Townhouses separated by concrete?

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I've heard that some of these are separated by concrete. How do you tell? Looking underneath it's concrete. I can't hear any of the neighbors talking, but I can hear them walking around occassionally. I think it's only when they go up and down the stairs though.
 
What year was it built? If you can hear them walking around it probably doesn't have concrete between the units.
 
Ok back then probably concrete would be my guess. Did you have it inspected prior to purchase? Where do you park all your utility trailers? Thanks

If just one side, maybe they stomp their feet as a natural tendency and/or are heavy set. Maybe they were in marching band in H.S.
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There is an hoa but they don't seem to care about storing boats and such so t hat's one of the main reasons I got it.
 
Maybe there is concrete, but the floors are connected together? I don't have anyone above me, so I find it weird that you can hear some walking next door. If they were above me that would be understandable.
 
I live in an end-unit, built around 2000 and can hear the people next door esp when running up and down the stairs. Prior to that I had a younger lady next door that was super quiet.
 
Seems like an expensive method forming a concrete wall for sound.

Modern construction would simply use a sound barrier like spray foam insulation and/or speciality Sheetrock that absorbs sound.
 
D.R. Horton built townhomes in Texas use a type of cement-board with some type of fire rating.

It sure is NOT poured concrete, though
 
The ones with real concrete fire-walls between units are easy to spot because the wall goes up above the roof.
 
I will bet that it’s cement board. Most localities have building codes that specify measures to keep fire from spreading rapidly or contain it. If the floors are connected then it’s not really separate anyway. Maybe they use it for sound deadening
 
Originally Posted By: mk378
The ones with real concrete fire-walls between units are easy to spot because the wall goes up above the roof.


Yes ... ^^^
Its a common building method in some of the better built town-homes.
Concrete kills sound, fumes, bugs and fire from the unit next to you like nothing else can.
(think about that) :eek:)

After all you own a town home, a rental, you kind of expect to live with the people around you, their bugs, odors, noise and your not stuck with them, you can always move, when you OWN a townhome its a bit more difficult to easily move.
 
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Use a very small drill bit and drill into the wall in an inconspicuous place. That will give you a clue.
 
When we lived in a town home, there was a double layer of thick drywall between units for a fire rated wall.

So you had your units drywall, insulation, two layers of thick drywall,neighbors insulation and the neighbors drywall between units.

These were built somewhat cheaply, around 2000.

Occasionally heard neighbors walking around.
 
IIRC, my townhouse's unit was separated from the neighbors' by drywall over cement board against the studs. Then I think there was an inch gap between the studs of the next unit with its own layer of cement board and drywall. I don't remember if there was insulation between the units.

Didn't have any real noise issues but neither neighbor had small kids or animals when I lived there.

I've seen older townhouses with cement block between the units.

And there are a number of condos near my parent's house that were build in the 70's with flex-core floors. Not the same as a townhouse but I understand that buildings built with flex-core are relatively quiet in the individual units.
 
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