Start from scratch or build in a existing structure?

Before i start, i just want to say that this just a wondeerful resource, and say thank you to John for setting it up. Well gang, here's the thing: i just can't stand our studio here (the house where i grew up that still has family members living in it) anymore. We have taken over the house inch by inch (nearly 2/3rd of this 1800 sq' house), & currently we have a two mixing rooms, a control room, a "live room", drum booth and an amp vault. But if i have to stop one more recording due to the build-up of traffic or a jet or someone in the other room making noise . . . well, i just don't think i could take it. There are 3 of us here working full time, and we've set our mind on a new structure. Knowing that we want to start with (before sound treatment) 6 meters of ceiling and "clean" power and "air" (some of you will know what i mean), the question is: Should we start from scratch, or build it in an existing structure? We are in the Chicago, IL, USA area, and land is probably cheaper most other places, but we wish to stay in the area. (God knows why.) I'm think that 2000 sq' would suit us, but that's an arbitrary number right now. In your experience(s), do you thnink that modding an existing structure or building from scratch is more cost-effective? Thanx for any input.

Hi Jeffery - that's a pretty cool setup you have but I can see how you need to move into a better facility. Your question is hard one because it really depends on what is available in your area. Finding 6m ceilings in a rental space (or purchase) is probably a hard one, but if you do you can save yourself the expense of the outer shell. There again the internal walls mightn't be suitable for a studio. If you can build from scratch it's so much easier as you can create your own layout, isolate your rooms correctly and wire and aircon it properly. Having new electrics with correct earthing, stabilised etc is a major advantage. Proper layout with good visuals makes such a difference whereas in existing buildings you are usually building around existing walls or avoiding posts etc. Parking and loading is also solved on your own block :) hope this helps cheers john

Thanx for the response and the compliment. :) Yeah, it's so much to chew over, though i was hoping you would just say one or the other ----- oh well. Guess i'll just have to keep weighing it all out. And of course, there is the downturn in the industry to contend with, what with so many studios going belly up over here. (Most people in our line of work over here were hoping for change last November.) Do you think that the medium- and large-size studio is gonna bounce back, or do you feel that the majors will turn their interest totally to home/studio recordings? Damn, it's so much to think about: What is it that defines a studio that's worth going to and paying for? How can we make that a viable alternative to everyone's home studio? Questions to ponder.

Jeffrey - my take on this is that for every studio that closes another opens - that's been the case here. The new studios are different because they are digital -no 56 input 300K consoles - just 50k worth of puters and preamps. I believe the recording market has increased. Sure there were these big studios catering to wealthy artists backed by wealthy record companies - now the market is the local band that wants to sell CDs at gigs but wants it to be a cut above the previous efforts they recorded in a garage or bedroom somewhere. They might do all the sequencing, song structure etc at home but they want your studio because you have all the gear setup correctly in rooms that have good acoustics and a control room that' s comfortable and gets a decent mix. They also get your years of experience - what's the price on that. the other markt IMO is the touring band that doesn't get time off road to set up a recording environment - they just want to take a couple of weeks off and put down some of their new songs because their crowd wants to buy them. I believe that for too long inexperienced engineer/producers have put their hand up claiming recording expertise because they've bought the lastest piece of homerecording gear only to produce a mishmash of bad recording and inexperienced mixing. It might be cheap but it sounds cheap also. Hope this helps cheers john

Not to hijack a thread, and not to make anything political, but are you speaking of the election? Or did something happen in the industry in November that horribly bear'd everything down that I'm not aware of? If it was the election, how'd that affect your business? Computers closed the big studios here in Nashville, not donkey or elephant, so I was just wondering.