Yo<\/p>\n
UNITED LAGUNA WOODS<\/p>\n
MUTUAL<\/p>\n
STANDARD 9: INTERIOR FLOORING FOR SECOND FLOOR MANORS<\/p>\n
Adopted JUNE 2025, RESOLUTION 01-25-63<\/p>\n
INTRODUCTION<\/p>\n
Quiet Enjoyment: \u201cQuiet enjoyment\u201d for purposes of the standard, is the right of a<\/p>\n
member or tenant to enjoy his \/ her property in peace without interference. Article 5 of<\/p>\n
the United Mutual Occupancy agreement states:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Member shall not permit or suffer anything to be done or kept in or about the<\/p>\n
dwelling unit or other premises of the Corporation which will increase the rate of<\/p>\n
insurance on any building or other property of the Corporation or on the contents<\/p>\n
thereof or which will obstruct or interfere with the rights of other members of the<\/p>\n
Corporation or annoy them by unreasonable noises or otherwise nor will it commit or<\/p>\n
permit any nuisance in or about the dwelling unit or other premises of the<\/p>\n
Corporation…\u201d.<\/p>\n
Even though members have the right to quiet enjoyment of their property, that does not<\/p>\n
mean they have the right to a noise-free environment.<\/p>\n
This standard establishes a policy and procedure for alterations, modifications and<\/p>\n
improvements to a member’s unit associated with flooring and resulting sound<\/p>\n
transference.<\/p>\n
1.0<\/p>\n
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS<\/p>\n
See Standard 1: General Requirements<\/p>\n
2.0<\/p>\n
DEFINITIONS<\/p>\n
21<\/p>\n
Decibel (dB): a unit used to measure the intensity of a sound.<\/p>\n
2.2<\/p>\n
ASTM International: Originally called American Society for Testing and<\/p>\n
Materials now known as ASTM International. It is an international<\/p>\n
standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus<\/p>\n
technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems and<\/p>\n
services.<\/p>\n
23<\/p>\n
IIC: Impact Insulation Class is a number rating system (expressed in dB\u2019s)<\/p>\n
used to measure how well a floor or ceiling assembly can absorb impact<\/p>\n
sound and isolate vibrations in a lab setting a measured by ASTM E<\/p>\n
492. The higher the IIC the better the acoustic insulation.
\nA floor\/ceiling assembly consists of all the individual components<\/p>\n
i.e. finish floor, underlayment, subfloor, structural floor\/ceiling<\/p>\n
framing members, insulation, ceiling sound tested as one cohesive<\/p>\n
unit.<\/p>\n
Note: Manufactures IIC ratings are only valid if the factory<\/p>\n
assemblies match the assembly conditions as found in the field.<\/p>\n
California Building Codes set [IC minimum standards at 50 and<\/p>\n
AIC minimum standards at 45. (See Supplemental References<\/p>\n
5.1 A)<\/p>\n
IIC ratings for higher end townhomes set the minimum dB levels at<\/p>\n
65 \u2014 70. (See Supplemental References 5.1 B)<\/p>\n
24<\/p>\n
Delta IIC (A IC): a rating that measures (expressed in dB\u2019s) how well an<\/p>\n
underlayment improves the impact sound isolation of a floor\/ceiling<\/p>\n
assembly as measured in a lab setting by ASTM E 2179.<\/p>\n
2.5<\/p>\n
AIIC: Apparent Impact Insulation Class a unit of measurement (expressed<\/p>\n
in dB\u2019s) that determines the degree of soundproofing of the impact noise of<\/p>\n
a floor\/ceiling assembly in a field setting (rather than in a laboratory) as<\/p>\n
measured by ASTM E 1007. The higher the AlIC the better the acoustic<\/p>\n
insulation. Note: Field testing results can run 3 \u2014 5 dB lower than<\/p>\n
comparative lab testing results.<\/p>\n
3.0<\/p>\n
APPLICATIONS<\/p>\n
341<\/p>\n
A mutual consent registration will be required prior to work commencing.<\/p>\n
The mutual consent will be for documentation purposes only. Materials<\/p>\n
