while, but rarely anything else. The most noise we hear happens outside -- neighbor playing radio while washing the car, etc.

[Anonymous]

We live in a Wardman that is 90 years old. When the neighbors play loud music, you hear it (the bass is annoying as hell). If your neighbors spend significant time outside socializing, you hear it, whether the windows are open or closed. Ditto cars driving by playing loud music. I thought I was used to noise after living downtown for six years, but if you are on a higher floor in an apartment or condo building it is different than having something happening right outside your front door. Just something to keep in mind.

[Anonymous]

We have an end-unit Georgetown rowhouse built in 1880 and never heard our neighbors. We had a newborn/toddler while we were living there and they said they could never hear him through the walls.

Newer construction I'd be wary---but they sure built strong, solid walls way back when...

[Anonymous]

We live in a Wardman duplex. The neighbors have two teenage sons and we hear them thumping sometimes, though usually we only notice at night when we think it might be our own DC. The only other thing we hear is their grandfather clock sometimes when it's quiet (like late at night), but I grew up with a grandfather clock so I like it.

[Anonymous]

1950s duplex with a solid brick wall in between our houses--we hear noise from the neighbor, but not much because she is a quiet, older woman. We definitely hear her grandkids when they're over. She's hard of hearing and says that she doesn't hear us.

[Anonymous]

I used to live in an end-unit townhouse built in the 1980s. I hardly ever heard my neighbor, but she lived alone and never seemed to have any visitors.

She did however come over and complain a few times about noise when I was doing some remodeling (and by remodeling, I mean very light remodeling, like it was the sound of me hammering nails that she didn't like).

After that, I decided I never wanted to share walls with someone again. I hardly ever have parties or play loud music, but I want to be able to put something up on a wall at 7pm without having the neighbor complain.

[Anonymous]

Interior brick rowhouse with brick wall between homes. We hear stair walking.

We rented in our neighborhood first and only bought after we were sure that noise wouldn't be an issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to live in an end-unit townhouse built in the 1980s. I hardly ever heard my neighbor, but she lived alone and never seemed to have any visitors.

She did however come over and complain a few times about noise when I was doing some remodeling (and by remodeling, I mean very light remodeling, like it was the sound of me hammering nails that she didn't like).

After that, I decided I never wanted to share walls with someone again. I hardly ever have parties or play loud music, but I want to be able to put something up on a wall at 7pm without having the neighbor complain.

+1 I'll be moving soon and frankly, after 10 years in the city, I can't wait for a SFH in the burbs. I want space around me and some peace and quiet.