The Short Answer
On our estimates, soundproofing one internal wall costs about £700 to £1,200, depending on the method. Treating a whole bedroom (walls, ceiling and floor) is £3,500 to £7,000. Most jobs take two to four days.
The method matters more than anything: insulating an existing stud wall is cheapest; a separate insulated wall built in front of the old one costs the most and takes a little floor space. Start with the surface the noise actually comes through.
Soundproofing prices
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| One internal wall | £700 to £1,200 |
| Insulating an existing stud wall, per m² | £70 to £90 |
| Acoustic plasterboard on battens, per m² | £90 to £120 |
| Independent insulated stud wall in front, per m² | £120 to £170 |
| Ceiling, per m² | £60 to £180 |
| Floor, per m² | £45 to £210 |
| Whole bedroom | £3,500 to £7,000 |
Which noise, which surface
There are two kinds of noise: airborne (voices, TV, music, traffic) and impact (footsteps and knocks from the floor above). Where I'd start:
- Noise from next door or an adjoining room: treat the shared wall first; it's usually the biggest single improvement.
- Noise from upstairs in a flat or converted house: the ceiling.
- Noise you're making for the room below: the floor.
How it's done
The main approaches:
- Adding mass: extra layers of dense material such as acoustic plasterboard or mass-loaded vinyl.
- Decoupling: resilient bars, metal channels that separate the new surface from the structure so less vibration passes through.
- An air gap: a new insulated stud wall built in front of the old one, not touching it.
On our estimates, local trades charge about £300 a day and a specialist soundproofing installer about £500. I'd use a specialist where the noise is serious, such as a music room or a party wall with loud neighbours.
Cheaper ways to cut noise
Before paying for building work, I'd try lower-cost measures such as heavy, floor-length curtains, which absorb sound bouncing off hard surfaces. They won't block significant noise from outside, but they make a room quieter. I'd also check gaps around doors and windows; for traffic noise, see secondary glazing.
Building regulations and new walls
Soundproofing inside the house doesn't need planning permission, but the Planning Portal says a listed building needs listed building consent for any significant works, inside or out. If you're building a new wall that separates a bedroom or a room with a WC from another room, building regulations ask for improved sound insulation in it: see stud walls.
Get soundproofing quotes
Soundproofing is priced by which surfaces are treated and how much room you can give up.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to soundproof a room?
On our estimates, about £3,500 to £7,000 for a bedroom's walls, ceiling and floor, or £700 to £1,200 for one wall.
How much does it cost to install soundproofing?
By method, on our estimates: £70 to £90 per m² to insulate an existing stud wall, £90 to £120 for acoustic plasterboard on battens, and £120 to £170 for an independent wall in front.
How can I soundproof cheaply?
Start with the surface the noise comes through, and try heavy curtains first. Of the building work, insulating an existing stud wall is the cheapest.
How long does soundproofing take?
About two to four days for most rooms.
Does soundproofing actually work?
It can, if it's aimed at the right path. Sound Reduction Systems, a maker, says significant improvements are possible where the party wall is basic brick or masonry or a lightweight timber stud. But sound also travels round the treated wall, through the walls and floors connected to it: Approved Document E calls this flanking transmission. So lining one wall cuts voices and TV coming through that wall; footsteps from upstairs need the ceiling or floor treating.
How we priced thisView sources (4, 3 official)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- OfficialInternal walls: building regulations, sound insulation, Planning Portal. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- OfficialInternal walls: planning permission, Planning Portal. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryHow to improve party wall sound insulation performance, Sound Reduction Systems. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- OfficialApproved Document E: Resistance to the passage of sound, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