registration will remain on file in the Manor Alterations office.<\/p>\n
A. A minimum mutual consent processing fee will be required.<\/p>\n
B. A registration form will consist of all material specifications, installation<\/p>\n
instructions and documented installation date provided by the flooring<\/p>\n
installer (owner-resident).<\/p>\n
C. It will need to be compliant with Sections 3.3 and 3.4<\/p>\n
3.2<\/p>\n
Kitchen and bathroom areas are exempt from new flooring guidelines with<\/p>\n
the exception of underlayment requirements.<\/p>\n
3.3<\/p>\n
To assist in achieving the overall decibel reduction requirements, all new<\/p>\n
flooring installations will be required to have an underlayment installed that<\/p>\n
meets a minimum Delta AlIC rating of 20 dB or higher.<\/p>\n
3.4<\/p>\n
While underlayments have definitive sound rating reduction specifications,<\/p>\n
finish flooring products DO NOT. Typically, sound rating reduction<\/p>\n
specifications for finish floors are included as a part of an OVERALL floor<\/p>\n
to ceiling assembly. These overall assembly ratings do not apply to the
\nconditions found in Laguna Woods Village. Therefore, it becomes<\/p>\n
incumbent on the member, when purchasing a finish flooring product, to<\/p>\n
request from the finish flooring provider, the sound reduction specification<\/p>\n
FOR JUST THE FINISH FLOORING PRODUCT ITSELF. (A suggested<\/p>\n
minimum for a sound rating reduction specification would be 10dB or<\/p>\n
higher.)<\/p>\n
3.5<\/p>\n
REGARDLESS of the finish flooring selected, if or when a field test is<\/p>\n
requested these selections will become a part of the Grievance Procedure.<\/p>\n
All new flooring installations will be required to meet an overall AlIC rating<\/p>\n
of 57 dB or higher. This field test will be inclusive of a new finish floor, new<\/p>\n
underlayment and existing floor\/ceiling assembly to the manor below.<\/p>\n
4.0<\/p>\n
INTERIOR FLOORING GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE<\/p>\n
41<\/p>\n
The Grievance Procedure process may result in costs directly charged to<\/p>\n
the member. Carefully review Section 4.6.<\/p>\n
4.2<\/p>\n
APPLICABILITY: This Interior Flooring Grievance Procedure shall govern<\/p>\n
grievances by any owner or resident of a first floor condominium that the<\/p>\n
newly installed interior flooring in any area except the kitchen or<\/p>\n
bathrooms, in the condominium directly\/ immediately above is considered<\/p>\n
a continued nuisance and\/or a direct violation of Article 5 of the United<\/p>\n
Mutual Occupancy Agreements as referenced in this Standard 9: Interior<\/p>\n
Flooring for Second Floor Manors.<\/p>\n
4.3<\/p>\n
WRITTEN GRIEVANCE: Any owner or resident who alleges that the<\/p>\n
flooring in the manor directly above them is in violation of section 4.2<\/p>\n
applicability must:<\/p>\n
A. File a \u201cFlooring Grievance Form\u201d with the mutual through the<\/p>\n
Compliance Division.<\/p>\n
B. Complete the \u201cFlooring Grievance Form\u201d supplied by, and returned to<\/p>\n
the Compliance Division.<\/p>\n
4.4<\/p>\n
MEET & CONFER: The mutual through the Compliance Division will<\/p>\n
prepare and deliver to both the owner or resident filing the \u201cFlooring<\/p>\n
Grievance Form\u201d and the owner or resident of the condominium against<\/p>\n
which the grievance has been lodged, a Grievance Resolution Package<\/p>\n
within 30 calendar days of receipt of a \u201cFlooring Grievance Form\u201d. The<\/p>\n
Grievance Resolution Package will contain:<\/p>\n
A. A copy of Standard 9 specifically for Section 4 Interior Flooring<\/p>\n
Grievance Procedure.<\/p>\n
B<\/p>\n
A written demand that as a required first step all affected parties meet<\/p>\n
and confer in person, in a good faith effort, to resolve the flooring<\/p>\n
