Sound insulation testing

Have you been asked to provide Building Control with a Pre-Completion Sound Test Certificate? We offer a UKAS Accredited Sound Insulation Testing service as required by Approved Document E (2003) of the Building Regulations. Please contact us to discuss the type and rate of tests which will be required for your development. We are truly competitive, and our UKAS status ensures confidence in the service we provide.

UKAS Schedule of Accreditation - issued to noise.co.uk pdf
UKAS Accreditation Certificate No2694 pdf
Download Approved Document E pdf

Sound insulation testing & building acoustics, Building Regulations, Approved Document E.
Sound insulation testing is now a very important part of the build process for both new build and material change of use (conversions) residential dwellings. The changes to the Building Regulations requirements and in particular the pre-completion test routine detailed in the Approved Document (E) is not straightforward and we offer specialist advice to guide the person responsible for the building work through this process.

We are UKAS Accredited for sound insulation testing in the field.
We not only test to a very high standard but should any of your tests fail we have considerable experience in fixing problems with sound insulation should they occur. Noise mitigation is built into our fees for the testing. We are used to dealing with all parties involved in the build process from architects, surveyors, contractors, designers, building control and building warranty companies.

Additional Consultancy Services
We offer a desktop study service to check your plans and details against the Approved Document recommendations to ensure that the correct design is being specified by the designer of the building. This also covers new build and material change of use property.

Eco Homes
Eco Homes is a Housing Corporation initiative run by the Building Research Establishment which has Eco points available for sound insulation performance detailed in the "Health & Well Being" section of the document.

The credits are awarded on a sliding scale and depend on the amount of testing carried out i.e. 20% in order to achieve 1 credit or 30% for 2 credits & above and also the performance of the sound insulation itself over the full test sample i.e. ADE 2003 performance standard for 1 or 2 credits, ADE 2003 performance standard +/- 3dB for 3 credits, ADE 2003 performance standard +/- 5dB for 4 credits.

The Guidance - 2005 / Issue 1.1 March 2005. Up to 7.52% of the total Eco Homes credits can be achieved by proof of performance testing demonstrating higher levels of sound insulation are present in the build construction of the development. See p7 of the EcoHomes "Rating Prediction Checklist".

This is very important as Housing Corporation funding will be linked to the performance of the property, with the "Very Good" standard being brought in as the standard to be achieved starting in the 2nd Quarter 2006. NOTE: Robust Details have no status under the Eco Home banner and all sound insulation testing has to be carried out by UKAS Accredited companies only see p110 EcoHomes 2005 - The environmental rating for homes. The Guidance - 2005 / Issue 1.1 March 2005.

Service is designed to assess the sound insulation performance of a building prior to conversion to allow only the areas which require sound insulation treatment to be identified and the amount of treatment to be specified. This service can also be tailored with a test room to allow proof of performance testing to be carried out on sound insulation systems before they are globally applied in a property.