If you do a search, you'll find that there have been several threads on this topic recently. In terms of what it is called, you want to provide sound attenuation. You would never "sound proof" your house. It would be ridiculously expensive (if you could even manage it), and it would be very uncomfortable. I am an audiologist (although I no longer practice), and I find that being in a "real" sound proof room is a very weird feeling. Almost suffocating...

So, what you would be looking for is a product that would help to decrease the transmission of sound between rooms. You need to determine what dB level of noise transmission would be acceptable to you and from there you can begin to plan the products and strategies to make it happen. You can work with an acoustical engineer to come up with the correct formulas, but you will need to take into account multiple factors, including but not limited to flooring materials, ceiling heights, room sizes, etc. Most homeowners never go into that level of detail...it certainly does not sound from your posting that you would very much attenuation. One very easy fix is to use carpet upstairs rather than a hardwood...much quieter.

I was just forwarded info by my site manage for Quiet Rock. It's supposed to be better than soundboard and very reasonable. We'll be looking into this as well.

Here is a link that might be useful: Quiet Solution site

A carpenter told me that you can create a great soundproofing effect by stacking the lumber (when framing) a ceratin way. The 2x6 have to be off center. Some are 16" on center some are arranged with more or less space.

It's all about resilience, mass and crack seal.

The best acoustical treatment for the cost in a floor system is resilient channels @ 16" o.c. supporting a 1/2" drywall ceiling.

For a wall add a second layer of GWB on one side and try to avoid penetrations like doors, receptacles and ducts. This does add to the door jamb depth dimension. Thermal fiberglass insulation helps to stop transfer vertically from one crack to another but does little horizontally until it gets over 8" thick.

All these systems must have acoustical sealant applied for the full perimeter.

The next step would be the iso max channel support system for ceilings and walls.

I don't have much confidence in the actual in-place performance of QuietRock and Green Glue even though many people seem to like it.

Here is a link that might be useful: iso max

We just used the same insulation bats in walls around bedrooms, toilets, and in between floors. Cheap solution and suprisingly effective.

hddana - that's what we were originally thinking of doing then our building mgr had a bid done w/soundboard which brought up that whole topic. after reading some negative things about soundboard, we are now looking at quietrock. Anyway, I'm glad to hear this solution is working for you. We may just go back to that idea. We don't want to soundproof rooms, we just want to reduce sound.

My cousins DH is a GC and when he built his house he used insulation bats throughout house (inside walls, under stair treads, above ceiling drywall) pretty much anywhere he could stuff it. He has 9ft ceilings and double high foyer and the reduced noise feeling has been terrific. We have a lot of family parties at their house- lots of small kids running around- it's a very solid feeling house WITHOUT a lot of echo, noise vibration or sound transfer. I have since incorporated this idea in a few reno spaces in my house and plan to do more with our upcoming huge reno project.

Thermal insulation (acoustic insulation is no better) will do little to reduce impact noise transfer between floors. Ceiling GWB on resilient channels or their equivalent is a surprisingly effective solution.

Insulation in walls will be ineffective if there is a door in the wall. Sound energy takes the path of least resistance making insulation under stairs and random pockets ineffective as well. Insulation in a wall doesn't become effective in reducing horizontal sound transfer until it is well over 8" thick but 3" of insulation does absorb sound that enters through cracks on one side and travels vertically through a lot of insulation to another crack on the other side. Therefore, insulation does provide a much quieter house if the perimeter of the walls and penetrations were not properly sealed which is pretty much the norm for contractor designed houses.

There are no simple solutions to reducing noise transfer in homes; it must be carefully thought out.

The sound reducing measures our builder incorporated are one of the things we appreciate most. And we appreciate it on a daily basis. They installed lots and lots of extra batting everywhere, interior walls, under stairs, around the tub, added an extra layer of dywall where practical and caulked outlets etc. as suggested above. Extra detail went into laying our solid wood floors as well, if I remember correctly there was an additional underlayment, sort of a thin foam sheet. They are quiet and do not squeak, you do not hear ordinary, quiet, walking around upstairs when you are downstairs. The house is very solid and quiet. In addition we ordered solid wood interior doors, not the prehung ones which are usually cut high to allow for carpet, and the carpenters cut them to fit as tightly, and have as small a space at the bottom as they could as an additional way to reduce the noise between rooms.