grievance between themselves.<\/p>\n
C. A Notice of Resolution form must be completed and returned to the
\nCompliance Division within 30 days of receipt of the Grievance<\/p>\n
Resolution Package indicating 1) a resolution was reached or 2) a<\/p>\n
resolution was not reached.<\/p>\n
Refusal of either party to comply with this process will result in a<\/p>\n
disciplinary hearing.<\/p>\n
4.5<\/p>\n
INVESTIGATION OF GRIEVANCE: If an agreement is reached, it will be<\/p>\n
noted by Compliance and the Grievance Process closed. If an agreement<\/p>\n
is not reached, within the next 30 days the mutual through the Compliance<\/p>\n
Division will:<\/p>\n
A<\/p>\n
Notify both parties that an acoustical test will be performed. Both<\/p>\n
parties will be required to confirm time and interior manor access for<\/p>\n
said testing.<\/p>\n
Select and retain the services of a licensed acoustical engineer.<\/p>\n
The engineer will perform testing in any area, except the kitchen or<\/p>\n
bathrooms, whichever area is the subject of complaint for compliance<\/p>\n
with the requirements as established in section 3.4 of Standard 9.<\/p>\n
The acoustic engineer will promptly submit to the mutual through the<\/p>\n
Compliance Division a copy of the written field- testing report which<\/p>\n
will include test results, findings, recommendations, and opinions from<\/p>\n
the engineer. Copies of said report will immediately forwarded to the<\/p>\n
owners and residents of both parties.<\/p>\n
4.6<\/p>\n
REIMBURSEMENT OF COSTS\/BOARD DIRECTORS: As soon as<\/p>\n
reasonable, a hearing will be held with the executive hearing committee.<\/p>\n
The executive hearing committee will undertake a final review of the field-<\/p>\n
testing report for compliance with Standard 9.<\/p>\n
A. If the field-testing report is found to be in compliance with the<\/p>\n
standard, the owners or residents filing the Flooring Grievance will be<\/p>\n
responsible for all direct and indirect costs associated with the Interior<\/p>\n
Flooring Grievance Procedure as described in Section 4 of this<\/p>\n
standard. The board at its sole discretion will determine how said<\/p>\n
costs are to be levied. A copy of the report is to be filled with the<\/p>\n
Compliance Division and the Manor Alterations Division.<\/p>\n
If the field-testing report is found not to be in compliance with the<\/p>\n
standard the owners or residents who installed the flooring will be:<\/p>\n
1<\/p>\n
Responsible for all direct and indirect costs associated with the<\/p>\n
Interior Flooring Grievance Procedure as described in Section 4 of<\/p>\n
this standard. The board at its sole discretion will determine how<\/p>\n
said costs are to be levied.<\/p>\n
Responsible for modifying or replacing said flooring as needed to<\/p>\n
bring into compliance with Standard 9.<\/p>\n
Responsible for an acoustic retest and all subsequent associated<\/p>\n
costs performed by the mutual\u2019s acoustic engineer.<\/p>\n
4. Responsible for retesting until said flooring becomes compliant.
\n5. Once compliant, this installation will be exempt from any<\/p>\n
subsequent Interior Flooring Grievance Procedure. A copy of the<\/p>\n
report is to be filled with the Compliance Division and the Manor<\/p>\n
Alterations Division.<\/p>\n
C. The board at its sole discretion reserves the right to modify the<\/p>\n
reimbursement of costs as deemed appropriate for each event.<\/p>\n
5.0<\/p>\n
SUPPLEMENTAL<\/p>\n
5.1<\/p>\n
REFERENCES<\/p>\n
A. (a) 2022 California Building Code, Title 24, Part 2, Chapter 12 Interior<\/p>\n
Environment, Section 1206, Sound Transmission.<\/p>\n
(b) BKL Acoustic Consultants Footstep and Impact Noise in Multi<\/p>\n
Family Dwellings<\/p>\n
Footstep and Impact Noise in Multi-Family Dwellings<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n