Acoustic Design
& Consultancy
Part E · BB93 · HTM 08-01.
Design-stage acoustic consultancy for residential, schools, hospitals and industrial projects. Compliant build-ups specified before construction, planning-ready reports, cost-effective specifications.
- Design-stage engagement
- Part E · BB93 · HTM 08-01 covered
- Integrated with sound testing
Part E
Residential
BB93
Schools
HTM 08-01
Hospitals
BS 4142
Environmental
What is acoustic design consultancy?
Acoustic design consultancy specifies the wall, floor and ceiling build-ups that will meet the relevant acoustic performance standard — before anything is built. It starts with establishing the required performance: Part E for residential, BB93 for schools, HTM 08-01 for hospitals, or client-specific targets.
Once the standard is agreed, we work with clients to deliver thorough, compliant, cost-effective solutions conforming to current regulations and guidelines. Our aim is to: comply with national and local requirements · reduce noise and vibration for occupants · avoid future acoustic disputes · optimise the acoustic properties of the building.
Why engage early?
At design stage, the cheapest way to hit the standard is to select the right build-up. By tender, options narrow and margins disappear. By construction, the only remedies are expensive. Acoustic design is cheap insurance against sound test failures and neighbour complaints.
How does it fit with sound testing?
Acoustic design is the specification; sound insulation testing is the verification. We offer both in-house — and where we've done the design, our sound testing team already knows the build-up, making diagnostics faster if a test ever struggles.
Acoustic design for every standard.
One provider covering all the residential, education, healthcare and environmental acoustic standards you are likely to meet.
New Build — Part E
Approved Document E compliance for residential new builds — specifying party wall and floor build-ups that will hit 45dB airborne and 62dB impact. Design recommendations the contractor can actually source.
- Party wall & floor specification
- Commercially available products
- Integrated with sound testing
Renovation & Conversion
Change-of-use projects (house to flats, commercial to residential) at the lower Part E thresholds (43dB/64dB). Existing structures often need acoustic upgrades that we specify without over-engineering.
- Existing structure modelling
- Minimum-cost upgrades recommended
Schools — BB93
Building Bulletin 93 compliance — reverberation time, speech intelligibility, noise from building services, and sound insulation between teaching spaces. Design, report and sign-off.
- Reverberation & speech intelligibility
- Teaching space separation
Hospitals — HTM 08-01
Health Technical Memorandum HTM 08-01 acoustic design for wards, consulting rooms, theatre suites and staff areas. Confidentiality-rated partitions and patient-rest acoustic targets.
- Confidentiality-rated partitions
- Patient-rest acoustic targets
Design & test under one roof.
Acoustic specification at design stage, verification testing at completion, and remedial diagnostics if anything surprises you in between.
Clear value up front
Advice and product-level recommendations included — no hidden fees for conversations with your contractor or architect team.
Standards Expertise
Approved Document E, BB93 schools, HTM 08-01 hospitals, BS 4142 and BS 8233 — one team covering every standard you are likely to meet.
Design-Stage Engagement
We engage at concept or planning stage, before party wall build-ups are priced. The earlier we come in, the cheaper compliance is and the lower the risk of test failures.
Cost-Effective Specifications
Build-ups using commercially available acoustic products your contractor can actually source. No ivory-tower specifications that blow the tender price.
Planning & Building Control Reports
Acoustic design reports tailored for planning submissions (where acoustics is a planning condition) or Building Control (demonstrating Part E compliance).
Integrated With Sound Testing
Our sound testing team delivers the verification test once the build is complete. Where we've done the design, we already know the build-up — making diagnostics faster if a test ever struggles.
One Provider, Nationwide
Residential, education, healthcare, industrial, mixed-use — all standards, all UK regions, one team.
Where acoustic design pays for itself.
Six common scenarios where upfront acoustic design is cheaper than late-stage remediation. Engage us early and you avoid all of these.
Residential new build
Approved Document E compliance for blocks of flats, semi-detached and terraced housing. Party wall and floor build-ups specified to meet 45dB airborne and 62dB impact.
Renovation & conversion
Change-of-use projects (house to flats, commercial to residential) at the lower Part E thresholds (43dB/64dB). Existing structures often need acoustic upgrades to hit standard.
Schools (BB93)
Building Bulletin 93 compliance — reverberation time, speech intelligibility, noise from building services, and sound insulation between teaching spaces.
