A question on ceilings in small studio rooms

[Random Guitarist]

I'm at the point where I can consider building a dedicated studio room near the house. With the available footprint and approx 8ft ceilings I'm looking a H:W:L ratios of 1:1.3:1.9 which is not golden, but isn't too terrible as I understand it.

As I'm more than 2m from boundaries I can have a pointy roof. so I could add some extra space, will that be a good thing, or might I be unleashing eldritch daemons of bad resonance?

[Drew Stephenson]

Punch the numbers in here: https://www.acoustic.ua/forms/calculator7_1.en.html
and try it with a standard 8ft ceiling and an average of what the pitched roof might be.
Personally I'd go for pitched roof if possible - but I am not an acoustician.

[Random Guitarist]

Interesting, the flat ceiling is unacceptable to that calculator with my H/W sizes, but the extra volume of the higher ceiling gets me in the right place.

(I'm staying under 15 sq m for permitted development)

[Drew Stephenson]

I would consider a higher ceiling then!
It also means you're removing one pair of parallel surfaces.

[Matt Houghton]

I'd go for the pitched roof without a doubt — the room dimension calculator won't be taking account of the potential to stuff it full of absorbent material, or to suspend nice, thick ceiling clouds. Bigger spaces are always more adaptable than smaller ones...

[Sam Spoons]

Interesting, the flat ceiling is unacceptable to that calculator with my H/W sizes, but the extra volume of the higher ceiling gets me in the right place.

(I'm staying under 15 sq m for permitted development)

I know the permitted development rules have changed but when I built my garage they were based on volume not area.

[ef37a]

I take it RG that the 8ft is to the top of the wall not the height of the apex of a pitched roof if you have it? If so go pitchey! Any extra space for traps etc has got to be good.

A suggestion: as floor space is always at a premium except in very large spaces make some provision to suspend mic cables from the ceiling.

Dave.

[Drew Stephenson]

I know the permitted development rules have changed but when I built my garage they were based on volume not area.

Area-based now, with variables including distance to boundaries and pitched or flat / single-pitch roof.
Off the top of my head, if you're going to be less than 1m from a boundary then you've got a maximum floor plan of 15m2. More than a metre from the boundary and you can be up to 30m2. Both of those are subject to a secondary limitation that cumulatively you can't take up more than 50% of the plot space from the original build. I.e. if you build a garage and then add an office a few years later they both contribute to the 50% rule.
Maximum height of a flat roof is 2.4m, maximum height of a twin-pitch roof is 4m with maximum eaves height of 2.4m.

But things may have changed again in the last three years.

[James Perrett]

My memory of the permitted sizes is the same as Drew's. I remember having 30m2 to play with when I built mine - although Facebook keeps reminding me that it was 13 years ago since the first concrete was laid.

[Random Guitarist]

Thanks all, Drew's description matches my 'researches'

I'm luckily well over 2M from the boundaries so a good pitch is on the cards.

Time to start approximating prices and then I just have to convince my wife.

[Drew Stephenson]

The way I pitched it wasn't that I got a shed in the garden for my studio, it was that she got a room in the house for her study...

Always remember "WIIFM" - What's in it for me? - when pitching to your stakeholders.

[Random Guitarist]

Last time the band came round, I had a complaint that the house "smelt of musicians" all day. That, plus surrendering my current office to become a boudoir, should surely be enough.

[ef37a]

Last time the band came round, I had a complaint that the house "smelt of musicians" all day. That, plus surrendering my current office to become a boudoir, should surely be enough.

Ban smoking (of, "whatever"!)

Dave.

[Random Guitarist]

Last time the band came round, I had a complaint that the house "smelt of musicians" all day. That, plus surrendering my current office to become a boudoir, should surely be enough.

Ban smoking (of, "whatever"!)

Dave.

Nobody was smoking anything, M'Lud. Just the impact of 4 blokes recording in a room with the doors and windows shut. (Mental Note: garden room ventilation)

[James Perrett]

(Mental Note: garden room ventilation)

I have a shallow pitched roof on my studio and much of the roof space is filled with acoustic ventilation duct. I have it snaking around the space in order to reduce the sound transmitted through the duct.

[Random Guitarist]

Damn you read my mind. I was thinking of something moderately peaky on the outside, but with a flat internal centre giving some air quietening space in the top triangle above the flat centre.

[James Perrett]

I know that I've posted this before, but here are some pics of my studio build.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 141&type=3

Note the panel lifter in one of the pictures - it made the whole job so much easier and wasn't expensive.

[Random Guitarist]

Thanks for sharing the pics, inspiring, but a little out of my reach.

Marital planning permission was granted this morning, woo hoo!

Now I just need to find the time and cash. A ready built kit is out as it will either be unsuitable of prohibitively expensive. Right now I think I'm looking at an autumn of finishing other tasks followed by a winter of planning with a spring build to follow. I may be able to accelerate the schedule by clearing garage space and making roof frames in advance

[RichardT]

I know the permitted development rules have changed but when I built my garage they were based on volume not area.

Area-based now, with variables including distance to boundaries and pitched or flat / single-pitch roof.
Off the top of my head, if you're going to be less than 1m from a boundary then you've got a maximum floor plan of 15m2. More than a metre from the boundary and you can be up to 30m2. Both of those are subject to a secondary limitation that cumulatively you can't take up more than 50% of the plot space from the original build. I.e. if you build a garage and then add an office a few years later they both contribute to the 50% rule.
Maximum height of a flat roof is 2.4m, maximum height of a twin-pitch roof is 4m with maximum eaves height of 2.4m.

But things may have changed again in the last three years.

You also need to be at least 1m away from your main buildings, and if you have a gas powered heater installed the chimney must be more than 2m from any building (if I remember correctly). Plus if you are building up to a neighbour´s boundary you will need a party wall agreement. Probably none of these apply!

[Random Guitarist]

Ooh 1M away from main building may put a dent in my plans I was only allowing 2ftm because I have not seen that clause anywhere before.

. . . More research

[Drew Stephenson]

That may only apply to buildings over 15sqm, but don't take my word for it!

[RichardT]

Ooh 1M away from main building may put a dent in my plans I was only allowing 2ftm because I have not seen that clause anywhere before.

. . . More research

Ah I think I could be wrong there - I've read the rules and they just say it must not be connected to the main buidling - sorry! I think you're OK. I think there used to be a distance clause, but it has been removed.

Here's the legislation if you want the definitive guide:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/201 ... llinghouse

[Random Guitarist]

That's a relief, albeit somewhat tempered by the cost of building materials.

Based on internet pricing I'm looking at about £6k to build an insulated wooden shell of 11' by 15' internal dimensions! I'll then need electrics, paint, a nice floor and acoustic treatment.