Sound Testing for New Wood Floors
Leaseholder Sound Testing for New Wood Floors: What You Need to Know
Upgrading a leasehold flat by replacing carpet with a hard flooring finish, such as engineered wood or solid timber, is a popular renovation choice. However, this simple change can trigger strict lease conditions requiring Leaseholder Sound Testing for Floors and, in many cases, acoustic upgrades.
Before you lift a single carpet tile, it’s important to understand why sound testing matters, what’s involved, and how to ensure your new flooring doesn’t fall foul of your lease.
This guide is written for leaseholders, managing agents, freeholders, and contractors who need to comply with sound testing regulations when switching to hard floors.
Why Sound Testing Is Required When Changing Carpet to Wood
Most leases include a covenant that either:
✔ Requires soft flooring (carpet) to remain in place
or
✔ Permits hard flooring only if sound insulation performance is proven to match the original construction
Carpet naturally absorbs footfall noise and helps limit sound transferring to the flat below. Hard finishes amplify:
- Impact noise — footsteps, chair movement, dropped items
- Airborne noise — voices, TV noise, music
Without proper acoustic upgrades, neighbours below may experience increased disturbance — leading to complaints, disputes, and even legal action.
That’s why freeholders and management companies often demand acoustic evidence and test certificates before approving alterations or issuing a Licence to Alter.
What Sound Testing Involves
Professional Leaseholder Sound Testing typically includes three stages:
1️⃣ Pre-Works Sound Testing (Baseline)
Carried out before removing carpets to record current acoustic performance:
- Airborne sound insulation
- Impact sound performance
These results become the target your new floor must meet or exceed.
2️⃣ Acoustic Upgrade Design
Based on the baseline results, an acoustic specialist may recommend:
- Acoustic underlays
- Floating floor systems
- Additional mass or separation above joists
These upgrades improve your chances of passing the final test.
3️⃣ Post-Works Sound Testing
Once the new floor and acoustic layers are installed, the same tests are repeated to confirm compliance.
To avoid disputes, always agree the test method, pass criteria, and reporting format with the freeholder beforehand.
How Sound Test Results Are Compared
To ensure a fair comparison:
- Test conditions must match (same room layouts, similar positioning)
- Airborne sound insulation should be equal or better than the baseline
- Impact noise levels should be equal or lower
If results fail, remedial upgrades will be required — followed by a re-test.
Clear, UKAS-approved reporting helps:
✔ Prove compliance
✔ Secure freeholder approval
✔ Prevent future noise-related conflicts
Acoustic Improvements for Hard Flooring
Effective solutions above joists may include:
- High-performance acoustic underlay
- Floating floor systems
- Additional resilient layers to reduce structure-borne noise
With the right design, a wooden floor can meet — or even improve — on carpet performance.
Need Leaseholder Sound Testing? We Can Help.
We provide a complete acoustic testing and consultancy service for leaseholders across London and the South East:
Our service includes:
- UKAS-accredited sound testing
- Class 1 Norsonic calibrated equipment
- Fully compliant reports accepted by Building Control and freeholders
- Expert acoustic advice and upgrade recommendations if improvements are needed
📩 Email: info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk
📞 Call APT Sound Testing: 01525 303905
Whether you’re a leaseholder applying for a Licence to Alter or a managing agent enforcing compliance, we ensure your flooring upgrade is carried out smoothly — and soundly.