New Room Layout

[JD01]

OK, getting the plans made up for my next house extension soon and will be building my new studio space into the design.
There's not a lot of flexibility in the floor area that I have to work with. I'm pretty sure that the room will be 3.6m (ish) in length, which is a lot more than what I have now. My hunch is that it will be about 2.5m in width and that will also be a lot more than what I have now - depends how far out towards the edge of the roof we go.

There's probably scope to move the door on to either the bottom wall or the side-wall or I could even have the door at 45 deg across that corner.
Despite the wonky roof, I'm assuming my best location for a desk would be against the chimney end - in fact I'd probably just build a desk myself that will fit around the chimney and include shelving units... or I may just put a false wall across the whole of the chimney with associated sound treatment behind it as that wall adjoins the neighbours attic space.

Or, given the ceiling angle, would it be better if I put my desk on the right hand wall so the monitors would be facing the sloping wall?

I'll build bespoke treatment based on where things end up, using wooden frames, sack-cloth and insulation for the walls and ceilings... what some of the corners will be tricky - but I'll work it out. I might do what Shan did and use old band t-shirts/flags in the frames instead of boring sack-cloth.

Basically, where would you stick your desk, monitors, piano, guitar hooks etc... I think its gonna be too tight to get drums in there - maybe an e-kit.
At this point we're just getting the initial plans made up so I have a bit of scope for adjusting things and planning ahead.

Potential Room Layouts.PNG

[muttley]

First thing would be hand the door the opposite way so it opens to the nearest wall. Better still if possible have open out if it is to another space. I assume there is no fenestration other than the roof lites?

My experience of workshop layout generally is that its best to have the door opening in the shorter wall which leaves longer spans for working . Also centre islands provide better use of space than upto wall but you may not have space for that.

[JD01]

First thing would be hand the door the opposite way so it opens to the nearest wall. Better still if possible have open out if it is to another space. I assume there is no fenestration other than the roof lites?

My experience of workshop layout generally is that its best to have the door opening in the shorter wall which leaves longer spans for working . Also centre islands provide better use of space than upto wall but you may not have space for that.

Moving the hinges/light switches is easy at this stage provided that I know to stick it on the plans.
Yeah - It'll be just a pair of Veluxes in the roof. While I like my view out of my current office, sitting facing a window which gets a lot of sun is also annoying as a) I can't easily sound treat the surface right in front of me b) I have the curtain closed most of the time 'cos its too bright.

[JD01]

The roof conversion is turning out to be way too expensive... current plan may involved a garden room.

[Tadpui]

It's amazing how things get expensive in a hurry isn't it?!? We're hanging on so far with our house budget, but it's starting to look like we'll go over. I was so optimistic that we'd stay within budget.

I was in such a tizzy with our move this time last year, i dont remember even seeing this post. Are you still going through with it, whether its ground level or upstairs?

[JD01]

It's amazing how things get expensive in a hurry isn't it?!? We're hanging on so far with our house budget, but it's starting to look like we'll go over. I was so optimistic that we'd stay within budget.

I was in such a tizzy with our move this time last year, i dont remember even seeing this post. Are you still going through with it, whether its ground level or upstairs?

Yeah, we'd still like to get the upstairs done eventually. But it's just so expensive. The whole downstairs cost is 38k. Upstairs is looking like 80k. Cost of materials has gone up a lot, particularly timber which is what a lot of a loft conversion is... so I'm now looking at a small garden room

[WhiskeyJack]

It's amazing how things get expensive in a hurry isn't it?!? We're hanging on so far with our house budget, but it's starting to look like we'll go over. I was so optimistic that we'd stay within budget.

I was in such a tizzy with our move this time last year, i dont remember even seeing this post. Are you still going through with it, whether its ground level or upstairs?

Yeah, we'd still like to get the upstairs done eventually. But it's just so expensive. The whole downstairs cost is 38k. Upstairs is looking like 80k. Cost of materials has gone up a lot, particularly timber which is what a lot of a loft conversion is... so I'm now looking at a small garden room

At those prices it almost osunds cheaper to tear your house down and just rebuild it dude. Holy smokes.

[WhiskeyJack]

It's amazing how things get expensive in a hurry isn't it?!?

This.

Wife and i would like to be back in Nova Scotia but after talking to a few people who recently built during the real estate boom post 2020 in that area, alot of wheels in motion that can take a budget and shit all over it. One buddy was just prepping the land and the county changed a bunch of bylaws on him and his 12K drive way quickly turned in 20K drive way. Its so stupid there right now.

I hope you don't go to wildly over budget. It would be interesting to hear a final percent figure of how much you went over when all is done. And more importantly why.

[Tadpui]

I hope you don't go to wildly over budget. It would be interesting to hear a final percent figure of how much you went over when all is done. And more importantly why.

So far, it's been a win some / lose some give-and-take with the budget. We were overall under budget by about $4K up until last week when the final numbers came in for flooring, drywall, cabinetry, and some other misc. things. That put us officially over budget by about $1K. We're hoping that the interior trim, plumbing trim-out, electrical trim-out all come in reasonably near budget. Then we have concrete and septic as the big X factors remaining. Fingers crossed on those!

