Noise tends to carry throughout a house, which is why many homeowners choose soundproofing solutions that can lower this type of pollution within their homes to make for a peaceful and comfortable living environment.
Homeowners should view soundproofing as beneficial, particularly if they have pets or young kids prone to producing a lot of noise. The benefits aren’t limited to homeowners only. Close neighbors will also appreciate it.
The general goal of soundproofing is to minimize the amount of noise exiting and entering either the entire house or a particular room.
Soundproofing can be a good home investment. If you want to soundproof your home, you can expect to spend anything from $1,000 to $2,500. Typically, the average home has about $1,500 worth of soundproof doors and windows, plus added insulation layers. This price range is generally for a 130-square feet room.
That said, the cost of soundproofing a room can be as low as $250, and this includes textured wall panels or acoustic doors in the same 130-square foot room.
To get comprehensive soundproofing, which includes new soundproof windows, double insulated walls, and solid core doors for a 1500 square foot house can cost about $47,000.
Before getting into the details of how much it costs to soundproof a room, let’s first discuss what soundproofing is and how it works.
How Much Does It Cost to Soundproof a Room: How it Works
To soundproof your space, you need a few different materials designed to stop two types of noises: impact noise and airborne noise.
As the name suggests, airborne noise is the noise that travels from one room to another through the air. These could be screaming, shouting, whistling, and any high pitch sounds.
On the other hand, impact noise, also known as flanking noise, is sound waves traveling through building materials, including timber, plaster, and bricks. Sounds that typically pass through walls, ceilings, and floors are generally low-pitched and are impact noises. Also, the sound of washing machines, falling objects, and even footsteps are typical impact sounds.
The type of soundproofing material you use typically depends on the noise you want to stop. Fibrous materials such as foam are better for blocking airborne noise, while rubber sheets block impact noise.
How is Soundproofing Measured?
Soundproofing used in commercial and residential buildings across the world has a special rating system. In the United States, the sound insulation of a building is measured in terms of Sound Transmission Class or STC. For example, the STC rating of a poor partition wall where you can hear conversations and noise from the other side will be in the 20s, while a luxury hotel room might have an STC rating in the 60s. Typically, residential buildings are rated between 30 and 45.
How Much Does It Cost to Soundproof a Room: Cost Per Square Feet?
When it comes to soundproofing, you can choose to add it to existing rooms or add it during construction. On average, it costs about $13 to $26 per square foot to soundproof a new construction. This cost range changes to about $10 to $35 when soundproofing an existing room.
Soundproofing an Already Constructed Room
As stated earlier, the average cost of soundproofing an already-existing room is $10 to $35 per square foot. To soundproof an existing room, you can choose to seal the windows and doors or buy insulated glass. Choosing to add soundproof insulation can work effectively, but it comes with additional labor since the walls must be gutted, and the plaster must be redone.
Another inexpensive soundproofing option for an already constructed room is door sweeps. In addition to reducing external noise, door sweeps can also block insects. The cost of door sweeps can range between $25 and $100, depending on the quality.
You could also choose to get acoustic wedge panels which cost about $2 to $5 per square foot. A more intensive option to soundproof an existing room is to drill a hole in the wall and blow in the insulation. You could also choose to add mass-loaded vinyl, which usually costs about $100 to $250 for a 40-square foot roll.
Some homeowners choose to build a soundproof wall over their existing wall to provide a lasting solution to sound reduction. This approach is generally done in studios or living rooms.
If a particular room in your house is extremely noisy, soundproofing the wall can make a major difference. There are various methods of soundproofing your walls, and they all come with their own price ranging from $100 to about $360.
Soundproofing a New Construction
The cost of soundproofing a home while construction is ongoing can range from $13 to $26 per square foot. Typically, contractors incorporate these soundproofing costs into the initial labor and build costs, installing noise-lowering insulation alongside the building frame and the plaster (as opposed to removing these materials to install the soundproofing material in an already built room).
Contractors can also use double-layered glass on the doors and windows to create soundproofing. You can have these installed during the construction process. The most effective way to have comprehensive soundproofing in the entire house is to integrate it into the project rather than adding it later once the house has been completed.
How Much Does It Cost to Soundproof a Room: Cost of Soundproofing an Already-Existing Room
Decoupling
Professionals usually charge anything from $20 to $60 per hour for decoupling. The method might be simple, yet it is a highly effective soundproofing technique that separates the two sides of a wall to ensure sound cannot pass through easily.
Typically, the two parts of a traditional wall are held together with wood studs that allow sound to move from one side to the other. When you use a resilient decoupling mount, you can stop sound transmission and, in turn, improve the soundproof performance.
