Repurposing an existing building previously used as a workshop for motorbikes, into somewhere I can practise bass, record, or just listen to music. Pretty much essential as we live in a terraced house and bass really carries.
Started 14th June 2023, finished 6th September.
Sadly I didn't take any pictures of the inside as it was, but here's what the outside looked like.
Figure 1: Building exterior, before starting renovation
Internally the concrete block walls were bare, with a number of old fitted-kitchen style cupboards and island. All were in a state of disrepair, with rotting wood and cracks in the walls, a tin roof and no ceiling. The first task was to strip out the existing fittings and repair the walls.
Figure 2: Building interior, existing fittings removed
Previously the workshop did not have any type of ceiling inside, just the roof panels lying on bare joists. That needed to be addressed as the ceiling, like the walls, requires soundproofing.
Figure 3: Adding another row of blocks to accommodate the ceiling
With the interior repurposed as a music studio we will still need somewhere to store the lawnmower, bicycles, garden tools and so on. For this the exterior "patio" section defined by the paved area and roof overhang (see figure 1) will be enclosed to use as storage space.
Figure 4: Constructing the timber frame.
Soundproofing the roof requires deeper layers of proper installation, so new, deeper joists are installed to replace the existing poor condition ones.
Figure 5: Interior view of the roof joists.
Likewise soundproofing the walls. Studs are added to the interior walls to hold the insulation (and subsequent layers, which we will get to).
Figure 6: Interior view of the wall studs.
OSB (Sterling) board forms the wall to the storage area.
Figure 7: OSB board fitted to the external studs.
Figure 8: Interior view of the storage area with OSB board fitted.
Outside wall of the storage unit is then covered with Cedral Click exterior cladding. The roof/ceiling space is lined with the same thick, soundproof insulation as the walls.
Figure 9: Insulating the roof / ceiling space.
Insulated ceiling space is then covered with a layer of OSB board.
Figure 10: Covered with OSB board.
Interior walls and ceiling are similarly insulated with a thick layer of soundprofing material then covered with OSB. Internal wiring is installed, for electricity (grey), Ethernet (blue) and the fibre connection back to the house (black).
Figure 11: Interior soundproofing and wiring.
The fibreglass roofing material is laid and the fascia fitted
Figure 12: Exterior fibreglass roofing.
Soundproof floor is laid then resilient bar is fastened across battens on the internal walls and ceiling.
Figure 13: Resilient bar laid across battens on the interior walls.
Acoustic plasterboard is suspended from the resilient bar. This keeps it "free floating" so that vibration is not transmitted into the wall behind. Especially important given this room is intended as a safe space for bass.
Figure 14: Acoustic plasterboard suspended on resilient bar.
Outside the roof is painted.
Figure 15: Roof being painted.
Inside the walls are plastered then painted.
Figure 16: Walls and ceiling plastered.
Figure 17: Walls being painted.
Outside the roof is complete, with soffits, fascia, guttering and a rain barrel all in place. A new path has been laid using the paving stones that were part of the original external area (see figure 1) now enclosed as a storage area.
Figure 18: Roof with gutter and rainbarrel in place.
Inside hospital flooring is laid in the storage area and carpet over soundproofing underlay in the studio / music room
Figure 19: Flooring being laid in the storage area.
Figure 20: Carpet being laid in the studio.
After which furniture can be moved in :)
Figure 21: Studio with furniture.
The doors are painted, locks and handles fitted. That's it, we're done. I can confirm it works because Tom popped his head in the other day after retrieving his bike from the storage area, just to let me know he was going out.
"Oh!" he said, "It really works. I didn't realise you were practising!"
Figure 22: The finished project.