New Studio Design/Build - Advice requested

[foundationary]

Hello All,
Long time reader of this forum. I actually built a small commercial recording studio about 6 years ago based on the wealth of information here (it turned out pretty good).

My record/production company is moving to a new larger facility and want to have the record label office in the same building as the recording studio. We’ve had a small space for years that works for smaller work, but we do a lot of large-scale arrangement recordings (large string and horn sections) as well as full live band tracking. So, for the past few years we've had our space (that we pay rent for) and then also end up having to book another studio to record all of our larger projects. We’ve found a new spot that seems like a perfect location with lots of room, so we’re building a new space that will house the entire company and keep us from ever having to book an outside studio.

Building Details:
-The building we found is a standalone cinderblock building. 35’ feet wide, 120’ feet long. The area that studio will occupy is about 35’W X 60’ L. Minus a hallway, probably about 2,000 sq ft total for the studio part.
-14’ ceilings. Not exactly sure what the ceilings are made of? We’re not in the space yet, I’ve been told that a rooftop deck on the top of the building is possible, so I’m assuming that means the ceiling is substantial. Will try to get to the bottom of what it’s made of.
-Floor is concrete. Not sure I understand the difference between isolated slabs and other possibilities of what the floor is. Seems like we’re down at the ‘bottom’ of the whatever the building is built on. There’s no basement or anything, so I’m assuming we’re good there.
- There’s alleyways on either side of the building. Then on one side, the backyards of some houses. On the other side some restaurants/businesses. The houses are about 100 feet away. At the closest. I’m not terribly concerned about noise to the neighbors, but perhaps I should be. Feel like with the cinderblock building, we should be alright.

Main goals for the space:

- Have a large live room. About 1400sqft is what I think we can get away with in this space. We do a lot of arrangement work (string and horn sections) and live band (everyone playing together) kind of recording so a big room is preferable to several smaller rooms
- 1 booth, maybe 2 if it makes sense.
- Good sounding Control Room, doesn’t need to be too big
- The record label office will be in the same building outside the studio, so we need good isolation.
- I think because It’s a cinderblock building with no neighbors touching the space, we should be good to the outside, but I’d like to see what you all think.


Plans for walls/rooms:

-Planning on double layer of 5/8 drywall. Thinking of going with resilient channel also.
-CR in my current idea for layout is 16’ 11” L x 14’ 1” W x 11’ H
-LR is 40’ x 35’ x 14’H - not planning on doing anything to the ceiling. Just going all the way up.
-Booth is around 8’ x 11’. Not sure whether to give it a lower ceiling like the CR or just let it go all the way up like the LR.

STUDIO_DESIGN_3_OVERVIEW_2.jpg

STUDIO_DESIGN_3_DIMENSIONS_3.jpg

How much isolation needed:
The loudest we’d be in the studio is around 105db. Not generally ‘crazy loud’ music. I think realistically if we could get the office around 60-65 db. And maybe a hair quieter outside, 55db?


Questions/Advice:

Does this layout look good? We want it simple but functional.

How about AC/Heat? There’s a HVAC system already installed. I was thinking of just running new insulated duct through the 1’ gap between the rooms. And then into the live room in an insulated soffit across the south wall of the room. Here's a drawing of my thinking, sorry for the rough sketch. The arrows indicated vents into each room.

STUDIO_DESIGN_3_DIMENSIONS_HVAC.jpg

Doors? I’m think of going to prefab studio door route. Since we need double doors into the live room and the office will be right outside of there, it seems that these doors will need to be as soundproof as possible. They can be pricey though. What are the other options for doors with isolation near what I need?

What about wood vs. steel studs? I’ve searched around here for an A/B comparison, but couldn’t find anything. Is there a consensus here about the best way to go?

Resilient channel? I’m thinking yes, but is it overkill?

Air gaps between walls? I’m thinking 1’ gap for the path of the heating ducts, and then 6” everywhere else. Is that overkill? Not enough?

I’m thinking of doing some of the walls inside out in the booth and control room. Is there a good link for clear method for the construction of this. I know the basic principles but was hoping to see a good walkthrough of it.

Ceiling.

Not thinking of doing anything to the ceiling in the LR. Is that stupid?

In the control room, thinking of bringing down the ceiling to 11’. That should allegedly be a pretty good ratio. I’m a little unclear on how the ceiling is constructed in a room-in-a-room situation. Is there a good link to a thread that shows that?

Budget is preferably around $35,000. Based on my number-crunching that seems possible. Am I crazy? We’ve got a good friend who’s a contractor, we’re going to do as much of the work ourselves as possible.

Thanks in advance. I love this forum and have already learned so much just from poking around here over the years.

[curere]

where have you reached in your process?