Cost to Repair Drywall Cracks
Drywall crack repair can be another soundproof option, and it usually costs anything from $75 to $350. Noise tends to seep through cracks, particularly in older houses where the existing walls are decades old and in dire need of repairs.
By filling and smoothing these cracks, you improve the sound protection in the room. In some cases, homeowners may need to focus on repairing the drywall cracks before adding any other soundproofing options.
Creating a Resilient Channel on Existing Drywall
On average, installing a resilient channel on existing drywall can cost anything from $160 to $200.
A resilient channel is a metal bar that improves the soundproofing of ceilings, sheetrocks, and drywalls. Resilient channels need to be properly installed over existing drywall to get the most effective sound reduction.
Tying a New Block Wall into an Existing Wall
You can expect the cost of tying a new block wall into an existing wall to be around $160 to $360. As you may have figured out, the more complicated your project is, or the more walls you need to work on, the more expensive the overall cost will be.
This soundproofing option is best for concrete or brick walls. The goal is to create a secondary wall in front of the existing leaving a gap as small as 100mm between them. The gap is filled with rubber, foam, or any other fibrous material to absorb the noises coming through the wall. This will significantly improve the room’s soundproofing.
Using Wall Art to Absorb Sound
You can purchase sound-absorbing wall art for about $150 to $400 per piece. It can be a unique option for people looking to improve their home’s soundproofing and interior decor.
Sound absorbing wall art panels come in various patterns and colors. They provide an extra barrier that easily traps sound in the home. Typically, the thicker and larger an art piece is, the better it is at absorbing sound. You can easily hang the wall art yourself or get a professional to do it for you.
How Much Does It Cost to Soundproof a Room: Soundproofing Materials
There are a couple of soundproofing solutions you can use to soundproof your walls. These include:
Acoustical Caulk
Acoustic caulk can act as another line of defense against noise, especially if you place it between two drywall layers. It can cost anything from $15 to $30 for every 28 ounces. You can place acoustic caulk between drywall layers to get rid of vibrations that would typically travel through the wall. You can also use it to seal any holes or cracks in window frames, floors, and walls.
Acoustic Panels
Acoustic panels are great for sound control and noise reduction because you can cover existing walls with them to absorb sound.
On average, acoustic panels cost anything from $8 to $12 per square foot. You can push freestanding and wall-mounted panels against a wall. It is also possible to hang the panels from the ceiling to cut down problematic noise.
Mass Loaded Vinyl
Mass-loaded vinyl usually costs about $2.75 to $5 per square foot. It is a flexible material that consists of sand, salt, and high-density metal particles. It works to reduce sound by increasing the mass of floors, ceilings, and walls you apply it to.
The material is specially created for noise control and can be placed between drywall layers to cut down sound transmission within walls. Most mass-loaded vinyl products come in 4-foot rolls to hang on walls.
Soundproof Paint
This soundproofing material costs anything from $1.50 to $6 per square foot. You can use it to absorb any sound in the home. It is typically used to soundproof a studio or a home theater and comes in various patterns and colors.
The foam is directly mounted to the wall and can also be used together with wall art, heavy curtains, and any other modifications that can lessen the sound in a room.
Soundproof Foam
This type of soundproofing material costs anything from $1.50 to $6 per square foot. It can be used to absorb any sound in the home. It is typically used to soundproof a studio or a home theater and comes in various patterns and colors.
The foam is directly mounted to the wall and can also be used together with wall art, heavy curtains, and any other modifications that can lessen the sound in a room.
Mineral Wool Batts
Soundproofing your home using mineral wool batts can cost anything from $1.50 to $2.75 per square foot. It is loose-fill insulation, which is stiffer and denser than fiberglass insulation. You can use it to lower the sound in steel stud floors and interior walls. Additionally, it absorbs sound and protects against fire. Plus, it offers great thermal performance.
Rockwool Sound Insulation
Rockwool sound insulation costs about $1 to $2 per square foot, making it one of the cheapest methods of soundproofing your walls.
The insulation is made from stone wool that reduces noise by absorbing sound within floors and stud walls. The insulation is fire and mildew-resistant with a sound dampening option of R-15. It also has a special soundproofing variety designed to act as an interior wall noise barrier.
Conclusion
As you can see, how much it costs to soundproof a room typically depends on a couple of variables.
First, the cost will depend on whether the room already exists or is still under construction. You also have to take into account the soundproofing materials you intend to use, as well as how large the room is.
All of these factors play into the cost. Thankfully, there are various price points, so you can easily find the soundproofing option that matches your budget.