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.
Problem with the sound proofing may come up with a crazy examiner that since there is no more such a thing as noise control tests anything that will go beyong the requirements of standard STC requiremtns may shoot you down for the noise thing. Otherwise you may get based upon the home occupation thing but you will need to file an alt-1 to include it in the C. of O.
If he really wants to avoid problems, he should eliminate all the openings on the exterior except one door to get in and out and then build a shell inside the structure (with another door) and soundproof the interior structure, making sure there are no connectors between the shell and the exterior. You’d be amazed at how effective it can be especially if you use quietrock or one of the other products that are becoming more and more available (I was surprised to see a stack of it at Lowes the other day, it’s a pain to work with, but it does work if installed correctly). In order to save space, I’ve seen examples where people stagger wall studs so that you’re only losing an inch or so from each wall.
At the risk of jumping to conclusions: garage behind the detached house = residential neighborhood. Boy I would be PISSED if someone like your son moved in next door. Sound proof rooms aren’t really all that soundproof, unless thousands are invested to hire acoustics professionals. Now if we are talking about a house in Bushwick, that is another story
You are confusing zoning with permitting. As long as the studio is for home use, I would be surprised if there is any problem selling it. A mortgage broker would know.
I assume he wants to work your around? Doesn’t this imply heating and potentially cooling? How about rest rooms?
DOB rules on Home Occupation (with irrelevant sections omitted):
1. Home occupation (1/28/65)
(a) A “home occupation” is an #accessory use# which:
(1) is clearly incidental to or secondary to the #residential use# of a #dwelling unit# or #rooming unit#;
(2) is carried on within a #dwelling unit#, #rooming unit#, or #accessory building# by one or more occupants of such #dwelling unit# or #rooming unit#, except that, in connection with the practice of a profession, one person not residing in such #dwelling unit# or #rooming unit# may be employed; and
(3) occupies not more than 25 percent of the total #floor area# of such #dwelling unit# or #rooming unit# and in no event more than 500 square feet of #floor area#.
(b) In connection with the operation of a #home occupation#, it shall not be permitted:
(6) to produce offensive noise, vibration, smoke, dust or other particulate matter, odorous matter, heat, humidity, glare, or other objectionable effects.
(c) #Home occupations# include, but are not limited to:
(1) fine arts studios
(2) professional offices
(3) teaching of not more than four pupils simultaneously, or, in the case of musical instruction, of not more than a single pupil at a time.
_______________________________
Section B (6) could be taken to mean no music studios, but if he can keep the sound isolated/insulated, then it might not be a problem. Section C (3) would mean that he could file it as a music teaching room, then install the recording equipment after sign-off.
Jim Hill, RA, LEED AP
Urban Pioneering Architecture
Unless you’ve got the type of neighbors who will be complaining (you never know),you’d most likely be able to get away with all of this work without permits….cetainly could in Bed Stuy. Make sure you get an electrician that is going to do it all to code. Like mopar said, if you’re just sound insulating walls, no permit needed. Do the gutting and everything in a conscientious manner so as not to annoy the neighbors.
If the music is loud enough to annoy the neighbors is when the problems will start
I am not an architect or expeditor, but have had several home based businesses and know musicians with studios. My guess would be that as long as he’s creating this sound proof room for his own use and not moving any walls, just covering existing walls with soundproof materials, he does not need permits. If he’s adding electrical, he should used a licensed electrician, who will file the necessary permits just for that.
If on the side he also happens to charge a few musicians for recordings, it’s a gray area but I doubt it will be an issue unless it’s a huge business with multiple employees, constant bookings, etc.
I do not have my zoning book handy (being the weekend), but I would say, no it cannot be legally in the garage. A home occupation is meant to be within the home. It is also limited in allowable s.f. If it could be done, he would need an architect to file to make it legal. For him to do the work would require DOB approving him to do it. If it is not loadbearing, he might get approved. Hard to say, you need to file out the paperwork and see what happens.