When J Turner Research president Joseph Batdorf released the most recent survey on top residents complaints, he issued the following statement: “Apartment residents remain concerned with a broad range of customer satisfaction issues but far and away the immediate opportunity to improve customer service and resident satisfaction levels is by addressing dissatisfaction with onsite staff responses to resident concerns.” When noise complaints besiege your front office staff, you have options to address residents’ concerns without a major renovation. Improve resident satisfaction with affordable soundproofing retrofits. The tips below will help you jumpstart the conversation with your contractor. Unforeseen Challenges Before you can fix the noise problem, you must identify the source. In some cases, your building may not have been built to code even though it received a certificate of occupancy (COO). New and remodeled multifamily construction is required to have an STC of 50 by design and 45 by field test. Sometimes, building inspectors often overlook noise control. If you’re frequently receiving noise complaints, you could hire an acoustician to verify if the building was built to sound code. That may be a slippery slope that you’d rather avoid. Instead, understand the root of the sound leaks. Then you can find the most cost-effective solution. For example, during drywall installation, many contractors will raise the gypsum board to create a snug fit between the wall and ceiling. This leaves a gap at the base. Contractors will hide the gap with the baseboard and forego proper caulking techniques. The resulting void permits sound to travel between units and rooms. Older buildings may have multiple causes for noise transfer. Single-pane windows, hardwoods without soundproofing underlayment, and even old or damaged insulation may be at the root of your residents’ complaints. Solutions Quiet Clause The easiest...