A Long List of Compromises - new music space

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A Long List of Compromises - new music space

Post by Drew Stephenson »

About a year ago I mentioned that I was investigating improving / changing / building some new studio space. At the moment I have a nice enough room but a) the ceiling is more of an amplifier for upstairs space than any kind of baffle and b) my wife and i disagree on the name of the room. We both think the first four letters are S, T, U and D, but she thinks the last letter is a Y rather than the obvious I and O.
So we started digging into options, up to and including moving house. Along the way life has thrown up its usual set of challenges: redundancy, new developments, arsey councils, planning covenants, mortgage terms, stolen motobikes and commuting requirements, future resale, etc. etc. etc.
All of which has led to the current plan that is finally approaching implementation. Hence my starting this thread.
I'll be updating this over the next 3 or 4 months or so (and potentially longer as things carry on and the list of compromises grows).

TLDR: we looked at moving house, extending, building a proper separate building, and finally a 'garden office' space. For the reasons listed above (and others) we've ended up with the last option.
So here's the first set of photos with the clearance work to date.
Before (1):
Image
Before (2):
Image
Chopping the trees and bamboo in prep for the gardener:
Image
The gardener's here:
Image
The gardener's gone:
Image
Breaking up the concrete:
Image
Digging out the post mounts:
Image
Breaking up the hardcore base:
Image

So we're currently at 'bombsite' stage and likely to be for the next few weekends as I break up the hardcore base and then it will improve slightly as I level the ground again in preparation for the base installation in 5 weeks.

This is why I'm not getting any other music stuff done! :)
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Re: A Long List of Compromises - new music space

Post by DocBobalot »

Very interested in this, been thinking about the same myself.

(Beautiful garden pics before though :) Fortunately my garden is just grass...)
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Re: A Long List of Compromises - new music space

Post by Drew Stephenson »

Yep, the garden was nicely laid out but we weren't keeping on top of it - the bamboo in particular grows like wildfire. We're not gardeners by nature and oop north the weather rarely lends itself to spending time out there. It's about making the best use of the available space.
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Re: A Long List of Compromises - new music space

Post by DocBobalot »

Makes sense, we're much the same ourselves - I like a nice garden but never find the time to get round to the actual gardening. But there is room for a shed/cabin/studio...
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Re: A Long List of Compromises - new music space

Post by mellowsouls »

Excellent news! I’m hoping to start soon, too. As you’ve alluded to, it’s all about the compromises. I’d started with huge ambitions and been beaten down to a reasonably treated garden build. Still, feel quite lucky to be able to do it.

Are you getting a company in to do it, or have you drawn up plans yourself?
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Re: A Long List of Compromises - new music space

Post by Drew Stephenson »

I'm buying pre-fabricated. After much wrestling with the council it's the only real option for their conditions - we can't lay a full concrete base; this effectively rules out all the local builders I know. They're just not set up for building on steel frames and piles. At least not at anything approaching an affordable cost.
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Re: A Long List of Compromises - new music space

Post by mellowsouls »

It’s not Oeco, is it?
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Re: A Long List of Compromises - new music space

Post by BillB »

Thanks for sharing Drew. Is the building going just beyond the two maples?
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Re: A Long List of Compromises - new music space

Post by Drew Stephenson »

mellowsouls wrote:It’s not Oeco, is it?

Nope, using a company called Green Retreats. Had a few recommendations of them, including from Tom McRae, and if it's good enough for him... ;)
BillB wrote:Thanks for sharing Drew. Is the building going just beyond the two maples?

Yep, we actually picked up and moved the right hand acer so it's still a bit touch and go if it's going to make it, but I'm hopeful. It'll be 3.5m x 4m x 2.15m (average) so it's just going to squeeze into the 'acceptable room sizes'. Yet another in the list of compromises... ;)
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Re: A Long List of Compromises - new music space

Post by Music Wolf »

3.5 x 4m sounds quite generous compared to my space. From memory I think that I've got 3.65 x 2.2ish m (single garage converted to studio plus small utility area).

I look forward to seeing how it turns out (hopefully I'll be really envious). Have you got a layout that you can share?
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Re: A Long List of Compromises - new music space

Post by Drew Stephenson »

Yep, it's a good size space for sure. I'll annotate my plan and lob that up later this week.
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Re: A Long List of Compromises - new music space

Post by BillB »

I know it won't be much of a concern to most others here, but as a landscape architect, I think the studio will look fab with a nice purple maple either side of the entrance - hope you are able to keep them both. :mrgreen: Also, the fact that you moved one explains why I thought the photos were a bit weird between the the first couple and the later ones. I couldn't understand how one of the maples seemed far from the house initially then really close...
it all makes sense now :headbang:
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