Hospitals (HTM 08-01)
HTM 08-01 acoustic design for wards, consulting rooms, theatre suites and staff areas. Confidentiality-rated partitions are the usual sticking point.
Environmental noise surveys
BS 4142 and BS 8233 surveys for planning applications on sites near roads, railways or industrial neighbours. Identifies planning conditions before they become problems.
Acoustic remediation
Where a building has already failed its sound test, our acoustic consultancy models the existing build-up, identifies the weak point, and recommends the specific remediation.
Three steps to your acoustic design report.
From brief to design-stage report in your inbox. Structured, standards-aware, and with a clear handover to the testing team at completion.
Send Us The Brief
Building type (residential/school/hospital/industrial), relevant standard, plans and any existing acoustic constraints. We confirm the scope, quote a fixed fee and agree a design-stage deadline.
We Design
We specify wall, floor and ceiling build-ups, service isolation, room-to-room partition strategies, and produce the acoustic design report your architect or contractor can work from.
Test & Verify
When construction reaches test stage, our sound insulation testing team verifies the installed build-up. Since we designed it, any diagnostic questions are resolved faster.
Project-based pricing.
Acoustic design is quoted per project based on building type, standard and scope. Send us the brief for a fixed-fee quote.
Pricing depends on building type, acoustic standard (Part E, BB93, HTM 08-01, BS 4142) and design scope. Bundled pricing available when combined with sound insulation testing.
- Design-stage build-up specification
- Planning & Building Control reports
- Commercially available product advice
- Bundled pricing with sound testing
*Pricing depends on project complexity, building type and acoustic standard. Contact us for an accurate quote.
Get your acoustic design quote
Takes 60 seconds. No obligation. Working to a design-stage deadline? Tell us — we'll prioritise your project.
Acoustic design questions.
Everything you need to know about acoustic design consultancy — standards, timing, reports, and how it fits with sound testing.
Still Got a Question? Ask Us What is acoustic design consultancy?
Acoustic design consultancy works with architects, developers and contractors to specify wall, floor and ceiling build-ups that meet the relevant acoustic performance standard — whether that's Part E for residential, BB93 for schools or HTM 08-01 for hospitals — before construction starts. It's a design-stage discipline, not a test.
When should I engage an acoustic consultant?
As early as possible — ideally at concept or planning stage. By the time party wall build-ups are tendered, most of the cheap design levers are gone. Engaging early lets us specify compliant build-ups that the contractor can price and install with confidence.
How much does acoustic consultancy cost?
Acoustic design is quoted per project based on complexity — number of parties, building type, number of rooms to model, and whether dynamic modelling or standard build-up specification is needed. Send us the brief and we quote a fixed fee.
What's the difference between acoustic design and sound testing?
Acoustic design sits at the front of the project — specifying build-ups that will meet the standard. Sound testing sits at the back — verifying that what was built actually performs. A well-designed build-up dramatically reduces the risk of a test failure. We offer both, and often bundle them.
What standards do you cover?
Approved Document E (residential new builds and conversions), Building Bulletin 93 (BB93 — schools), Health Technical Memorandum 08-01 (HTM 08-01 — hospitals), BS 4142 (industrial noise assessments) and environmental noise surveys. If you have a specific standard in mind, tell us at quote stage.
Do you produce reports for planning or Building Control?
Yes — we produce acoustic design reports suitable for both planning submissions (where acoustics is a planning condition) and Building Control (demonstrating how Part E compliance will be achieved). Reports are tailored to the audience.
Can you recommend specific products?
Yes. We work with detailed knowledge of commercial acoustic products — resilient bars, acoustic plasterboard, isolators, floating floors — and can recommend build-ups using products your contractor can actually source. No ivory-tower specifications.
What happens if a sound test fails later?
If we have designed the acoustic strategy, we can model the as-built construction, identify the likely weak point, and recommend the specific remedial work. For projects where we didn't do the design but the test has failed, our sound testing team offers the same diagnostic service.
Do you carry out environmental noise surveys?
Yes — environmental noise surveys for planning applications (particularly on sites near roads, railways or industrial neighbours) to BS 4142 and BS 8233 methodology. Tell us the site and we'll confirm which standard applies.
Do you cover all UK regions?
Yes. We deliver acoustic design consultancy across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with acoustic consultants across the UK.