Soundproofing for New Builds & Renovation

You're building or renovating. This is the moment to get the soundproofing right — once the walls and floors are closed up, the opportunity is gone.

Soundproofing is dramatically easier and more effective when it is built in from the start than when it is added afterwards. A wall or floor system that includes mass layers, acoustic fill, and decoupling as part of the build delivers performance that is very difficult to match by treating a finished structure. If you are building new or undertaking a significant renovation, specifying soundproofing correctly at the design stage is the single most cost-effective acoustic decision you can make.

For properties with separating floors and walls between dwellings — new builds, conversions, and extensions — Part E of the Building Regulations sets minimum performance requirements. Getting Part E compliance wrong means remediation work after the fact, which is expensive and disruptive. Getting it right at specification stage means the building passes on pre-completion testing without follow-up work.

Products we'd recommend for new builds and renovation

  • Acoustic Membranes — incorporated within floor and wall builds to add mass at the point of construction. Bitumen-based membranes beneath floor screeds and within laminated wall systems are standard components in Part E compliant assemblies.
  • Resilient Clips & Channels — structural decoupling at the point of construction delivers the highest performance achievable in a conventional build. Resilient clip systems in walls and ceilings are specified in Gold-tier assemblies and in projects where demanding isolation targets must be met.
  • Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV) — incorporated within timber joist floor systems as an additional mass layer. MLV contributes to both airborne and impact sound performance in timber construction types where the structure alone is too lightweight to achieve Part E targets.
  • Complete Soundproofing Systems — for separating walls and floors, pre-specified complete systems provide the design confidence of a tested assembly. Silver and Gold wall and floor systems are appropriate for Part E separating elements; the specific choice depends on construction type and performance target.
  • Acoustic Plasterboard — higher-density plasterboard used as the finishing layer in wall and ceiling assemblies, contributing mass to the system. Commonly used in combination with resilient clips and acoustic mineral wool fill.
  • Acoustic Mineral Wool — the acoustic fill specified within stud walls, floor systems, and ceiling voids. High-density mineral wool (45–100kg/m³ for acoustic applications) significantly improves airborne sound performance compared to standard thermal insulation grades.

What to expect

  • Part E compliance for residential separating elements (minimum DnT,w + Ctr 45dB for airborne, maximum Ln,w 62dB for impact) is routinely achievable with correctly specified assemblies — the challenge is in the detail of the specification and workmanship, not in finding products capable of the performance
  • Building at the right specification stage costs less than remediation — a correctly specified separating floor costs a fraction of the work required to improve an already-built floor that failed pre-completion testing
  • A correctly specified new-build or conversion delivers genuine acoustic separation between dwellings — not just compliance on paper, but a meaningful improvement in residential amenity

Specification Advice for Your Project?

Tell us about the build — structure type (timber, masonry, steel), which elements need to meet Part E, and the project stage. We'll advise on the right products and assemblies.

Get Expert Help

Planning a New Build or Renovation?

Tell us what you're building — the structure type, the separating elements, and whether Part E compliance is required. We'll advise on the right specification.

Get Expert Help