5 Common Mistakes During Floor Renovations: How to Prevent Noise Complaints in Condominiums

Friday, 20 February 2026

In condominium buildings, noise-related complaints are among the most frequent — and most delicate — issues to manage. Footsteps, repeated impacts, vibrations, or increased resonance after renovations quickly generate frustration, tension between co-owners, and in some cases, formal complaints to the condominium board.

What is less known is that the majority of these complaints are predictable. And more importantly, that a preventive approach can avoid many conflicts… at a fraction of the cost of corrective interventions.

A Clear Observation: Acoustic Complaints Do Not Happen by Chance

Contrary to the common belief that noise issues are inherent to condominium living, nearly 80% of acoustic complaints originate from avoidable technical decisions. They often arise after:

• Floor renovations carried out without prior acoustic analysis;
• Replacing a softer floor covering with a more rigid material;
• Adding or removing layers within the floor assembly;
• Incomplete or imprecise application of renovation rules.
   

In many cases, the building initially met a certain level of acoustic comfort. It is the modifications made over time — sometimes isolated, sometimes repeated — that create imbalance and promote noise transmission, particularly impact noise.
 

Impact Noise: The Primary Source of Complaints

Impact noise (from footsteps, dropped objects, moving furniture, etc.) is now the leading cause of acoustic dissatisfaction in condominiums. Unlike airborne noise (such as voices and television), it travels directly through the building structure and is therefore much more sensitive to material changes.

A simple floor covering replacement, even if compliant with regulations, may increase vibration transmission if the overall assembly has not been evaluated. The result is often the same: repeated complaints that are difficult to resolve because they are technically complex.
 

The 5 Common Mistakes During Floor Renovations:

1. Confusing an Acoustic Product with an Acoustic Solution

An 'acoustic' underlayment or membrane alone does not guarantee adequate performance. The entire assembly — structure, membrane, floor covering, and installation method — determines the real outcome.

2. Relying Solely on Marketing Data

Acoustic ratings shown in technical data sheets often come from laboratory tests conducted under ideal conditions that do not always reflect the reality of an existing building.

3. Modifying a Floor Without Evaluating Global Impacts

Changing a single component can alter the vibrational behavior of the entire system, especially in multi-residential buildings where structures are shared.

4. Intervening Only After Complaints Are Filed

Once complaints become formal, options are limited, costs increase, and relationships between co-owners are often already strained.

5. Prevent Rather Than Correct: A Winning Approach for Condo Boards

Adopting a proactive acoustic strategy allows boards and property managers to significantly reduce risks — and therefore costs.

Three levers are particularly effective:

• Clearly Framing Renovations

Rules that integrate measurable acoustic criteria help avoid vague interpretations and inadequate technical choices.

• Validating Assemblies Before Work Begins

Upfront acoustic support ensures that proposed solutions are compatible with the existing structure before it is too late to correct them.

• Documenting Technical Decisions

In the event of a dispute, having analyses and recommendations based on measured data is a strong lever to demonstrate the board’s due diligence.

Best Practices for Condo Boards

✔ Integrate acoustic requirements into renovation rules

✔ Require technical validation before flooring work

✔ Avoid decisions based solely on price or product

✔ Favor proven and documented solutions

✔ Keep written records of recommendations and analyses

In Conclusion: Structure Prevention Instead of Managing Crises

In condominiums, noise is not just a temporary nuisance — it is a matter of quality of life, governance, and responsibility. Waiting for complaints to arise almost always leads to more costly, more complex, and more conflict-driven interventions.
 

To help boards and property managers act proactively, AcoustiTECH developed the AcoustiCONDO program. This structured approach supports condominiums in preventing acoustic issues — during renovations, regulatory updates, or when facing recurring challenges — to reduce risks, limit complaints, and protect property value over the long term.
 

👉 Investing in acoustic prevention today means avoiding years of complaints, tension, and unexpected expenses tomorrow. Discover AcoustiCONDO today!

Vincent Moreau
Co-owner
Executive Vice-President Sales
Innovation & Strategic Development
Ambassador of Sustainability
AcoustiTECH