I started this years ago but for various reasons, postponed, cancelled, chickened-out--whatever you want to call it.  But I'm finally building a new studio.   This week I settled with a general contractor that was able to meet my budget (or at least my revised-revised budget...).

A few weeks ago I started clearing a space -  cedars, or technically Mountain Junipers suck - no really they suck up a lot of water so I won't miss this big water hog.   Once the studio is done I will plant a few more smaller native oaks that will be much nicer in years to come.  So anyway, the cedar is now gone.  Stump will hopefully be removed tomorrow and then we start laying the forms for the foundation - permits were submitted for Monday so hopefully we get them soon (don't want to get too far ahead on the actual construction without that permit!).   Here's the "before" and "after" pictures of the space.

And here is the floorplan.  It will be 19' x 25' with 10 ft ceilings.  The ceilings will be vaulted to about 17' in the center.  I know the dimensions don't fit any of the "golden rules" exactly but they are not too far off and I'm hoping the extra volume of the vaulted ceilings will help me out .  It will be a private, one-room studio used for tracking drums and mixing but occasionally I do a few other projects too.  Maybe a few band rehearsals if we have no place else to go. 

Yikes, there is no plumbing - and that's a bummer but the cost to hookup was going to take me way out of my budget (probably another $15K or more - it's set way back from the house and would require a lift-pump, etc.) so I am opting to walk back to my house when nature calls.

Construction will be 2" x 6" on 24" centers.  Interior walls will be double 5/8" sheetrock and the exterior will be brick on all four sides.  Right now I don't get complaints from my neighbors and have much less sound abatement.   I don't know if  I'll be able to play at 2 in the morning but hopefully this will keep my sound in and outside sounds out (dogs, cars, planes, mowers, etc.).   I am going to put a couple energy-efficient windows in it but my contingency plan will be to construct some panels (with OC703 maybe) that I can place over the windows when tracking. 

HVAC will be provided by a Mitsubishi Mr. Slim (a split-ductless unit).  I saw one installed and it was very quiet.  They also qualify for energy rebates so hopefully are fairly efficient.  This system turns out to be about $1K less than a traditional system with ductwork.  More to come...