Studio build in office space above warehouse

Alright, I'm going to start this again, as I'm the guy everyone loathes on this board for not following directions. Put in my place pretty quickly. My goal is to build a recording studio consisting of a control room, live room (big enough for rock band rehearsals)a vocal room as well as a loungey type area and a bathroom. I'm in the research phase. I'm predominantly interested in recording and playing all types of rock music from acoustic to metal and everything in between. Generally speaking, I play loud and want to record loud types of music. The space I've got is 1200sf above (top floor) a warehouse sandwiched between like units in an industrial complex built in 2005. It's currently carved up into four offices with a big open area. It's 58 feet long by 23 feet wide. Cinder block walls seperate each unit from ground level to second floor height. The front half of my upper floor is T-barred and has drywalled walls. The back half is three open ceiling offices where the steel joists and metal roof are exposed as well as exposed cinder block walls. The height is roughly 7ft 10in throughout. Higher in between the steel joists. Probably 10 ft, though I haven't measured. I expect to do a full interior demolition leaving the entire ceiling exposed steel joists and exposed cinderblock walls with a continuous open space of 58 feet by 23. Currently the floor is just a glued on carpet over a plywood sub floor, wood joists, then the drywalled ceiling of the warehouse. No insulation between floor of office space and ceiling of warehouse. Right now, I can use the office space rehearsing at full volumes after business hours and on the weekends with no complaints as the complex is virtually empty. During business hours I can't as there are businessess below and on both sides of me. I don't have a specific budget. I just want it to be functional. I understand the ceiling and wall systems within the actual studio, but what I can't get my head around is the floor and what, if anything can be done to make the floor functional within this particular situation. Any help or advice would be greatly be appreciated. Thanks.

Hi everyone, nice to finally become a registered member. Been pouring over the site for ever.

Then how did you miss this? viewtopic.php?t=3231

Skai wrote:

Right now, I can use the office space rehearsing at full volumes after business hours and on the weekends with no complaints as the complex is virtually empty. During business hours I can't as there are businessess below and on both sides of me. I don't have a specific budget. I just want it to be functional.

Reads like it is already functional. What is the question? If you are wanting to think about the floors...think about walls and then turn that sideways so that it looks like a floor. Same thing. Your specific decisions are based in whole or in part on: A: Can this structure support a lot of weight? B. Do I have a lot of money? C. None of the above, go back to being functional during off business hours. It's kinda smart-alecky, but it is based in whole or in part on truth. Brien

Yes, it's functional for a rehearsal space after hours and that's a huge plus, but I'm looking to build an actual recording studio with isolated recording/control rooms that I can eventually use at all times. The question was what, if anything, I could do to the floor. Aside from insulating of course.....and if it would be effective.

Skai, What xSpace was saying was, think about what goes into achieving the proper isolation between your walls. Because you have neighbors below you that you dont want to disturb, you are going to have to do some serious building to isolate yourself from them and vice versa in order to make your space functional during business hours. This is not an easy task nor is it cheap. It also adds considerable mass to that floor. And even if you have the funds to build it, the structure may not even be able to handle all that additional weight. Hope this answers your question a little better. Bryon

Yea, what he said.

Thanks X :D

Skai, the only thing I'd add to what the others said, is to NOT guess if your structure can take the extra weight. You need to hire a structural engineer to tell you that. Depending on how loud you are "in real numbers, not guesses), and how loud the guys downstairs will tolerate during business hours, that will define what you need to do to the floor. But like the other guys said, it will involve LOTS of mass, and probably some complex construction. - Stuart -

Thanks for the responses you guys!