Please find below typical pricing for a standard set of sound insulation tests to satisfy Building Control and Approved Document E requirements. Please note travel costs will be applied to the final price. For further information please contact us to discuss the number of sound tests required for your development.

The builder is responsible for demonstrating to Building Control that Part E of the Building Regulations have been met and this is done through pre-completion sound insulation testing. This is applicable to all residential building types and projects.

Approved Document E generally requires that sound testing be carried out on 10% of each group or sub group within a development.  Sound insulation tests will be required across separating walls and/or floors. If you are unsure as to the number of tests required for your development contact us in the first instant.

Aran Acoustics carry out sound insulation testing and provide a technical test report suitable for submission to Building Control. In the unlikely event that a test should fail we also provide remedial advice to meet the required standard.

To demonstrate compliance through sound testing the separating walls, floors and stairs that have a separating function need to achieve  the sound insulation values for dwelling-houses and flats set out in Table 1a of Approved Document E. Rooms for residential purposes need to meet the standards set out in Table 1b. The following tables provide the minimum required sound insulation performance values for residential dwellings and rooms for residential purposes such as Hotels. 

• Table 1a - Dwelling-houses and flats
• Table 1b - Rooms for residential purposes

New build residential houses and flats must achieve a minimum airborne sound insulation performance value of 45 dB D_nT,w+C_tr and impact sound insulation of 62 dB L’_nT,w. The performance standards for existing buildings converted into residential houses or flats is slightly more relaxed with the minimum airborne sound insulation performance value of 43 dB D_nT,w+C_tr and impact sound insulation of 64 dB L’_nT,w.

Approved Document E specifies the airborne sound insulation in terms of a  D_nT,w + C_tr value.  D_nT,w is related to the measured difference in noise level between two rooms and is a single-figure value, encompassing the frequency range 100 to 3150 Hz, normalised to a reverberation time of 0.5 seconds.

The C_tr value is a correction applied to the noise level difference and accounts for the low frequency sound insulation performance of the separating wall or floor. Ctr values typically range from about -4 to -12 depending on the type of construction been tested.

Impact sound insulation values are specified in terms of L’_nT,w. This relates to the measured weighted, standardised impact sound pressure level in the room below and is a measure of the reduction of impact noise from footfall on the floor above. The lower the L’_nT,w value the greater the performance of the separating floor.

An online copy of Approved Document E can be found on the Governments Planning Portal website.

If you require further information on the requirements or wish to obtain a free quote please don’t hesitate to contact us.