Noise of new town house units ABOVE

that's pretty much how all these new townhouses are built, just separated by drywalls

Sorry but I don't think there is anything you can do. Sorry for the buyers remorse.

This is just how it is when you have neighbours above and below. Best to only buy townhomes with neighbours on the side, preferabally an end unit or semi-attached towns (also called linked-semis). Construction with casement blocks between units to deafen the sound.

Sorry, to clarify it is the units ABOVE. The side unit is perfectly sound proofed

Start saving for a detached.

Between noise and smells from shared walls you might as well give your neighbours the key to the front door.

Tarion is not going to do anything about it, neither will the builder, you can obviously talk to the builder to see if they would do anything but....
At this point of time your best solution would be to pony up some cash and soundproof the ceiling, you will hate living there is you hear your neighbour all the time, god forbid your neighbour has a dog, a child or has a hearing problem and listens to tv very loud. It will cost you a bit, be messy, but at least you will be able to enjoy the house you purchased.

As someone who was (and to some extent financially is) in custom home construction, Tarion is useless.

Review your sales agreement with a lawyer before warranty expires and push the builder (in writing). Document EVERYTHING.
If you get stuck with Tarion you can always go the small claims route however this really depends on what's in the sales agreement.
Unfortunately this won't be easy but don't give up quickly ...

hire a contractor to rip open your ceiling and sound proof it.

The builder will do nothing, this is what happens when you buy these homes with neighbours.

Trouble = SHARED anything walls, floor/ceiling, driveways = condos,apartments, townhouses.

TheKiwiCornelius wrote: ↑ As someone who was (and to some extent financially is) in custom home construction, Tarion is useless.

What? You mean a committee of builders who rule on when they themselves do something wrong isnt 100% impartial?

keljai wrote: ↑ Sorry, to clarify it is the units ABOVE. The side unit is perfectly sound proofed

Why are there units above you if it's a townhouse? Or do you mean it's a stacked townhouse?

If stacked I assume it's also a condo, which if true just be careful you check with management before doing any soundproofing renos.

keljai wrote: ↑ Hi there, recently moved into a preconstruction town house (Eaton park lane for those that care) and there seems to be an exorbitant amount of noise transfer from the top units. They are still building and its funny how they put double drywall, concrete block on the side(presumably they realize the noise pdoblem, but only 2 dry wall layer, subfloor on the top.

What can I do about this? I just moved in 60days ago, just past 30 day tarion. I don't seem to be the only unit with this issue from my understanding. I'm a fairly reasonable person but I feel if I can hear the person upstairs phones morning alarm vibration (silent mode) it seems pretty mediocre.

Ask the builder to see the report that your suite was tested and meets the OBC requirement of STC 50. Someone would have had to have come through and done STC or ASTC testing on the suites. If they push back, contact your lawyer who closed and ask them. Its honestly likely built fine, but it would be your first step.

Get used to it. Anything SHARED with cheap construction ur not gonna get peace and mind. Sounds travels in shared units. Even if there's no construction you cud hear noise right above or beside you... but the actual location of noise could be 3-4 plus floors away. It's even worse in asia. Units are sold in empty concrete blocks and you have to hire renovation crews to change everything around. Sound of a phone ringing?? Haha.. you wish. More like drilling from evenings till 3-4am next morning... Every... single... day. The higher the floors, the more units, the more peeps moving in and out and more renovation crews. Look, nothing is peace of mind unless it's a separate detached unit. And even then... you may get shitty neighbors to deal with.

Install carpet in your neighbour's place and yours, that should deafen the sound. :/

keljai wrote: ↑ Hi there, recently moved into a preconstruction town house (Eaton park lane for those that care) and there seems to be an exorbitant amount of noise transfer from the top units. They are still building and its funny how they put double drywall, concrete block on the side(presumably they realize the noise pdoblem, but only 2 dry wall layer, subfloor on the top.

What can I do about this? I just moved in 60days ago, just past 30 day tarion. I don't seem to be the only unit with this issue from my understanding. I'm a fairly reasonable person but I feel if I can hear the person upstairs phones morning alarm vibration (silent mode) it seems pretty mediocre.

OP do you have a cross section/comprehensive list of materials that they put between the floors? How bad is the sound?

Weak building code + cheap builder doing bare minimu and below + no accountability (tarion) = your issue.

In this day and age new construction should not have soundproofing issues. Builders are just cheap and unscrupulous and thry know thry can get away with it because tarion is utterly useless. It’s like someone committing a crime on against you and the cops, judge, lawyers are all related to that person.

Sounds like a stacked townhouse. Would never buy one of those and that’s a major reason why. Traditional towns are bad enough. Stacked towns are worse.

As homeowners ...

Most people start out in life sharing their living space

And there’s no doubt about it ... IT SUCKS

Be it an apartment, condo, duplex, townhouse, or semi ... if you have common shared spaces ... walls, ceilings, driveways or yards

It’s AWFUL

Best advice, use this experience as motivation to save your money up as quickly as possible ... build equity ... and move on to a detached single family dwelling

keljai wrote: ↑ Sorry, to clarify it is the units ABOVE. The side unit is perfectly sound proofed

consider yourself lucky no side unit noise! Like others have say, nothing builder will do about it.

The only way to get quiet is to buy a detached, even then you can still hear neighbors through your windows. I have lived through all the types of houses, row houses, townhouses, semi and detached. Will never again live in non-detached!

Sucks now a days. I feel bad for OP because he never realized this, and honestly no one would think twice about this. Unfortunately its just the way crappy things are done now a days.