Living in an infill duplex - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

yads · 01-08-2010, 01:13 PM

My wife and I are considering moving into one of the infill duplexes that have cropped up all over the inner city. Anyone have any experiences to share about living in one? Bad/Good neighbors, how soundproof is it, etc. Thanks.

VladtheImpaler · 01-08-2010, 02:01 PM

Try to look for one that wasn't built during the period when anybody with a pulse was working construction. That is, look for something built during a recession...

Coys1882 · 01-08-2010, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fotze

can hear pissing too.

deal breaker!!

Mav · 01-08-2010, 02:16 PM

Yads, me and 2 buddies live in a brand new quadplex infill and our building is great. They used some space aged soundproofing between the units and we can't hear anything from the other three at all.

However, the apartment building directly next to us is very close to our front door, and one of their windows opens right into one of our upstairs bedroom which has led to some heated arguments with the absolutely nasty hags living there. They claim that we intentionally keep them up at night with lights going on and off, even though we have motion detector security lights all along our walkway which we can't control. They even called the cops on us once when at 8:30 pm a visitor went out front to smoke and said that he was too loud.

If you are going to do it, I would make sure that you have ample space between your new infill and the (probably) crappy old place that still exists next door to avoid dealing with unreasonable neighbors.

Deelow · 01-08-2010, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coys1882

deal breaker!!

It's actually quite soothing when you're trying to fall asleep. Kinda like those babbling brook relaxation CDs. Not so nice when the thunder starts though.

moncton golden flames · 01-08-2010, 04:42 PM

being a architectural designer, i can say the minimum party wall is only 2-2x6 walls, with one inch air gap between them, with gyproc on the finished sides. if you can find an infill that has an icf party wall, you'll be fine.

MJM · 01-08-2010, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mav

Yads, me and 2 buddies live in a brand new quadplex infill and our building is great. They used some space aged soundproofing between the units and we can't hear anything from the other three at all.

However, the apartment building directly next to us is very close to our front door, and one of their windows opens right into one of our upstairs bedroom which has led to some heated arguments with the absolutely nasty hags living there. They claim that we intentionally keep them up at night with lights going on and off, even though we have motion detector security lights all along our walkway which we can't control. They even called the cops on us once when at 8:30 pm a visitor went out front to smoke and said that he was too loud.

If you are going to do it, I would make sure that you have ample space between your new infill and the (probably) crappy old place that still exists next door to avoid dealing with unreasonable neighbors.

Did the cops tell them off? We had a neighbour in university do that, and the cops just lambasted her. They told her in so many words that if we actually were noisy now, they were doing nothing about it.

hixxes · 01-08-2010, 05:18 PM

Have lived in one for three years and have had no issues with noise. We're also lucky to have a good neighbour... unfortunately can't say the same about some of our other neighbours.

corporatejay · 01-08-2010, 07:10 PM

Also you can't hang a plasma on a common wall. If you do, and your neighbour slams his girlfriend into it, BAM! broken plasma

Mav · 01-09-2010, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJM

Did the cops tell them off? We had a neighbour in university do that, and the cops just lambasted her. They told her in so many words that if we actually were noisy now, they were doing nothing about it.

Well they actually came and once they got here they basically laughed then went next door and ripped the neighbors. I kinda wish they hadn't done that because they are now finding different ways to make our lives miserable knowing the police won't stand by them.

DuffMan · 01-09-2010, 12:24 PM

Is your wife loud?

yads · 01-09-2010, 12:58 PM

Thanks for the responses guys. What about smells? I know someone who was living in a duplex in Silver Springs (old one) and they could smell cigarette smoke in their half all of the time when the neighbors were smoking.

yads · 01-09-2010, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moncton golden flames

being a architectural designer, i can say the minimum party wall is only 2-2x6 walls, with one inch air gap between them, with gyproc on the finished sides. if you can find an infill that has an icf party wall, you'll be fine.

I'm guessing most homes are made of just gyproc?

keratosis · 01-09-2010, 01:07 PM

Parking could be another problem.

Shazam · 01-09-2010, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moncton golden flames

being a architectural designer, i can say the minimum party wall is only 2-2x6 walls, with one inch air gap between them, with gyproc on the finished sides. if you can find an infill that has an icf party wall, you'll be fine.

This is good to know if you want to install a hidden camera into the bathroom of the adjoining unit for security purposes.

moncton golden flames · 01-09-2010, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yads

I'm guessing most homes are made of just gyproc?

yes, most homes are made with this wood construction. the basic premise is the air space between the studs eliminates wall vibrations, which reduces noise transfer. the gyproc is fire code and interior finishing.

moncton golden flames · 01-09-2010, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shazam

This is good to know if you want to install a hidden camera into the bathroom of the adjoining unit for security purposes.

whatever floats your boat. the party wall should be about 13" thick.

.5" drywall, 5.5" stud, 1" air space, 5.5" stud, .5" drywall. sometimes they might double up the drywall for a higher fire resistance rating. and sometimes they will build a staggered stud party wall, where the wall may not be 13" thick, it coud be less due to the staggered studs, but still reduces vibration transfer.

Shazam · 01-09-2010, 03:10 PM

I'm just making a joke

CGYTransplant · 01-11-2010, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yads

Thanks for the responses guys. What about smells? I know someone who was living in a duplex in Silver Springs (old one) and they could smell cigarette smoke in their half all of the time when the neighbors were smoking.

I live in an attached house, and from inside, I can't smell anything from my neighbor's house. Granted, they're nonsmokers, so it would only be cooking smells, but I can only smell those, sometimes, in the backyard.

We can, occasionally, hear someone slam a door/drawer/cupboard next door, but we can't hear talking/yelling/peeing/*bow*chicka*wowow* sounds...and I know that we are just as guilty of being "slammy" sometimes. It is something that you just have to live with, you are sharing a wall.

Make SURE you talk to the neighbors before you put in an offer, to see what they're like, and see if you can live with them. If the infill you're looking at is anything like the one we live in, you have a common roof on your house and your garage...if the shingles ever need to be replaced, or anything needs to be done to the party wall, or even if the landscaping needs to be fixed (our front yards were landscaped as if it was one big front yard...looks nice, but there really isn't a your side/my side distinction) the job will have to be split between the two of you, and you need to make sure you get along.

For us, parking isn't an issue, as we both have double car garages. Most of the homes on our block (both sides) have garages, so there is tons of onstreet parking.

I will also say this- an attached infill can give you anywhere from 200 to 500 extra square feet of living space, compared to a standalone infill on half a lot, because you don't need the space allowance between the houses.

mots · 01-11-2010, 10:10 PM

Have lived in one in killarney for a couple years, which was build during the boom years.

If i didnt know that there was a neighbour i would not have known.

No smells, no sounds, no nothing. But it could depend on how your party wall is build. In ours, there is a 1" space between both units, and then each unit has a 2x6 wall, a vibration reduction strip and then a 2x4 plumbing wall.

Parking not a problem, as most have a double garage in the back, plus street parking.

I love the location (super close to downtown) and the neighbourhood (a ton of mature trees). i dont think i would want to live in anything else.

If you go for a single infill as opposed to a duplex, most of them are only 17' wide (as opposed to 21' for an attached), and you can really tell while inside.