Floor Honing in Apartment Buildings: Noise, Working Hours and Neighbors

In short: When floors are ground and polished in an apartment unit or in common areas, the job is not just about the floor; neighbors, building management and building rules are part of it too.

Good planning ensures that the work finishes without problems and that relations with neighbors are not damaged.

How Noisy Is Grinding and Polishing?

Grinding machines produce a constant drone; the noise varies with the type of machine, the abrasive used and the structure of the building. The most noise occurs during the coarse grinding stage and while edge machines are in use; the fine stages and polishing are usually quieter. In reinforced concrete buildings, noise and vibration can also be transmitted to the units below and beside. For this reason, it is important for neighbors that the noisy stages be scheduled outside rest hours.

Working Hours

When grinding and polishing is done in an apartment building affects the neighbors' daily routine as much as the technical quality of the work.

• Weekday daytime: Working during weekday daytime hours is the most suitable; most residents are not at home and the noise causes the least disturbance.
• Sensitive hours: Early morning, midday rest hours, evenings and weekends should be planned according to the building's rules and the management's decision.
• Renovation hours in the management plan: The renovation hours may be set out in the management plan of the housing complex or apartment building; the work schedule is made according to these hours and does not go beyond them.

Informing the Management

Talking to the management in advance makes sure that shared facilities such as the elevator, electricity and water can be used without disrupting the work.

• Notice of date and duration: Before the work, the manager is told the date and duration; if necessary, the management also informs the other residents and arranges any overlapping work.
• Elevator permission and protection: Permission is obtained to use the elevator for carrying machines and materials, and the inside of the elevator is protected so that the cabin walls and floor do not get scratched.
• Electricity and water use: Grinding machines and wet working require electricity and water; if they are to be taken from the shared meter, this is discussed before the work begins.

Informing the Neighbors

Because the noise and vibration of grinding reach the units beside and below, letting neighbors know in advance largely prevents complaints.

• Posting a short notice: A short notice posted at the building entrance or on the floor notice boards lets all residents get information about the work at the same time.
• Informing the neighbors below and beside: Noise and vibration are transmitted mostly to the units below and beside; telling these neighbors in person beforehand makes it easier to gain their understanding.
• Stating the hours and duration: Stating the hours when there will be noise and how many days the work will last allows neighbors to make their own plans accordingly.

Neighbors who are informed in advance are generally understanding.

In Common Areas

When grinding stairs, entrance lobbies and corridors, separate planning is done because the traffic in the building never stops.

• Working section by section: The area is divided into parts with building traffic in mind; while one section is being ground, the others remain usable and entry and exit are not cut off.
• Warning sign: A warning sign is placed on the wet and slippery area while it dries; residents do not walk through this area and the freshly treated surface is not stepped on.
• Open passage on the stairs: On staircases, passage can be provided by leaving one side open; first one half is treated, and once it has dried, the other half.

Noise Level by Stage

A Sample Notice Text

A notice to neighbors should be short and clear: which unit the work will be done in, the start and end dates, the hours during which the noisy work will take place and a contact number are enough. For example, a note such as "Dear neighbors, marble grinding and polishing work will be carried out in unit no. 5 between Monday and Thursday, from 09:00 to 18:00. Thank you for your understanding" largely prevents possible complaints.

Points to Watch During the Work

In an apartment building, the work doesn't stay inside the unit; the shared areas where materials are carried and that are used every day also need to be protected.

• Elevator and corridor protection: While materials are being carried, the elevator and shared corridors are protected with covers and protective boards; walls and floors are not damaged when machines and buckets are moved.
• Leaving no mud or dust: Mud and dust from the sanding work are not carried into shared areas on shoes; entry and exit points are cleaned frequently.
• Not leaving machines out in the open: Machines and materials are not left in shared areas; equipment left in a corridor both blocks passage and creates an accident risk.
• End-of-day cleaning: At the end of each working day, the stairs, corridor and elevator are left clean, so neighbors see no trace of the work when they return to the building in the evening.

Apartment Work in Alanya

When working in apartment buildings and housing complexes in Alanya, we always follow the renovation hours set by the management, and we inform the building manager and, if necessary, the neighbors before starting work. We schedule the noisy rough demolition and sanding stages for weekday daytime hours, and we use the elevator and shared areas while protecting them. For buildings that are busy with summer residents, we recommend scheduling the work outside the season whenever possible.