How Much Does Soundproofing Cost?
When living in the UK, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly spent £50,000 on soundproofing, (as reported in
The Daily Mail ). Not to block out noise from their son Archie, who was only young at the time, but from Jets at Heathrow - 8 miles away from their former (UK) residence at Frogmore house.
Unsurprisingly, one of the most common questions we get asked is - How Much Does Soundproofing Cost?
Fear not, you don’t need to be royalty or a millionaire to soundproof your home from noisy neighbours, build a recording studio, create a home cinema room, or soundproof a garden room. The short answer to this question is, it varies, depending on four key factors:
4 key factors that affect the cost of soundproofing:
1. What type of structure are you trying to soundproof? Is it a wall, floor, ceiling or studio?
2. What is the noise you are trying to block? (noisy neighbours - TV noise, music, talking, shouting, footsteps, dogs barking) the list can be pretty endless
- How loud is the noise you are trying to block? e.g low conversational tones or excessive shouting or loud music
- What type of noise are you trying to block, e.g. impact noise or airborne noise or a combination of both
3. The size of the area that needs soundproofing? A larger space will require more soundproofing materials n potentially take longer to install
4. Installation costs. Many standard soundproofing systems can be fitted by a competent DIY or local tradesperson. However, some more complicated systems may need professional installers (e.g. home cinema rooms).
Installation costs:
- Local tradespeople may charge around £300 per day
- A professional soundproofing installer may charge around £500 per day
Below is a useful guide showcasing some of our most common and effective soundproofing systems per meter squared to give you a rough idea of the materials cost (updated September 2024). The systems highlighted all come with comprehensive installation guides and videos and can be installed by a competent DIYer. (Over 80% of Soundproofing Store customers install the soundproofing themselves).
How much does it cost to soundproof an existing wall?
Solid Walls Soundproofing Cost:
Below are the 3 main
solid wall soundproofing solutions and their respective costs (ex VAT) per m2. Each offering a different sound insulation performance. For example, wall soundproofing solutions that are extremely effective at blocking low levels of noise, ranging to those wall soundproofing solutions that are exceptional at blocking excessive noise.
The correct system depends on how much sound you want to reduce and how much space can you afford to lose. Generally, the higher performing the system, the more space you will lose.
The Top 3 Soundproofing Solutions for Solid Brick Walls
1. ReductoClip™ Independent Wall System
Level of Noise: Excessive and high levels of noise across all frequencies. Providing an excellent performance against impact and airborne noise such as loud music, shouting, babies crying, very loud TV noise and impact noise. This system is the highest performing wall soundproofing solution and is also used in recording studios and home cinemas.
How to soundproof a wall using the ReductoClip™ Independent Wall System
2. ReductoClip™ Direct to Wall Soundproofing Solution
The ReductoClip™ Direct to Wall System transformed the home of Mr and Mrs Billanie and their young children. They had fallen out of love with their home because of the excessive noise they were experiencing from their noisy neighbours. The ReductoClip™ Direct to Wall System helped to restore peace and quiet within their home and was invaluable in giving them back the privacy and sanctuary they were missing. The cost came in at just over £1,000 (inc VAT) for around 10m2.
A full case study on this wall soundproofing project can be found below:
Level of Noise: Loud levels of noise, e.g. clear words, music, dogs barking, babies crying and dampening of impact noise. An excellent compromise on performance v's space loss.
How to soundproof a solid wall using the ReductoClip™ Direct to Wall System
Wall Soundproofing Case Study
ReductoClip™ Soundproofing System Product Overview
3. SoundBoard 4™ Soundproofing Panel
SoundBoard 4 is a direct to wall soundproofing panel and is an excellent soundproofing choice for low mass structures such as internal stud walls.
SoundBoard 4 direct to wall soundproofing panels are used on a solid brick walls
if space constraints mean the ReductoClip System can't be used. However, the SoundBoard 4 soundproofing panel isn't suitable for impact noise, bass sounds, music, deep voices or snoring. This would also be a limitation for any direct to wall soundproofing board. For these types of sounds and impact vibrations you need a system that decouples from the existing structure, such as the ReductoClip™ System (as highlighted above).
SoundBoard 4 Product Overview
How to soundproof a brick wall against noisy neighbours using
SoundBoard4™
By using the SoundBoard 4 soundproofing panel, the level of noise was reduced from 64dB of noise (the equivalent of loud TV or loud conversations) to 37dB (a mere 2dB above quiet ambient noise). For a soundproofing cost of less than £500 (not including installation) with the result of blocking nearly all noise coming from noisy neighbours. The level of noise reduction, satisfaction and relief this provided, arguably means that the cost of soundproofing can in fact be priceless.
