I live downstairs in a condo and have for about 5 years now. Although I don't really talk to my upstairs neighbors we haven't had any real problems over the years.
About 8 months ago they installed hardwood floors and since than the sound of them walking around upstairs is making both me and the wife nuts. To further agravate matters they have one 2 year old (who likes to bounce a ball on the floor) and a newborn.
My wife went upstairs a few months ago to complain after the 2 year old was bouncing the ball on the floor at 7am on a Sunday and was met with a lot of hostility by the mother. The mother later apologized, but it was several days later.

I've had enough, they are loud and it's making my place very hard to live in. After checking with the home owners assoc I found out the neighbors did not get any approval or permits to do this construction so i have every right to tell them to remove it and go back to carpeting. All I need to do is make one phone call to the home owners assoc.

Here's the thing... We both own our condos, and I have to live with these people. I feel like I should go upstairs and speak with them about the noise issues, but my wife was met with such hostility last time that I'm hesistant. It also leaves to door open to compromise where they try to be quieter (which I doubt is possiable with kids) and I act like a good guy and tolerate the noise.

I don't want to be a jerk to them... flooring costs thousands and I don't want to strain their family. But at the same time, I deserve to be able to have peace in my home.

Opinions please

 

always talk with people first before you have to drop the hammer.

 

Definitely talk to them first, if they are rude then you wont feel bad about contacting the HOA.

 

Doesn't sound like the relationship w/ them would lend itself to this, but you could have them over for dinner or coffee...at least some more relaxing environment where you can talk about it a bit socially. I'm in an apartment and my upstairs neighbor is now a good friend of mine because we've talked about these things...if they understand the issue hopefully they will at least consider some area rugs or another suitable compromise.

Good luck...

 

I'd go with what zekera said and maybe even give them a demonstration of the noise by asking them if they could stay down stairs while either you or your wife go upstairs and walk around for maybe 2 or 3 minutes while bouncing a ball.

 

Honestly in an atty's point of view, you could have them remove according to the HOA by-laws. But, in all honesty, have them over to your place. Go into their home, and bounce a ball for 5 minutes and let them understand what you guys are constantly dealing with. Maybe a simple solution would be to lay some rugs around their floor so not everywhere is loud. They seem reasonable, and yeah they do have children, what do you really expect from a 2 year old. But people should be reasonable also and considerate.

 

Set their kid on fire.

 

Invite Bruce Lee over with all his toys. Just playing. I think zekera nailed it on the head. I'm just adding to my sorry post count.

 

HOA is a contract, but it is usually a contract without teeth - He should've installed insulation between the HW floor and the support floor, but he did not, there is not much either of you can do about it.

1. Most HOA only have teeth for the mgmt of the association, not for the tenets, but it is worth an hour of a lawyers time to look them over. If you have an association, then they may have some influence, but many HOA have no enforceable "punishment" for breaking the rules, and no full time management to ensure the rules are followed.

2. For this guy to "fix" his HW floors would cost thousands of dollars...he would have to remove the existing flooring, and sideboards and then install the sound proofing, then re-install the flooring (which would now be 1/4-1/2 inch higher, so that any non wood floors would have to be reraised to match)...thousands in labor, really. So he will not do anything.

Exactly the same thing happened to a friend of mine, and so he went to arbitration, the guy above said he'd put down area rugs to muffle the sound, but it didn't help much. My friend ended up moving but he had to disclose the noise problem on the deed when he sold, sold for $35,000 less than market, which he sued ($10,000 initially then $5000 more later to the lawyer) and won $35,000....so he only lost a total of $15K, but it's $15K!

 

Bruce doesn't have many more toys than me...

I'm going to try and talk to them directly. If they get ****ty with me, than I'll go to the home owner's. We have a professional property management company that runs the HOA, so I'm sure they have some teeth.

 

Climb on the roof and invite a bunch of I-club friends and give them a taste of their own medicine.

All kidding aside, do what you gotta do as politely and maturely as you can without letting them walk all over you.


Good luck.

 

How is the husband? The reason why I ask this is that we have two kids and for something like this, I would think I would go and talk to the husband. Your wife and the mother already had a little confrontation. And mothers don't want to hear that their kids are this and that, especially with a 2 yr old and a newborn. She is probably tired as hell.

I'd try to catch him on a weekend afternoon or something when things aren't crazy and basically say, the noise is very annoying and see if they are willing to listen.

If the answer is no, then tell them about the HOA.

If the answer is yes and they agree that it's a problem. They will probably not tear up the floor but maybe try some sort of sound dampening.

 

def confront them and all kidding aside suggest they get some area rugs. that would at least quite the noise down a bit.

 

This will solve 33.3% of your problem