Wood frame condo. How was your experience?

[Hondaracer]

Originally Posted by MindBomber

The divide between 'East Indian' and 'White' developers isn't as significant as some believe. I would have no trouble naming a number of 'White' developers that deliver workmanship that is beyond terrible, and that turn around and sell 'high end' units starting at $800k+. Late last year, we pulled out of one such 'high end' project by a big name 'White' developer because the quality of the other trades work was too poor for us to do our work to our standards. While on the other hand, we're working with an 'East Indian' developer at the moment that is delivering great workmanship.

Developers yes, builders, no.

[GLOW]

Originally Posted by meme405

Actually what's really scary about that is that the NFPA didn't catch up to the building code until almost 2 years later.

So for 2 years people were building 5 (or possibly 6, although your right I havnt seen one either) story buildings with just a regular 4 story wood frame fire protection system. I would never in a million years buy in one of these buildings.

first building i heard that was doing it i believe was in richmond a few years back...must not have been doing well because it burned down by "accident"...

[MindBomber]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

Developers yes, builders, no.

True. Though, I can't recall ever working for an East Indian builder.

[meowjinboo]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

Do not move into a wood frame multi-family, period.

in the last 6 years my company has built roughly 400 multifamily units, majority being townhouses with buildings ranging from 2-12 units in 1 building. As well, we also built 2 low rise wood frame buildings, both 4 storey in different configurations.

me and my parents bought 2 units in the first wood 4 storey as an investment 7 years ago. Every single renter we have has complained about noise from adjoining units and it was so bad 2 years ago with super rowdy partying drug dealers that cops were getting called nightly and our tentants moved out in the middle of the month. Any sort of music/noise/talking during the night when its otherwise "quiet" can be easilly heard. While we were building these units cars would drive by with their systems bumping and it would shake the structure of the unit i was working in.

The townhouses we built are no better. So say you live in a unit in the middle of the building with a unit on either side. Typically, and this is somthing no one really clues into, at LEAST one of the adjoining bed rooms is overlapping into your unit. so the layout switches from unit to unit and typically the master bed room floor is overlapping into YOUR living room ceiling, it's just to expand the space and keep a building square with the feeling like your living space isnt just a box.

In all these units the divider is a double 2x4 interior wall, a batt of insulation in either side of the stud space, and a single sheet of 1'2" drywall on both interior walls.

This may sound like it would provide a noise barrier.. and "technically" it meets spec, but it does not block -anything-

When building the townhouses i often do a little test, I have the small job site makita radio, listening to AM radio, litterally no vocal or bass sounds i'll leave it in one finished unit, go out the deck, and go into the neighboring unit closing each patio door. Without any other sound around the voice of the radio is clearly audible through the wall.

Crying baby? Parties? Stereos with Subs?

lol..

Honestly, from what i know, have heard, and have seen, you couldnt pay me to live in a wood frame building. I'd prefer to rent a basement suite and risk dealing with the 1 home owner than roll the dice and have 1-6 adjoining neighbors and pray to jesus that they are "good" neighbors.

In comparison, and as others have echoed, me and le GF now own in a complete concrete high rise. This building was built in 1988, which is a benefit because structurally, this building has more concrete in it than most new buildings twice the height. I've been trying to get info on the thickness of the slabs and walls but it's hard to track down.

Anyways, our direct neighbor down the hall has 2 kids who are under 6, sometimes when you come home at night the kids are fucking SCREAMING, very audible in the hallway. Go into our unit with a steel fire door, close the door with a tight sweep on it, which is litterally 6 feet away from their door, 95% of sound eliminated.

Walk another 10 feet down the hall into my office, zero sound, -ever-

our bed rooms, living room, and kitchen? We've never heard noise from surrounding neighbors once. Yea, of course if somone like drops somthing heavy etc you'll hear a thud, but often when i'm just relaxing, reading etc. not once does the thought of neighbors cross my mind.

Weigh your options, but like i said, for me, never, ever.

If you're really really curious, you can simply open up a wall where you think a drainage stack is, put some measuring tape down the hole.

Most concrete highrises im building right now have 8 inches.

Source: Plumber.

[meowjinboo]

btw, i'm currently building intracorp/axiom and I can honestly say you are getting a real good product.

[J-Chow]

Originally Posted by winson604

Lol 9388 McKim Way? Friend is also on top floor but selling their place now.

LOL what a coincidence. So am I

[PeanutButter]

I lived in a concrete building for four years. It was a brand new building built in 2010.
I lived on the 15th floor.

My neighbour on the left had loud as hell dog, nothing could stop me from hearing that. My neighbour to the right would have random parties until 3am on weeknights. I'm not talking loud music types of parties, i'm talking people over just talking and laughing. I could still hear them, not clearly, but it was still annoying if I wanted to study in my place.

The worst was the family above me, they seemed like they had lead feet and I could hear them throughout the day.

That being said, when I went over to my friends condo which was wood framed, I thought I was lucky, because the noise going through was worse.

I probably would not want to live in a wood framed building if I could help it. However, another friends unit was in a wood framed condo and his neighbours were quiet as mice.
So I feel, it has to do more with the type of neighbour you get. Because even with concrete between my neighbours, it wasn't ideal.

I guess you just have to roll the di.ce

[Ch28]

My gf bought a new wood frame condo and we've been living here for the past 1.5 years. We're on the top floor, so noise above us is non-existent. The two neighbours sandwiching us are extremely quiet except for the occasional dinner party, but they're respectful and noise levels are never outrageous. We don't have to worry about noise across the hall because it's a staggered floor plan, so I guess that cuts out a bit of the noise as well.

Like most people have pointed out, it doesn't really matter if you're in a concrete or wooden building, because it's your neighbours that will determine the noise level. You obviously have no control who your neighbours are, so the best thing you can do is try to get a top floor and have one less thing (neighbour above you) to worry about.

[meowjinboo]

Originally Posted by PeanutButter

I lived in a concrete building for four years. It was a brand new building built in 2010.
I lived on the 15th floor.

My neighbour on the left had loud as hell dog, nothing could stop me from hearing that. My neighbour to the right would have random parties until 3am on weeknights. I'm not talking loud music types of parties, i'm talking people over just talking and laughing. I could still hear them, not clearly, but it was still annoying if I wanted to study in my place.

The worst was the family above me, they seemed like they had lead feet and I could hear them throughout the day.

That being said, when I went over to my friends condo which was wood framed, I thought I was lucky, because the noise going through was worse.

I probably would not want to live in a wood framed building if I could help it. However, another friends unit was in a wood framed condo and his neighbours were quiet as mice.
So I feel, it has to do more with the type of neighbour you get. Because even with concrete between my neighbours, it wasn't ideal.

I guess you just have to roll the di.ce

all that seperates you from your neighberous is 4 layers of drywall and some insulation.

[winson604]

Originally Posted by J-Chow

LOL what a coincidence. So am I

lol friends selling #407