Walls and Ceilings - Trying to deal w/ noise from my condo???

I have no clue where I should be starting this thread. I was looking for a general home improvement forum, but I guess I'll label this a possible wall/ceiling issue and go from there.

So, I moved into my condo about a year ago. 1 bedroom, 1 and a half baths; a beautiful place that was once an old cabinet factory built in 1850. On the outside, the place is all brick... inside old wood beams, just tons of character.

The unit itself is very deep & narrow. The walls are about 25 high, so it feels very open and spacious! It has all hardwood floors & tile in the bathrooms.

I have nobody living above me and nobody living below (it's the garage). Behind my unit is a hallway, to the left of me a neighbor (who is direct and honest and never once complained about noise) and a neighbor to the right of me... who I think may be speaking up, because I just got an email from my property manager saying "somebody" was complaining about noises from "somebody's" unit. Most likely mine. I have my reasons.

You see, before my new neighbors to the right moved in, the last person who lived there complined about hearing me, my TV, every footstep I took, & every word I said. The contractor at the time, came by to look at my place. He asked me to have a casual conversation while he hung inside their unit and later admitted, that he could hear EVERY single word I said which is very creepy for both parties involved.

The contractor also told me, at that time, that another neighbor of mine (isn't even directly attached to my unit) --- who even he admitted might be more crazy than right --- claimed, and this was hilarious, that when I go the bathroom, she could hear me unzipping my pants! :eek:

Now, either she has super sonic hearing, leans her face against the wall to hear me (which is just nutty), or my unit just takes every sound and makes it a billion times louder!!! You know, I wouldn't shocked if people hear me typing on my laptop as I write this. :thinker:

As far as the floor joist situation, the contractor, said that he could do nothing about it because at the time the building was constructed, it was up to code that the floor joists were seperated so far apart. The problem is, the further the joists are seperated, the easier noises travels. At least, this is what he said.

My neighbor at the time, let it go, and I never heard a complaint again. He moved & in comes the new neighbor and what I'm sure is the same complaint, all over again.

So... I'm looking for suggestions. I don't make a lot of noise. I don't want people to hear me talk on the photo in detail, and they don't want to hear me either.

I am not a loud person. I don't throw parties, and crank my stereo up. AND I know my other neighbors watch TV at night themselves, and make some noise (nobody is silent like a mouse)... heck, I can hear it when people walk down the hall, their footsteps, and sometimes can hear them mumble... but I can't hear them breathing & talking trash about how loud I am (haha)... and my question is WHY not? What is the difference? How is sound being walled off from their units and not mine? We have the same walls, the same ceilings? What could it be?

I know having all hardwood floors and tall ceilings, in general, doesn't help give sound a place to go. And yes, there is some truth to the fact that I can hear noises from the hallways which are all wood floors, but not the units.

Would nice thick curtains on the garage door help absorb some sound? I have a large area rug, in the living room, but the mat below the rug is more like a liner. Would switching these things out make a HUGE difference? I am buying curtains; is there anyway to soften the sound more? Again, I have ONE window, so how else am I suppose to absorb sound in a 1,000 sqft unit??

Does anybody have any other suggestions? I read about many suggestions online, most involve pre-construction suggestions like sound-proofing dry wall but to rip up the walls here, and replace every bit of 25 foot ceilings (in a 1,000 square foot condo) would cost a ton and create more noise while it is going up!!!

I am looking for reasonable suggestions. I don't want to upset my neighbors but I also don't want to have to tippy-toe everywhere I walk, because every movement I make is ampified!!!

Appreciate some feedback.

Hi csk, Kind of been there and done that, but I moved before a solution was found. Being a condo, have you approached the association? Since you shouldn't be responsible for the construction of the building, the parts that tie the units together, and the fact that the solution may involve changes to other units as well as yours, it may be their responsibility. If your unit is the only problem one, then a co-ordinated effort is needed to map out the path the sound is traveling. The association would also have details on the construction of the units. Those building plans would be very helpful in your efforts. If they don't, the town/city building department will.

Talk to all involved. This isn't a wild party where you can send everyone home.

GL
Bud