Future Studio in Oregon

Hello, I am in the process of designing a small studio for my backyard. I posted my background information and a few questions to the design forum http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=10758, because I was thinking about my design. I realize now that they are concerned more with the 'studio' and my questions are probably more about the 'building' design. :oops: <Edit> I have copied the background info and questions into this thread. See below. <Edit> Any responses, even answers to my questions, will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Brian More pictures to follow.

My neighbor and I doing time on the bbq.

More neighborhood improvement.

It is all down to me now.

Ok, demoing day one; BBQ 1 : Me 0

It might be helpful to re-post and consolidate your questions here again so that we don't have to go back-and-forth between posts, and then it is easier to see the questions and answers all together. Looks like you have a lot of work ahead of you! Good luck!

Roger doublehelix, I'm planning to build a small detached personal studio in my backyard. It will double as a home office, sans any office equipment. It will normally have one occupant but I would like to have occasional company. I have around a $5000 budget and will do most of the construction myself. This will be new construction, nominally 12' x 16' with, preferably, a 12' side facing my house. I am planning on a standard 8' ceiling. I'm considering an 18" easement from the two fence runs the building will face. I would like to have a window on each of the non-fence sides. I am planning on constructing with a concrete slab and independent double walls. I plan on using double 5/8 DW on interior, but I'm not certain about exterior. I'm leaning toward a simple rectangular interior due to size. I believe I want a reflective floor, but could be convinced otherwise. Currently there exists a large brick BBQ/Fireplace and a 3" slab at the site which I will demolish soon. My next door neighbor has a large maple by the fence whose roots have raised the existing 3" slab a little. I can excavate these somewhat, but I'm not sure about risks. My closest neighbor is about 25 yards away. I would like to sing 24 hours a day and play my child's tiny drum set well past 10 pm. I mostly play guitar and will play a bass infrequently. I play at moderate volumes, shouting, not screaming. Sorry if this is not accurate enough. Pictures to follow. Questions ========= How thick does the slab need to be? Are the double walls necessary, could I get away with RC on interior with single frame? Are the roots a deal killer for this location? Do those double hose portable A/Cs really provide fresh air? Do I vent the space between the ceiling and roof at all? Are there any safety issues to be aware of? What am I missing? Thanks in advance for any input, Brian

Glasgow wrote:

Are the double walls necessary, could I get away with RC on interior with single frame?

Considering your budget, you are probably going to have to cut corners here and there to fit it all in under $5K. For most of your applications, (singing, guitar), the RC will probably be fine. For the drums and bass (and for a Marshall amp cranked to "11") however, you are probably going to have to restrict your hours and/or volume if you go with the RC-only construction. Even with double-walled construction, you are going to get some leakage. Watch the windows for leakage as well.

Glasgow wrote:

Are the roots a deal killer for this location?

Wow, I am no expert, but I would be worried... big time! Hopefully, one of the construction experts will be able to advise you here, but I would look into this seriously before you continue (like you are right now!).

Glasgow wrote:

Do those double hose portable A/Cs really provide fresh air?

You should be fine here.

Glasgow wrote:

Do I vent the space between the ceiling and roof at all?

Again, I am no construction expert, but logic and personal experience tells me "yes" (I am assuming you are talking about venting the attic area, correct?). It provides another layer of sound insulation as well as temperature and mold prevention.

Glasgow wrote:

Are there any safety issues to be aware of? What am I missing?

I am sure there are a million things that are going to crop up as you go along, and that is what is great about this place... you can continue to ask questions as you go along! Are you sure the 18" easement is enough? A couple of hints from my build experience: 1) It will always cost you 2X - 3X what you expect, and take 2-3X as long to do! 2) Get things inspected EARLY, and be prepared to make changes!!! 3) Your control room can never be too big. 4) Your ceilings in the live room can never be too high. 5) You can never put it too many wire ties. 6) The drywall part of the build out will last forever! 7) It is all worth it in the end! Best of luck! Get some good advice on the root issue before you get too far along.

I can't begin to even consider how I could be of help to anyone who would demo a perfectly good smoker/grill as what you had!!! And this close to the Fourth of July, THE alltime high of grillin' times.

doublehelix, Thanks for your answers! I will definitely try to get the goods (bads) on the roots before any construction.

Considering your budget, you are probably going to have to cut corners here and there to fit it all in under $5K.

I just want to make sure I cut the least important corners. xSpace, I totally hear you--it was one of the reasons why I bought my house. But, it turned out to be not a very good bbq as far as bbq'ing, it was starting to fall apart, and it was HUGE! I do intend to build a smaller version when I install a new patio in another part of the yard. Thanks everyone! Brian

Results at the end of "day 2" (about an hour after work) of demo'ing.

