Two-Car Garage Layout Suggestion

Well, I got the estimate from the builder. I also have a meeting with him this afternoon around the lunch hour. The price difference between staggered stud plate and double walls is only $500. However, I'm just afraid that the workers are going to do something to totally negate the double wall idea by creating flanking issues. So, I'm leaning more toward staggered stud because it would be nearly impossible to mess up and it will provide me with a decent amount of isolation...not to mention saving me $500. The good news out of this is that I'm at least getting my 10' ceilings. It's a $1500 upcharge over 9' ceilings. Worth it? I would think so, right? It gets me closer to the right ratio with the 10' ones. Anyway, my staggered stud plan is uploaded just above. Would like some thoughts on this before my meeting today because today is my final approval. I say "This is it, go with this plan" today.

Well, final plans are in to the bank for appraisal. There were some changes but no huge deal. The important things are covered (I think). I have two legs of power...service and technical. The HVAC is going to be ran off of the house power since it's 240V. The water heater is a special 120V system so it will be on the service leg. The HVAC itself is a variable speed system that's over-sized so it can run on the lowest setting. Got solid core doors in the whole place that I'm going to beef up when I get moved in. Now onto construction, paint colors, and gear acquisitions! :yahoo:

Not that there are any here that are reading my thread and waiting on a reply on the edge of their seats, but...here's an update for what it's worth. I've basically been screwed over by the pre-appraiser at every turn that I make. Essentially, there are not any comparable properties with a "studio" or separate building that has functional living space in any capacity. Just my bathroom alone in the studio has a cost of about $3,000 just to put in and the pre-appraiser slapped a $5,000 value on the ENTIRE building. I can't even pour a foundation for that... Yeah, so I'm getting screwed in this whole ordeal and it's total BS because I'm more than able to pay for this thing with what my family take home is. I'm disappointed and pissed beyond comprehension right now. I've been battling with this idiot appraiser for 3 weeks now and there's just no way he's going to value it any higher....even the PRESIDENT OF LENDING at my bank said the appraiser had way undervalued the building and had the appraiser go back and look again....same result. He just won't budge. The alternative is to get another appraiser (at $500 a pop) and take the chance that that appraiser will value it higher, which isn't guaranteed. Or...what I don't want to do but might have to...physically attach the studio to the house and make a hallway or some sort of door into it from the house (maybe garage). That may force him to count it as living space and amend his appraisal of it as just a house instead of a house and another building. HOWEVER, the builder is concerned that he'll nix that because that will make the total sq ft of living space a lot for the area.... If I don't get out of this temp apartment we're living in soon, I'm going to go on a rampage... Oh, and yesterday was my birthday...and I had a root canal ON my birthday. Now I get this news today... :evil: Advice for my pathetically depressed self?

I'm almost worried about ya Rocker...I could say something that might be THE last straw...and BAM!!! Rampage ON!! Happy Birthday. Know this, this too shall pass. Your too close to it and the bureaucracy that prevails. Take a break from it. Let your teeth heal and get a fresh perspective. Or maybe, just maybe, that rampage thing may work better? Hard to tell from where I am at :0

I've proposed the following to my builder in an effort to cut down on the costs of this. If you've read my previous posts, you'll know that I'm pretty stressed about this whole ordeal and I can't seem to make this a win for myself at all. So, I sent my builder this image and told him that, using the same design principles (staggered stud), how much would this cost. I also told him to take it from a 10' ceiling height to a 9' ceiling height to decrease costs there as well. I'll still be getting isolated ground outlets in the studio. I would GREATLY appreciate comments, suggestions, etc on this. :cry:

A couple of things. I would take away from the entry area and add it to the vocal booth. The booth as it is diagrammed is square and will produce a bad sound for acoustic instruments. I would also strongly consider fully decoupled walls rather then staggered stud. You are going to have a lot going on in this recording room so isolation is better to have then to cut corners on. If I were constructing this it would be easier to build the individual walls, for me, then it is to make a staggered stud type assembly. Not only does a staggered stud couple the walls but your ceiling can flank as well from either side of the room(s). Pitch that to the guys and see how they think about it in terms of cost to build.

