Contemplating a Container Studio

Started by JCBigler on 24 March 2014. 1 reply.

Originally posted at johnlsayers.com, topic 19356.

Hello all. Haven't been around much for a few years as I have been working in live sound. But now I'm doing more recording work and need to find a place to work. I've been doing a lot of location work, recording live operas and symphony concerts and mixing and mastering for broadcast on the public radio stations. So now I need to put together a studio, mainly for mixing, after having recorded elsewhere. But while I'm at it, I might as well try to build in some tracking capability as well. So, I've been thinking about putting together a container studio. I can get a used 40' long, high cube container (water and weather tight) for about $3,500 USD including delivery. Exterior dimensions are 40'x8'x9'6" (L,W,H) with interior dimensions of 39' 5"x7' 7"x8' 10". I live out in the country, with no major high ways, rail ways, or air traffic close by. My location would be a good 100 yards from the country road and about the same from the main house, so isolation from outside sources isn't a super huge concern. I've attached a quick Sketchup drawing. I have modeled it after EMA's 40 foot container studio. Still have to work out wall treatments, and not entirely sure how to handle the ceiling in such a small space. I guess the biggest question I have is: am I'm asking too much to try to fit two booth spaces into this small of a structure? Also, I have considered swapping the control booth and the vocal booth, so that the control booth is between the drum booth and the vocal booth, to provide a little more isolation between the two booths.
Image not preserved: High Cube-02.jpg
File not preserved: High Cube-02.skp
So I've been looking at building options. I visited a couple of places that sell shipping container locally, and I can buy a "new" i.e. single tripper container for about $5,600 USD delivered to my site. Have also looked at building on site and it would be $10,000-12,000 for just the structure for a purpose built building from a local builder or prefab manufacturer etc... Though I would get more square footage and a better arrangement of the space by going purpose built. I have continued to refine the container build as it appears that that may be my least expensive option to getting the structure. I've attached version 3 or my container studio, now with a ceiling and a different front wall! :roll:
File not preserved: High Cube-03.skp