Ceiling Height in Basement Studio

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VSpaceBoy

VSpaceBoy

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Hi guys,

I am going to have a house built starting early next year and my question is this:

It will come with a full unfinished basement approx 26' x 23' with all the normal utility/stairs and what not. I can also add another area if needed/wanted. I attached a pic if you need it.

I have an option to have 9' ceilings instead of 8'. It seems that 9' ceilings would feel better, but would there be any huge advantage over 8'?

The main reason is $$. The additional cost of the foot is $8,000 to do and I'm having a hard time thinking its worth that much money to go from 8' to 9'.

Any thoughts and opionions welcome.

SpaceBoy
 

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If you intend on doing a studio...spend the 8 grand, or spend alot of time and other money trying to fix the standing waves. You might consider designing the ceiling with audio in mind while your at it. It cheaper to finance new contruction while builing than it is to finance bandaid fixes at double the interest rate. IMO 9 feet is bare minimum even though 8ft is workable.


SoMm
 
Well, I should give you a little more info.

I am planning on building a homestudio/practice space. I'm planning on starting a band up here soon and would like to practice there too. If I don't that's ok, but the studio is going to be for me. Not planning on making any money back out of it. I just want to sound good for me really.

I know this is a hard questions to answer, so I'll ask it like this.

If you had say $4,000 to make a basement homestudio, would you think it would be important enough to save up to $8,000 for a one foot increase in ceiling height, or spend the money on acoustic treatmeants and so forth?

I would do it if I knew it would make a very dramatic improvement, but I dont know enought about it.

SpaceBoy
 
mate - if money is tight, and it always is, that $8,000 will build you a studio/practice room that will be OK IMO. Blue Bear is 8' and Bruce isn't complaining. ;)

If you are staring from scratch make sure you run the HVAC ducts along the outerwalls instead of the normal down the middle.

cheers
john
 
If it were me, I'd spend the extra money and get the 9' ceilings.

1.) You'd recoup the money in resale value.
2.) You'll appreciate the extra space in the studio.
3.) It'll have a much better feel to it.

Now, given that, will a 9' high ceiling sound better than an 8' high ceiling. Probably.

Will it sound $8000 better?
Maybe. You'll ultimately have to decide if its worth it or not.

Both are probably very workable. It just depends on how much sugar coating you like on your cereal.
 
grab your balls and look at the big picture

You most likely aren't going to make any money off of this venture and what you really want is just a place to play and record. I tell you this place is becoming a playground with everyone talking how big their ceilings and how slanted their roofs and walls are. $8000, read that! eighty $100 bills. I know in comparison to building an entire house that isn't much but for a hobby I think that for the extra foot versus $8000 is not a contest. With what I am assuming will turn out to be around something the size of 15x20 feet after all is said and done you will be standing in your practice/recoding space with either 2700cu.ft. of empty space with a handful of no money, or 2400cu.ft. of empty space and $8000 in the pocket which translates to a few mics, cables, something to record to, some monitors and a desk. Don't fool yourself into overspending on a hobby. I get excellent results out of about $5000 worth of equipment in random closets, bedrooms, and practice spaces I happen to find employment in.

Check this out Overlibrium, this is in my apartment, in the closet in about 8 hours (I recorded 6 songs because I didn't want to study for finals), recording with an AKG C414buls and a Crown CM700, microphone cables I made, Mackie 1604vlz, Delta sound card, Sonic Foundry Vegas and mixed through my Event 20/20bas monitors. I bought half of that used and as i remember it would come out to a little under $2000 on that equipment. The only reason I have a need for a larger mixer is I record drums as well, if you are solo then you can just sae $300 on a smaller mixer. No mp3s handy of full bands but if you want an example of what can be done with a minimal setup in a REALLY bad room I can show you, drums included. Imagine with a purose built room with 8 foot ceilings and $8000 of equipment you can make anything good. It won't be the equipment and room holding you back at this level of the game, it is the source, the musicians, and the skills of the person twiddling the knobs.
 
John Sayers said:
mate - if money is tight, and it always is, that $8,000 will build you a studio/practice room that will be OK IMO. Blue Bear is 8' and Bruce isn't complaining. ;)
Click to expand...

Is that a final finished 8' or rough?

In the unfinished basement, this will actually be at like 8'-4"-8'-6". Then I will have to build up the floor, and then down the ceiling. How much thickness should I budget for the floor/ceiling construction?

Everyone is making good points.

One thing also.. If I add the $8,000 to the house, my house payment goes up a bit. If I don't, I wont have $8,000 to use as capital for my new studio. Were talking more like $3-4000 give or take.

Thanks again guys for all the input.

SpaceBoy
 
We built our current house about 8 years ago.
I have 9' ceilings upstairs, and regular 8' ceilings downstairs.
I had the option of having the 9' ceilings downstairs too, but, like you, it was for an additional price.
I don't have a studio downstairs, its strictly living space., but I kick myself in the ass nearly everyday for not going with the 9' ceilings downstairs. It just feels so much more spacious up compared to down.
 
sure Michael - but we all know that $8K is chicken feed to a Texan :):)

cheers
john
 
John Sayers said:
sure Michael - but we all know that $8K is chicken feed to a Texan :):)

cheers
john
Click to expand...
yeah, if only.

Maybe if you own a big ass poultry farm. :D
 
Yea your probably right. In the bigger picture I will use half the LL for studio/practice room, the rest will ultimately be living/rec room. I should consider the overall uses.

Thanks for the help, I'm going to stop being cheap and pop for the 9' ceilings down there!!

SpaceBoy

ps - soon I will start designing the space use for the studio so stay tuned.
 
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