80% of what

What that rule means is, cover enough of your floors that the neighbors below don't complain to the board.

Flutistic is correct. One of my neighbors had complaints from her downstairs neighbor all the time although she had 80% of the living room and bedrooms covered. Her kids were using a very long, wide hallway (I think 7' by 20')as a play area. The noise there was very bad because it was like an echo chamber. I don't know how that was resolved. The managing agent suggested they split the cost of putting down rugs in the hallway.

Why wouldn't you cover your foyer?

>>The managing agent suggested they split the cost of putting down rugs in the hallway.<<

Unbelievable. People can be such jerks. Why indeed would you not cover your hallway if your kids are going to tromp all over it and disturb the neighbors? And to suggest the neighbor should have to help carry the cost of putting down a cheap runner is mind-boggling.

front_porch: The regulations of the building specifically said that they did not require floor coverings in the hallways, bathrooms, and kitchen. The noisy neighbors said they followed the "letter of the law" and refused to do anything more since they had spent a lot of money on carpeting. You can buy all sorts of hallway carpeting on Overstock.com for very little money.

This is just common sense. You put floor coverings down in highly used areas of the apartment. The 80% rule really is only enforced if there are noise complaints. Why would you want to set yourself up to have a dispute with a neighbor?

If I ever get approved for the co-op I'm trying to buy, I plan on getting wall to wall carpeting, and that will include the foyer area. It will include everything except the kitchen and bathroom. Why would you not cover your foyer?

Coop hopeful, Good luck. Most people do not carpet their foyer unless the floor isin poor shape. It's excluded from the coverage requirements likely in part because it's not a typical area to cover. It's also not as though anyone below is trying to sleep in their foyer. It's a pretty high traffic area for everyone and as such also a place easier to clean absent carpeting. Not sure why I would cover the foyer. On the other hand we have rugs in every room other than the baths and kitchen and fully covered and padded the hallway,notwithstanding the new hardwood floors.