Recommendations: Dealing with existing HVAC

Hey everyone.... I posted here: viewtopic.php?t=11629 in the design forum. But this may be more a construction question. I need a little help before I really design, as it affects what I do with my space. I'm a pharmacist (not really familiar with construction). The short.....existing HVAC ductwork runs through the center of my basement. Is this something I have to work around, or can it be moved/rerouted for a reasonable cost. I'm trying to take advantage of 9' ceilings, but the ductwork is putting a damper. (and blocking my creative process :roll: ) Any help appreciated!

I don't know much about HVAC, but it seems to me that you could probably divert that ducting over against the wall, to free up the middle of the room. I'm thinking that it might be possible to just install "L" shape angles at each end of the room, so that the duct ends up along the top of the wall. It would not be so much of a pain on the wall, I think. Much easier to design your room around that, then to have to drop the entire ceiling and wast that useful height! - Stuart -

A lot of things happen when you re-route hvac. Moving it, as you want, will create open holes in the floor finish where once an opening was not and create new openings where once there was none. How that fits into your up stairs environment, only you know for certain. Floor finish will have to be considered, tile, wood or what have you. Can it be done? Sure. You need to ask someone closer to you, someone more inclined to know the dollar figures. But even moving the send/return only exposes the steel beam. I guess it is smaller and easier to deal with. It may be an area that you have to attempt to incorporate a sloped ceiling to hide the ductwork, or some such ceiling configuration. "I'm a pharmacist (not really familiar with construction)." Funny, I'm a carpenter not really familiar with pharmaceuticals! Good luck, Brien

Thanks for the input. I"ve decided to ignore the situation all together and design the room in a different section of the basement that will have minimal interference for existing HVAC. Here's a very very rough sketch of a possibility. I haven't even started shaping the control room. The desk/person indicate the 38% area, for approximation sake. Anyways....another construction question... Do walls framed along the existing concrete walls, that do not require isolation, need to have a matching amount of gypsum board attached, i.e If I use a two leaf system to isolate with 2 or 3 layers of 5/8 gypsum, do I need the same 2 or 3 layers of gypsum where isolation is not necessary? Does this make sense? I wonder if it affects any acoustical properties of the room, giving different walls have different mass in this situation.

If I use a two leaf system to isolate with 2 or 3 layers of 5/8 gypsum, do I need the same 2 or 3 layers of gypsum where isolation is not necessary?

Unfortunately, yes you do. You need the same amount all around. Your wall is only as strong as the weakest point. So if you need 3 layers in the "worst" spot, then you need 3 layers everywhere, including the ceiling. The inner leaf needs to be consistent on all 5 sides. - Stuart -

thanks just wanted to be sure.