Some things about roots. Live trees have them and as long as the tree is alive, the roots will expand/contract. Due to the slow growth of roots they can do damage later in your life that you cannot conceive right now. Building directly on them is going to come back to you sooner or later. So I wouldn't do it, me personally. I have no way to know what it is you mean when you say excavate in reference to the roots. If the roots remain they can bust whatever slab that you build. If you cut the roots, good chance the tree dies and the neighbor starts eyeballing you :)

Glasgow wrote:

My next door neighbor has a large maple by the fence whose roots have raised the existing 3" slab a little. I can excavate these somewhat, but I'm not sure about risks.

Hi Glasgow and welcome. I've literally just seen this and wanted to chime in before you went any further. When I extended my place to build my studio, (Footings, Slab etc), my local building inspector came to the site and amongst other things, measured the distance from my proposed footing to the nearest large tree. Here in the U.K. at least, the footing depth is directly related to the proximity of any trees - In my case my neighbours leylandi, and my silver birch. He was more concerened about the leylandi, but since it was more than (get this), 20m away it was ok to only dig down 1 1/2m!!!! :shock: As for my silver birch - It was more than 5m away so once again met the 1.5m depth threshold. I'm sure that the same is true in the U.S. in that, recommended distance between tree and build depends on the species of tree. In any event dude, you don't appear to be planning any footing at all (unless I've read your post too quickly!), so I really would urge you to listen to James and Brien on this one, personally I deeply regret to say that I wouldn't build anything that close to a maple tree. So sorry I can't be more positive for you, and, as people up here will verify I can't bear negative my friend. Hope this helps just a little, and good luck with your project.:oops: Kind regards, Lou. 8)

I don't think you specified whether you'd be doing a slab or footings (tubes) for this, but if you're trying to deal with heave from root growth, you can keep the roots there and dig for tubes/footings that would not completely cut off the roots for that tree. What I'm describing is an alternative to a foundation or slab footing which would be a complete wall sunk into the ground. Another factor is the elevation your town is in oregon (an area of the country I know and love) - If you're by the seacoast the frost line is not as much of a concern as it rarely gets below freezing at all. But if you're over the pass or in a climate that gets a good amount of winter season, you'll have to dig deeper to avoid the frost heave. The local planning and development department for your town could inform you of this measurement. As an example - in NH where I live we have a 4' frost line in terms of code so when I built a deck, we had to sink tubes deeper than 4'. If I travel 3 hours north, I've got friends that have to sink 6' all the way up to places like Jackman ME where I know they have to sink 8' and opt for drilling into the ground rather than digging for tubes. The point is - with a foundation you'll be putting a wall in the ground, but with a elevated structure, you'd be digging 15'' holes to fit a 12'' or 10'' tube which would have a lesser impact.

Thanks everybody for the tips! xSpace, I'm really glad you have forgiven my bbq destruction so close to the 4th! You probably have the ultimate solution. Lou, Thanks for the information. I really enjoyed following your studio progress. Great pics and a really cool space. I'll see if I can glean anything from the local codes. Cram, I live in Portland and frost isn't typically a problem here. If I follow you, you are suggesting concrete piles, and then building a standard joist type floor. Is that what you are saying? From what I've read, it is pretty hard to get isolation from a double floor without some serious effort. Am I right here? Could I get something approaching my wall isolation with neoprene between two layers? Thanks again for all the kind words and information! This site rules! Brian

Glasgow wrote:

xSpace, I'm really glad you have forgiven my bbq destruction so close to the 4th! You probably have the ultimate solution.

Hang on now....what solution? New Rule: When I'm talking, at least one of use needs to know what it is I am saying:)

Building directly on them is going to come back to you sooner or later. So I wouldn't do it, me personally.

What I mean is: the ultimate solution would be to build somewhere else. Unfortunately, for me, the current site is the one that has the most chance for success in me getting to use up a large chuck of our modest yard. It may mean increasing my easement or some compromise to my design or maybe some special building technique or procedure. I mean, I'm staring at a slab that has been lifted by these very roots, so the danger is real; what the blank am I thinking??? But, at the same time the bbq has not lifted and has forced the roots to grow around it! Could I possibly build a slab|foundation|pilings|whatever that would either be heavy enough or somehow not encumbered by these roots??? Anyway, xSpace, somehow I still have some desperate hope, but ultimately, I might just have to figure out how I could possibly build my studio somewhere else. :(