Garage to Studio Conversion
My son is a professional musician/composer who is looking to buy a Brooklyn house with a space such as a basement or garage suitable for conversion to a sound-proof home recording studio. In addition to using it to record his own music, he would like to occasionally record other musicians—for a fee, of course. He’s…
My son is a professional musician/composer who is looking to buy a Brooklyn house with a space such as a basement or garage suitable for conversion to a sound-proof home recording studio. In addition to using it to record his own music, he would like to occasionally record other musicians—for a fee, of course.
He’s now found a detached house with a double garage in the back that he thinks could be converted. Two questions: First, is it legal to run this kind of small-scale business out of your home? He is hoping it qualifies as a “home occupation†under NYC zoning laws. (Zoning of the house is R-5—not commercial).
Second: Will he need an architect and plans to get a permit to convert the garage? He and his carpenter girlfriend will be doing most of the work except for electrical wiring and the outside of the garage will not change except for maybe a couple of vents on the roof.
Thanks for your help, everyone.
Does anyone else wonder why Quiet Solutions SPAMs so much? gellergeorge works for that company, yet he comes across as a happy consumer.
I have seen several professional musicians who had converted their metal garage or basement into a working music studio. Many factors need to be considered prior to beginning your studio or music room. One of the most important ones is soundproofing. Soundproofing is the best option if you use the garage as a recording studio. A few of my friends have taken the easy way out and soundproofed their garage with QuietRock soundproofing drywall. Seems to have worked great. There’s some interesting information on their site http://www.quietrock.com/educational-resources/soundproofing-home-theaters-and-media-rooms.html.
Garage practice rooms have been done forever. Nothing odd about them. The #1 issue is the garage door. If it stays operational, there will be little isolation. If you cann wall it off and build a room within a room, you’ll have a chance to contain the sound very effectively.
You’ll need a system and a design.
Thanks, everyone! Your comments have been extremely helpful.
glad to help
glad to help
Thanks Jim
If anything, it could be considered an accessory building. In these terms, “accessory” usually applies to a use or building that is associated with the use of the primary structure.
A garage is considered a permitted obstruction for zoning purposes, but there are a host of other caveats that apply, depending upon the zone and the nature of the building it is accessory to.
If by paragraph 3 you mean the section that I quoted that limits the max square footage of the home occupation, then sorry, but yes, it does count in that square footage. This is different from FAR in that it is meant to prevent the business from getting too big for a residential neighborhood, and has little or nothing to do with bulk. The size of the home occupation will be limited as stated above, regardless of whether it’s inside the main building or in the garage.
I have yet to file for a home occupation in an accessory building, thought I have done it a few times in the main building, and as long as you follow the rules, it’s not a big deal.
JHRELEEDAP
Jim, are you sure he can use the garage as an improved space? It sounds as though he has the garage at the back of the lot at the lot line, where you couldn’t build one today. I believe they refer to this as a permitted obstruction, and as such is not counted in the floor area referred to in paragraph 3… ?
What’s your interpretation? Have you seen anyone get approval for an improved work/ home business of any kind in a detached garage?