To try and help our clients pass their sound testing at the first attempt, we offer the following 4 step acoustic design package:
1. Site Survey Visits – to let us view the existing site construction. This allows us to check for potential problematic construction such as inclusion of lightweight blocks in the existing construction. It also lets us check that the installation teams are installing the acoustic materials as per manufacturer’s guidelines.
2. Sample Sound Testing – of the existing construction. This offers an accurate overview of the acoustic performance of the existing partitions which enables us to offer a targeted acoustic design using the sound insulation performance of the existing construction.
3. Acoustic Design Reviews – a full design review of the proposed developments party walls and floors.
4. Pre-completion Sound Testing – to satisfy Approved Document E.
We provide the site team with on-going design support service, so you will have direct contact with the allocated acoustic engineer from the start of the process through to the successful completion of the project.
One of the most important services is the going site survey visits which allow our clients to feel confident about the outcome of testing at the end of the build. The site visits let us check that the installation teams are installing the acoustic materials as per manufacturers avoiding crucial onsite mistakes. You can often have a compliant design which still fails due to poor workmanship; the site survey visits negate the risk of sound test failure.
We will evaluate the construction methods and materials specified to ensure that they are capable of meeting the acoustic requirements of Approved document E. The typical areas we check are:
a. There are no flanking points, where isolated partitions are wrongly mechanically fixed together to caused noise bridging.
b. The walls and floors design are acoustically robust, to comply with Building Regulations Part E.
c. The acoustic treatments for Soil Pipes, Stair Cases Steel Beams etc. to ensure they are acoustically fit for purpose, as these are some of the areas that get usually missed.
d. Acoustic floor treatments are compatible with the proposed floor finishes i.e. Carpets, Laminates, Floor Tiles and under floor heating systems.