Project mix
Traffic, neighbour, and apartment-noise upgrades.
The case studies now highlight common Devon problem types with before-and-after context so visitors can recognise a situation similar to their own property.
Case Studies
Selected projects showing how quieter spaces are built in practice.
These examples focus on recurring Devon enquiries around traffic noise, neighbour noise, and apartment or inter-flat sound transfer, showing how Terbium approaches measured improvement rather than generic soundproofing claims.
Every project is shaped by building condition, finish expectations, noise source, and use case, so the examples below are intended to show approach and before-and-after outcomes rather than promise identical results in every setting.
Coverage
Devon homes and mixed residential settings
Approach
Diagnosis-led specification with measurable outcomes
Case study 01
Exmouth road-facing townhouse
Traffic noise
Exmouth, Devon
14 dB reduction achieved
7 weeks
Challenge
A family townhouse close to a busy road corridor was experiencing repeated sleep disruption and daytime fatigue, with vehicle pass-bys, braking, and early-morning delivery traffic reaching the front bedrooms.
Solution
The specification combined upgraded secondary glazing, acoustic perimeter sealing, targeted wall lining improvements, and bedroom detailing to reduce the main airborne transfer paths without compromising the period character of the property.
Measured result
Before the upgrade, the client described the front bedroom as unsettled from the early morning rush onwards, with intrusive traffic peaks making rest and home working difficult.
After installation, the room felt markedly calmer, speech was easier to hold at normal volume, and the family reported a more stable bedroom environment during peak road-traffic periods.
Client-focused outcomes
Improved sleep in the front bedroomsLower stress during peak traffic periodsMore comfortable home working and evening downtime
Before
71 dB at peak traffic periods
After
57 dB after the completed upgrade
Improvement
14 dB reduction achieved
Case study 02
Exeter semi-detached home office
Neighbour noise
Exeter, Devon
19 dB reduction across key transfer paths
8 weeks
Challenge
A semi-detached property used for client calls and focused desk work was affected by neighbour conversation, television spill, and intermittent impact transfer through the party wall, reducing privacy and concentration.
Solution
Terbium developed a neighbour-noise strategy around an independent acoustic lining, improved sealing at edge conditions, and supporting room treatments so the office could feel more private without a heavy visual intervention.
Measured result
Before the work, confidential calls often needed to be delayed or relocated because adjacent domestic activity remained clearly perceptible through the wall assembly.
After the upgrade, the client gained a noticeably more private working room, with neighbouring voices and television noise reduced to a far less distracting background level during the day.
Client-focused outcomes
Stronger speech privacy for client callsBetter focus during the working dayLess neighbour distraction in the office
Before
67 dB speech transfer across the party-wall condition
After
48 dB in the improved office condition
Improvement
19 dB reduction across key transfer paths
Case study 03
Plymouth apartment living room
Apartment and inter-flat noise
Plymouth, Devon
18 dB reduction in the main intrusion paths
9 weeks
Challenge
A flat near the city centre was suffering from inter-flat television spill, corridor activity, and impact noise from the apartment above, making evenings less restful and reducing confidence in the space.
Solution
The response combined ceiling isolation upgrades, junction sealing, selective wall treatment, and door-set detailing to improve separation from neighbouring flats and common circulation spaces.
Measured result
Before the work, footsteps above and sound from adjacent units remained a daily frustration, especially in the evening when the client needed the room to feel quieter and more settled.
After completion, the living room felt more insulated from surrounding apartments, with overhead activity softened and adjacent flat noise reduced enough to make the space more comfortable for everyday use.
Client-focused outcomes
More private evenings at homeLess disturbance from overhead and adjacent flatsA calmer living room for everyday use
Before
64 dB from inter-flat transfer and impact-related peaks
After
46 dB after isolation and sealing improvements
Improvement
18 dB reduction in the main intrusion paths
Discuss your project
Need a quieter room, better privacy, or a more controlled specialist space?
Tell us about the property, the source of the noise, and the type of finish you need, and we can start shaping a more appropriate acoustic response.