HOA Dispute Attorney – How Should Improper Hardwood Floor Installations That Generate HOA Noise Complaints Be Handled?

Improper or illegal hardwood floor installations in condominium living situations generate a constant stream of litigation in the greater Los Angeles area. Most homeowners’ associations specifically address hardwood floor installation in their CC&Rs. These rules are intended to prevent sound transmission that creates a noise nuisance for homeowners living beneath units with hardwood flooring. In some circumstances, however, the rules are the root of the problem. HOAs generally set minimum standards for hardwood flooring materials, which includes an IIC rating (Impact Insulation Class). But there’s often a big difference between the sound-dampening effects achieved in a laboratory verses the noise generated in a real-world situation. Thus, even when insulation materials meet an HOA’s “minimum standards,” homeowners find the resulting sound transmission is unbearable to their lower-level neighbors.

This should give pause to any condominium homeowner considering hardwood floor installation. In addition to ensuring your installation is in compliance with HOA rules, be sure to lay ample padding and sound insulation materials. Otherwise, you may find yourself in receipt of a nuisance complaint, which could quickly evolve into an CC&R violation lawsuit.

Are you a Los Angeles area condominium homeowner being disturbed by the sound from the hardwood floors in the unit above you? Contact Gholian Law’s Los Angeles HOA Dispute Attorneys for a free consultation and case evaluation TODAY.