Stud Walls Soundproofing Costs:
The SoundBoard 4 is a direct to wall soundproofing panel and is an excellent choice for soundproofing an internal stud wall. The below video shows a detailed installation and before and after sound test of SoundBoard 4 installed on a dividing wall separating bedrooms in a hotel. The size of the wall was roughly 12m² and the cost of the soundproofing panel was just under £900 including VAT and delivery. There were no installation costs as the soundproofing panels were installed by the owner of the hotel.
How to install soundproofing panels SoundBoard 4 on a stud wall
Learn more about soundproofing a stud wall
How much does it cost to soundproof a floor?
Soundproofing a floor is an excellent solution to reduce noise from footsteps, furniture movement, and general activity. Whether you live in a multi-story building or want to minimise noise between floors in your home, soundproofing a floor can be an effective way to create a quieter environment. The cost of soundproofing a floor varies depending on the type of soundproofing materials, the size of the space, and whether you choose to hire a professional or do it yourself. let's take a look at 3 floor soundproofing solutions and their costs.
Timber Joist Floors Soundproofing Cost:
The below video highlights 3 tried and tested timber floor soundproofing solutions to help reduce unwanted noise from noisy neighbours. The video highlights the differences between each solution, how they perform against impact and airborne noise and their suitability for different final floor finishes.
The Top 3 Soundproofing Solutions for Timber Floors
The 3 floor solutions mentioned in the above video, plus a further 2 solutions are highlighted below detailing their performance against airborne noise, impact noise, or both. Along with a guide of how much each floor soundproofing solution costs.
Reverso SoundMat Floor Soundproofing Solution
1.Level of Noise: Loud levels of airborne noise and high impact noise
Reverso SoundMat™ Floor Soundproofing Product Overview
SoundMat 3 Plus Floor Soundproofing Solution
2.Level of Noise: Loud levels of airborne noise and high impact noise
SoundMat 3 Plus and SoundMat 2 Plus Floor Soundproofing Overview
SoundMat 2 Plus Floor Soundproofing Solution
3. Level of Noise: Medium levels of airborne and high impact noise
SoundScreed WF28 Floor Soundproofing Solution
4. Level of Noise: Excessive levels of airborne noise and low impact noise
SoundScreed 28 Floor Soundproofing Product Overview
ImpactoMat Floor Soundproofing Solution
5. Level of Noise: Low levels of impact noise only
ImpactoMat 5mm Floor Soundproofing Product Overview
The cost of soundproofing an average floor size of 4m x 4m using SoundMat 3 Plus (as shown in the video) was £949 (inc VAT). This didn't include installation, as the SoundMat 3 Plus is an easy DIY install.
Concrete Floors Soundproofing Cost:
1.Level of Noise: Low levels of impact / footsteps noise only
How much does it cost to soundproof a ceiling?
Timber Joist Ceilings Soundproofing Cost:
1.Level of Noise: General conversation and footsteps noise
How much does it cost to soundproof a music room?
Building a soundproof music studio is crucial for producing high-quality recordings and keeping external noise from affecting your work. Crucially it also helps contain sound within the studio, preventing it from disturbing nearby spaces. The cost of soundproofing a music studio can vary significantly based on factors like the size of the space, the level of soundproofing needed, and the materials you choose. As a rough guide, to fully soundproof an existing average sized garage and turn it into a soundproof music studio the materials cost would be about £5,500 ex VAT.
Studios / Soundproof rooms Cost:
Music Studio Soundproofing
How to soundproof a garden room music studio
Learn more about studio soundproofing
The benefits of investing in soundproofing
The cost of soundproofing walls, floors or ceilings within your home have been highlighted within this article and the benefits of investing in soundproofing can have huge benefits.
People often talk about a 'cost per wear' especially when justifying buying an expensive new item of clothing, or a pair of shoes etc. When applying the same principle to soundproofing within your home, where many, many, many hours are spent every day and night, then this is a sound investment (no pun intended!). Many of the benefits of soundproofing are emotional and the positive difference a quiet living space can have to mental health and wellbeing can make it near impossible to equate a monetary value. Transforming a home which is riddled by unwanted noise (often from noisy neighbours) and then achieving peace and quiet within your home through soundproofing can often be perceived as priceless:
- Improved sleep by helping to block out unwanted noise which aids concentration and has many health benefits
- Reduced stress by creating a more peaceful and quiet environment within your home
- Increased privacy. Soundproofing works both ways, so helping to block unwanted noise from neighbours also helps reduce the noise your neighbours may have been hearing from your home
- Increased home value, as soundproofing will be seen as a desirable feature for many buyers
To learn more about our the award winning soundproofing products from
The Soundproofing Store, please feel free to call a member of our expert team on 01423 206208.
Alternatively, if you would like to find out the cost of soundproofing a wall, floor, or ceiling you can always 'Request a Quote' as found in the 'Need Help?' section below.
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