OT: Office Space Help

[YourMotherShouldKnow]

I'm looking at renting an office to teach private lessons in and I'm trying to make the noise a non issue for the neighboring office. I can't afford to do the all-out sound proofing room inside a room thing and that's not necessary anyhow.

 

Here what's I have. The office that I like has a drop ceiling, wall to wall carpeting, and 4 windows. 2 sides of the office connect to other offices and those walls are just 5/8" sheet rock it looks like.

 

I took my Takamine in there and strummed a bit and sent the agent into the next office to see how loud it was. Then I taught him an E minor chord and went and had a listen myself. There is enough sound coming through that it would be disturbing in the next office as it is. I think most of the sound was coming through the drop ceiling.

 

Is there anything reasonable I can do to deaden the sound significantly?

[philbo_Tangent]

I don't know about the fire codes where you are, but I would think there ought to be a solid wall between adjacent businesses that extends above the hanging ceiling all the way up to a solid ceiling or to the underside of the roof. This wall should have 5/8" sheet rock on BOTH sides.

 

If not, you are just tempting fate - - any fire will rapidly spread from business to business, wiping out the whole structure.

 

Anyway... If the fire code requires it, and it isn't there, you could suggest that it must be installed before you rent/lease. And if the owner is willing to install one, offer to pay for R-19 fiberglass bats to be installed in the middle of the wall. If the owner isn't willing, look elsewhere, you really don't want to be there anyway.

 

Other options:

Install 2 layers of 8" fiberglass bats above your ceiling, the top layer turned 90 degrees from the bottom one. Shouldn't cost more than a few hundred bucks, which you'll likely make up within 2 years in lower heating/cooling costs.

[YourMotherShouldKnow]

Thanks Philbo, it's a pretty nice building from what I can tell. But I'm pretty sure the walls only go up to the drop ceiling because the agent said you could see all the way down to the front of the building if you pushed up a tile and looked.

 

And the walls could be 2 5/8" layers. It probably is because the sound didn't seem to go through the walls much if at all. I think it's that damn open space above the drop ceiling.

[YourMotherShouldKnow]

Originally posted by philbo_Tangent:

Anyway... If the fire code requires it, and it isn't there, you could suggest that it must be installed before you rent/lease. And if the owner is willing to install one, offer to pay for R-19 fiberglass bats to be installed in the middle of the wall. If the owner isn't willing, look elsewhere, you really don't want to be there anyway.

 

Other options:

Install 2 layers of 8" fiberglass bats above your ceiling, the top layer turned 90 degrees from the bottom one. Shouldn't cost more than a few hundred bucks, which you'll likely make up within 2 years in lower heating/cooling costs.

Hey Philbo, I'm still negotiating about this office. There are 2 layers of sheet rock for the walls but that stops at the drop ceiling. And I think the sound is getting through over those walls. Looking seriously at your 2nd option.

 

I'm looking at 2 office. The one I mention is a great location on a major highway for like $500/month. The other is in a small though active strip mall for $200/month.