Mate - you have to think outside the box i.e stop drawing square boxes. try something like this

I wish I could draw :(

John Sayers wrote:

Mate - you have to think outside the box i.e stop drawing square boxes. try something like this

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John, I really do appreciate it. The problem with angled walls, as I understand it from my builder, is that the cost goes up because of the labor involved. But I'll mention it for sure. xSpace, this is the same with decoupled walls. That's how I initially started. But the cost was higher. So then I went staggered stud. And, as I have found out with my larger space, I can't have that either. I won't be recording acoustics in the booth, by the way. I'm going to do some more thinking and some more drawing. One of the big problems I have is the fact that I have to be very mindful of the potential appraisal. If I have crazy angled walls, the appraiser is not going to know what to say or do at all with it and will probably slap a $0 value on it.

"xSpace, this is the same with decoupled walls. That's how I initially started. But the cost was higher. So then I went staggered stud. And, as I have found out with my larger space, I can't have that either." The cost was higher? From a framers point of reference it is lines on a slab and you set pre-built walls on the lines :) Maybe doing the layout is too complicated for them? I could see material costs evolving due to longer spans. But to do separate decoupled walls the material cost is only the additional top and bottom plate for one wall. I know, everything costs a a dollar and time is money. Things will turn around, just stick to your plan and stick to your guns.

Rocker - what's with the staggered studs?? your outer wall is brick - right?? well if you render it you've got one excellent skin - the inside skin could then be inside out walls of 3" x 2" with 1 x 5/8" layer of drywall.! that's it. anything more is overkill. check soundcaves studio it's in a garage. he has no sound leakage problems yet he's in a typical neighbourhood. viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6968 here's all you need

John Sayers wrote:

Rocker - what's with the staggered studs?? your outer wall is brick - right?? well if you render it you've got one excellent skin - the inside skin could then be inside out walls of 3" x 2" with 1 x 5/8" layer of drywall.! that's it. anything more is overkill. check soundcaves studio it's in a garage. he has no sound leakage problems yet he's in a typical neighbourhood. viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6968 here's all you need

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John, what about sound leaking into the house? I'm going to have to attach this bad boy to the house to limit my costs. So you're telling me I only need 1 layer of 5/8" drywall and just standard walls? I'm debating on having the builder just frame it up and leave it be and I'll finish it out. But to be honest, I'm NOT constructionally inclined. And yes, I just made up that word. I don't know jack about electrical and I could probably barely build a wall...let alone drywall it and mud it, etc. And this is after reading Rod's book and researching lots. So, as you can imagine, I'm leaning toward having the builder finish it all out. I'm going to need to go back to the drawing board to see how I can utilize my space better and figure out exactly how large I need this thing to be. I want comfortable rooms. The ones I have planned now are REALLY small. I want to be able to move comfortably around the room with another person in it with me. That being said, I want the smallest space I can get and still have a functional area with at least a control room and a live room. I'd love to squeeze a vocal booth into that plan if at all possible and maybe even a toilet and sink area...but I'm not sure if that's even practical. And like I've said with the splayed walls. I think the appraiser is going to look at that and not know what to do with it. Nothing comparable...so...$0 value. I truly appreciate the recent help. I'm going to take this and think about it a little bit...put it in perspective...and then try to draw up a decent floor plan for myself.

Cool - I do hope you checked out Soundcave's studio because it's in a standard garage next to a house just like yours. He only used 1 x 16mm drywall and built it inside/out to gain space yet he has no complaints.

John Sayers wrote:

Cool - I do hope you checked out Soundcave's studio because it's in a standard garage next to a house just like yours. He only used 1 x 16mm drywall and built it inside/out to gain space yet he has no complaints.

I did check it out when you posted it. It's scary to think that I'd be responsible for building something like that... :shock: What's wrong with something like this? Except more permanent stuff on the acoustic treatment.

because what you posted is a design to fix and already existing room. As you are building from scratch you can avoid all the inherent problems of the rectangular room.

Looks like I have a better option on this thing. Might get the full building after all. We'll see.