# Is Your Condominium or Apartment Soundproof?



## Demilich (Dec 22, 2005)

If you live in an apartment or condominium, is it fairly soundproof? I just finished university in Montreal, and my apartment during the first 2 years was not soundproof (heard footsteps upstairs as well as bass from rap/dance music), but my apartment for the last 2 years, on Pins O. in the McGill ghetto was the most amazing place ever for 'soundproof'-ness. I never heard anyone else's music except when I was in my own bathroom, and sometimes heard the girl singing in the shower which was funny. The kicker was that I could play my music at any volume I wanted even at 3 a.m. in the morning. I ASKED my neighbours in almost all directions to make sure they could not hear anything, and they said no! (Of course I would have heard from the police perhaps)

I'm thinking of getting a condominium in a few years somewhere in Toronto (gonna be in Japan for a while teaching English and saving up money), but I've never actually been inside one. Are they generally soundproof, with concrete (or whatever it was that fortunately made my second apartment so great)? 

And regardless, if you're in an apartment, is it soundproof? 
I know of soundproofing solutions and materials out there, but are there any that are at least somewhat cost-effective (like less than $2000), not what some fancy music studio would be getting?


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## Aero (Mar 2, 2006)

Demilich said:


> I'm thinking of getting a condominium in a few years somewhere in Toronto (gonna be in Japan for a while teaching English and saving up money), but I've never actually been inside one. Are they generally soundproof, with concrete (or whatever it was that fortunately made my second apartment so great)?


Can you really save up money in Japan, considering that its one of the most expensive countries in the world. Although it might only be true in certain urban city. Just curious, you don't have to answer it. How much is your salary?


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## Demilich (Dec 22, 2005)

Aero said:


> Can you really save up money in Japan, considering that its one of the most expensive countries in the world. Although it might only be true in certain urban city. Just curious, you don't have to answer it. How much is your salary?


I'm gonna be living in a city/big town of 120,000 (not Tokyo), and the salary is the equivalent of about $3000 a month. It's through something called the JET programme.

My predecessor there who is currently in my soon-to-be apartment said it's pretty soundproof :clap:  :clap:


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## Aero (Mar 2, 2006)

Demilich said:


> I'm gonna be living in a city/big town of 120,000 (not Tokyo), and the salary is the equivalent of about $3000 a month. It's through something called the JET programme.
> 
> My predecessor there who is currently in my soon-to-be apartment said it's pretty soundproof :clap:  :clap:


Sound can still get in through the windows. Well only loud sounds though. Like a chopper flying, the 401, the go train bell, 50+ cc bike, etc... :lmao:


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## Sonal (Oct 2, 2003)

Depends on how they build, but generally, concrete blocks a lot of sound.

You might want to consider layout. What room are you concerned most about quietness? You might want to try and find a layout that has that room on an outside wall. 

Your vulnerable points are doors and windows, though high quality windows can block a lot of sound. My apartment is very quiet, though I can hear people in the hallways if I'm in my living room (where the front door is), and if someone (or some dog) is being very loud in the parking lot outside my windows (I'm on a low floor.) 

However, I'm in a corner unit. For my two non-outside wall, one side of me is the stairwell, and the other side borders against my storage closet, my bathroom, and the second bedroom (which I don't spend much time in.) My bedroom is on the corner.

I hear nothing from above or below me. This building was likely built in the 70s.

That said, my ex-husband lives in a stacked condo townhouse (built maybe 10 years ago) and hears it pretty clearly when his next door neighbour has music playing--he only hears it in his office, but unfortunately, she plays loud music during the day.


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## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

In Japan on a $3000 a month salary most teachers have been able to save $10000 a year provided they do not partake in nightlife stuff too often. I stayed in Apple House - Koganei Big Rose 21 location for a month, rented it for 46000 yen for foreigners (56000 yen for Japanese citizens) (price varies, it was a suburb guest house, the central guest houses cost more, there are further ones out that cost less), comes with a 4mx4m room (actually it's 8 tatami mats big, a tatami mat is 1.9mx0.95m actually, so it's actually 3.8mx3.8m but who's counting?) and the room comes with a mini fridge, basic antenna TV (w/ 13 channels), pay per use Air Conditioning (100 yen per 15 minutes if I can recall, it heats and cools), a little futon (the traditional kind where you sleep on the floor, not the Americanized futons), buckwheat pillow (hehe) and blanket (you wash it yourself though), shared toilet (the kind you squat over ), sink, and showers, laundry, a common room with satelite TV, a common kitchen area, telephone (cheaper to get your own cell phone tho...), 40 rooms in total it comprised of half Japanese half foreigners most of them English teachers, super friendly environment, it was one of the best experiences of my life. It was also the first time I ever sat on a roof to read a book. Christmas party, watching a Stars-Flames game w/ Japanese commentary lol, good fun. I think for the month I stayed there 

One thing to watch out for -- room deposits at most places are generally not returned even if you leave it in pristine condition -- and sometimes room deposit might be three months rent. Apple House is awesome because they just charge half month damage deposit and also a small key deposit and I got it back at the end of my stay. Totally unheard of in Japan. Friendliest landlords with a head office in Koganei which is basically just a renovated ex-warehouse.

I survived on 200000 yen that I brought over, spent 16000 yen on groceries, also ate out too which is pricey, but check out places selling healthy entire meals for less than 600 yen, I think budget around 10000 yen for inner city transportation as long as you get commuter cards (very cool RFID cards -- actual fares vary depending on your start point and destination, there are around ten separate companies operating trains in Tokyo alone, the biggest is Japan Rail, there's also Keio among others, you need a different fare for each one -- oddly to take a train from Koganei to Shibuya -- it's cheaper and faster to take a JR Chuo Line train from Koganei to Kichijoji for 140 yen, transfer to a Keio train to Shibuya for another 210 yen, rather than paying 450 yen to take JR Chuo to Shinjuku and transfering to JR Yamanote to Shibuya, so the ten different inner city train company things isn't that big of an issue).

Anyway...

Apple House
www.applehouse.ne.jp


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