[WhiskeyJack]

I hope you don't go to wildly over budget. It would be interesting to hear a final percent figure of how much you went over when all is done. And more importantly why.

So far, it's been a win some / lose some give-and-take with the budget. We were overall under budget by about $4K up until last week when the final numbers came in for flooring, drywall, cabinetry, and some other misc. things. That put us officially over budget by about $1K. We're hoping that the interior trim, plumbing trim-out, electrical trim-out all come in reasonably near budget. Then we have concrete and septic as the big X factors remaining. Fingers crossed on those!

I feel like 1k on a build like that is pretty slim % wise on the over haul. Let's hope it doesn't creep up much past that.

[muttley]

So far, it's been a win some / lose some give-and-take with the budget. We were overall under budget by about $4K up until last week when the final numbers came in for flooring, drywall, cabinetry, and some other misc. things. That put us officially over budget by about $1K. We're hoping that the interior trim, plumbing trim-out, electrical trim-out all come in reasonably near budget. Then we have concrete and septic as the big X factors remaining. Fingers crossed on those!

For a while there you were going to be the first person in the history of building houses to build a house under budget... I guess $1K is a pretty good result, given people say allow 15% contingency.

That's pretty cool. The way prices for materials are going up and down it's a nightmare costing stuff right now. The Stable block I'm doing is coming up to being done. I will update the other thread when I have time but it's been a ride for the last 6 months.

My budget was 85K and I'm left with about 10k to do all the final fit.. Kitchen, Tiling, wet room shower, white goods and floors as well as a bit of landscaping. It's gonna be tight.

@TadpuiYour build thread looks fantastic. What a great job. Sounds like you are in a similar situation to us. I'm seeking out all the savings on final fit I can. The only plus side is that with final fit you can always revisit when and if you want to without too much disruption. I do have the advantage that I'm doing this whole thing myself so labour is cheap.

[muttley]

It's amazing how things get expensive in a hurry isn't it?!? We're hanging on so far with our house budget, but it's starting to look like we'll go over. I was so optimistic that we'd stay within budget.

I was in such a tizzy with our move this time last year, i dont remember even seeing this post. Are you still going through with it, whether its ground level or upstairs?

Yeah, we'd still like to get the upstairs done eventually. But it's just so expensive. The whole downstairs cost is 38k. Upstairs is looking like 80k. Cost of materials has gone up a lot, particularly timber which is what a lot of a loft conversion is... so I'm now looking at a small garden room

A garden room is going to eat a lot of timber and insulation as well plus you are going to have costs trenching in services. It's a balancing act I know but get solid prices cos garden rooms ain't cheap these days either. Also look at the return if and when you decide to move up or down. A loft conversion will add value more than a garden room in most cases.

I'm sure you've factored it all in. Just my thoughts. Good luck with it mate whichever way you go.

[WhiskeyJack]

white goods

[JD01]

Yeah, we'd still like to get the upstairs done eventually. But it's just so expensive. The whole downstairs cost is 38k. Upstairs is looking like 80k. Cost of materials has gone up a lot, particularly timber which is what a lot of a loft conversion is... so I'm now looking at a small garden room

A garden room is going to eat a lot of timber and insulation as well plus you are going to have costs trenching in services. It's a balancing act I know but get solid prices cos garden rooms ain't cheap these days either. Also look at the return if and when you decide to move up or down. A loft conversion will add value more than a garden room in most cases.

I'm sure you've factored it all in. Just my thoughts. Good luck with it mate whichever way you go.

I'm not so concerned with effect on home value... all going well I'm planning on dying here.

The third floor is obviously better for lifestyle, gives us 3 rooms in the house. Garden room is only one new space.
But I can build a garden room out of savings with plenty of change. 3rd floor = debt. I want to remain on track to be mortgage free by 50.

[rayc]

I want to remain on track to be mortgage free by 50.

I was mortgage free by 38 but moved/bought again so was mortgaged to the hilt yet became free again at 50.
It wasn't easy, but not as hard as someone with squids or someone starting out now.

[JD01]

Basically, we've just commissioned loft conversion, so that'll be my new recording room.

Still hoping to be mortgage free at 50, gonna have to work and save like fuck.

[JD01]

Noice... when will it be finished?

They'll be starting in "mid may" so, late may. And it'll take about "2 months" so, 12 weeks. Would be nice if it was done by mid July for the school summer holidays.

[vomitHatSteve]

Hmm.... I'm on track to only owe about $160k by the time I'm 50, so that's... could be better...

[JD01]

They'll be starting in "mid may" so, late may. And it'll take about "2 months" so, 12 weeks. Would be nice if it was done by mid July for the school summer holidays.

There's optimism for you!

Hope it all goes well - don't forget to post pics...

I posted pics of the last conversion didn't i, with the gang of blokes lifting that massive steel into place by hand.

[JD01]

Loft conversion is underway. Final resting place for my recording gear.

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