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  2. I did something similar with my garage a few years ago.

    First rule of building work: it always costs more than you think. Second rule of building work: it always takes longer than you think. Go into it with eyes open and it don’t be surprised if/when rules 1 and/or 2 apply.

    Mine was slightly more complicated as, along with the soundproofing room, I put in a corner office (which involved cutting a hole in a brick wall to install a window frame), a kitchenette (with a sink to make cups of tea) and a toilet (to, er, get rid of the cups of tea).

    And a well-soundproofed room will need some acoustic treatment, so budget for a trip to StudioSpares. All that acoustic energy bounces around the in room because it can’t get out, so has to be absorbed, or the room sounds like a cave.

    • Thank you Steve! My wonderful sound engineer Martin is looking after the acoustic/soundproofing elements of the project — he actually loves the sound in the garage with the rough unfinished walls that are already in there, but he’ll take another look and listen once all the work is done and advise accordingly. He’s not concerned about soundproofing the walls (one of the two long walls abuts a hillside in any case — that’s the one we had to get tanked — and other long wall is the old outside wall of the house) but we are putting acoustic insulation into the roof which accounts for a huge chunk of the cost. Thank you so much again for your good advice, though, and yes, I’m already figuring on unexpected extra costs and delays!

      Cheers,

      Sarah

  3. Just a thought (or three):

    1. There are a couple of really good books on the subject which I found invaluable.
    2. There are things I’d do slightly differently, given a chance to do it again.
    3. My partner in crime is editor of Sound On Sound magazine and they’re always looking for articles.

    If Sarah wants to PM me, I’ll happily explain what I did (and what I got slightly wrong).

  4. Donation made, even though Sarah is making me travel into deepest, darkest Co. Tipperary to see her live this year. Tipperary, for heaven’s sake! There’s not many I’ll do that for…

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