Converting a Two Car Garage Into a Recording Studio The Complete Plan Set

Most people think a garage recording studio starts with insulation and drywall. It doesn't. It starts with solving problems the original garage was never designed to handle. We just completed the construction documents for a detached two-car garage conversion in California, and the plans had to account for far more than sound isolation. • Structural review of the existing trusses before adding a high-performance ceiling • Dedicated audio circuits and low-voltage infrastructure for professional recording equipment • HVAC revisions after relocating a baffle box so the client could still park his car • Humidity control to protect a collection of 50 vintage guitars This is what most people never see. A contractor can only price and build what is defined. The construction documents define everything the contractor doesn't know to ask about. In this video, I walk through the complete plan set and explain why serious studio projects succeed or fail long before construction begins. I'm Wilson Harwood, Sound Isolation Designer and Principal of SPYS Designs. If you're planning a garage conversion, basement studio, or any room that needs to perform at a high level, start with a Soundproof Site Assessment: https://www.soundproofyourstudio.com/... 🎙 Listen as a podcast: https://www.soundproofyourstudio.com/... Books I Recommend - (Affiliate Links) Home Recording Studio: Build It Like The Pros by Rod Gervais: https://amzn.to/48ONVF6 Home Recording Studio Design by Philip Newell - https://amzn.to/4b7zyxd Master Handbook Of Acoustics by F. Alton Everest and Ken Pohlmann: https://amzn.to/3Olwio7 Start with the project goal and the garage’s advantages 0:00 Review the existing structure and sound-isolation opportunities 1:10 Check the ceiling and roof structure before changing anything 2:17 Bring in structural engineering early 3:03 Include code-required fire blocking and wall details 4:24 Design the electrical system around studio use, not standard residential use 5:36 Use audio-over-ethernet and flexible cabling for future-proofing 7:02 Document every electrical detail for the installer 8:29 Plan the lighting around the guitars, acoustics, and ceiling layout 9:11 Design the HVAC and ventilation system for comfort and humidity control 10:20 Understand that the plan set is only the beginning 12:02 Keep the designer involved through construction 12:53 Use the Soundproof Site Assessment as the first step 14:02