Bedroom Furniture sets for your Bedroom
- By Kabby Juliet
- Published 10/20/2008
- Improvment
- Unrated
A Bedroom is not complete without beautiful and comfortable furniture. Bedroom sets such as beds, dressers, armoires, chests, and nightstands come in a variety of style, shape and size.
Thin Film Solar Energy Panels
- By Michael Malega
- Published 09/28/2008
- Improvment
- Unrated
Patio Chairs Tips
- By Michael Malega
- Published 09/19/2008
- Improvment
- Unrated
Mistakes to be avoided in home remodeling process.
- By Mejo John
- Published 09/9/2008
- Improvment
- Unrated
Tips for painting your house
- By Mejo John
- Published 08/11/2008
- Improvment
- Unrated
Fireplace Mantels: - Bring Life to your Home
- By kathy lo
- Published 08/6/2008
- Improvment
- Unrated
Poor soundproofing between attached properties
- By Mike Legon
- Published 07/4/2008
- Improvment
- Unrated
Has compulsory sound insulation testing improved the sound insulation between dwellings? Yes, definitely, but the situation is not as black and white as it may initially seem.
To put the problem in context a brief historical overview can help. In the late 60s, building regulations included sound insulation performance standards for the first time on a national basis - prior to this they were dealt with locally. These regulations had varying, but similar, incarnations up until the introduction of Approved Document E in 2003. Essentially the regulations pre-2003 specified a number of building designs and materials that if followed were assumed to provide satisfactory sound insulation in residential dwellings. Dwellings built using this approach were declared as "deemed to satisfy" and issued with a completion certificate by the building control body as having complied with the sound insulation regulations.
This, almost self-certification scheme, was flawed and failed on a number of counts:
- If a builder used an alternative design method, the sound insulation properties of the design would require testing. Providing the test results met the requirements this report could be used in any number of subsequent constructions even though the site conditions would be very different and the design not suitable.
- Certain published designs offered inherently poor sound insulation performance!
- The sound insulation properties of a construction depend largely on the quality of the workmanship.
The 2003 Building Regulations do not apply retrospectively and therefore only new builds and conversions after this date are given this heightened level of regulation protection that hopefully offers the enhanced quality of life one would expect. Problem solved? You would think so, but unfortunately the Building Regulations and Approved Document E arguably fall short of the mark. Approved Document E recommends that only up to 10% of the rooms in a development require testing. Typically this is fine for a small development, as it covers most living accommodation areas. However, it can be a flaw in larger developments where the potential occupier has a 90% chance of occupying a dwelling that has not been tested and may fall short of the required levels of soundproofing.
The other potential shortcoming of the Approved Document E is the procedure if a test fails. A failed test should raise questions regarding the party walls/floors in the development that have not been tested and the following process should take place:
- An investigation into the reason for the failure.
- Remedial work once the problem has been identified.
- If the failure is attributed to the construction and/or the associated flanking elements, remedial work should be carried out on the walls/floors that have not been tested.
- The developer should demonstrate to the satisfaction of the building control body that the other rooms meet the performance requirements.
- After a failed set of tests, the rate of testing should increase until the building control body is satisfied that the problem has been solved.
To summarise, buying a property that was newly built or formed by the conversion of an existing dwelling prior to 2003 Building Regulations significantly increases your chances of being disturbed by your neighbours. Developments completed since 2003 are much more likely to have far greater sound insulation, although, as this article has tried to highlight, not a guarantee. As an acoustic consultant my advice would be to ask the "noisy neighbours" questions before you rent or buy the property, or even commission a sound insulation test prior to procedure. Yes, it is an additional expense, but can you put a price on a good quality of home life?
Mike Legon is an acoustics consultant specialising in building and planning, and the founding Director of asoundsolution. He can be reached by email at mike@asoundsolution.biz or via the website www.asoundsolution.biz.
Decorating Dining Room with Dining Furniture
- By thomas adam
- Published 05/9/2008
- Improvment
- Unrated
Dining room furniture is required everywhere whether in hotels, restaurants, offices and in homes. Good dining furniture adds to the looks of dining room as well as placed in proper way it solves the different purposes like seating, eating, and serving. Selection of the best dining room furniture assumes paramount importance. It’s special in the sense as it’s the only place where every family member sits together in a home and moreover, it is also the first room that a visitor sees. Best choice dining room furniture to enjoy good food and pleasant conversation with family and friends. Mainly dining room furniture includes dining table, dining chairs, side tables, stools but you can arrange some other accessories also to your dining hall to make it more attractive. Here is some common dining room furniture that completes a dining room.
Dining Table: While choosing dining room furniture, you want to be sure that you are buying a table that will fit well into your dining room and give you the flexibility and space sufficient for your special meals. The obvious factors to consider for dining table are the size of your family and the size of your dining room. For smaller families a table with small size will be enough while not for larger ones. Moreover choice also differs in color, design, shapes etc.
Dining Chairs: Another main part of dining room furniture is chairs. You can use chairs that are comfortable while sitting on dining table. Dining chairs are available in every style like wooden, leather covered, antique, and metal made to choose from. Further you can choose Dining room chairs with or without arms.
Side Boards: Apart from the basic table and chairs, dining room furniture also includes the side boards used to store the crockery and some decoration pieces. But make sure that it suits the area of your dining hall, not making it more congested to look uneven. Side boards may be made up proper wooden or glass can be used in it to make it more stylish.
Stools: Some families like to add stools and benches to dining room furniture. Stools provide a flexible way to move from here to there. While purchasing stools you must match that with furnishings already used in dining room furniture.
Homeowner advice - selecting a local reputable tradesman or builder
- By Nigel Beswick
- Published 04/25/2008
- Improvment
- Unrated
It is crucial to the success of your home improvement or maintenance project to select a reputable tradesman or builder. The following advice is intended to guide the homeowner through the process of selection to ensure that the homeowners experience is a happy one.
Loft conversions - adding value to your home.
- By Nigel Beswick
- Published 04/25/2008
- Improvment
- Unrated
Many homeowners are opting to utilise existing attic space to accommodate expanding families or maximising value potential in their property.
Improvment