John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum

I feel your pain... ...California's tax rate has gone from 2.5% to 7.25% over the last 71 years (and higher in most counties) -- and I expect that to rise to the likes of your state, given the astronomical amount of debt our legislature has gotten us into. They spend with impunity, "like drunken sailors."

At least our property tax rates are stable, thanks to Proposition 13 passed in 1978.

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"Converting a garage into living space requires a city permit . . . homeowners insurance won't cover a structure that's been changed without a building permit . . ." --Sacramento Bee, May 27, 2006

At least we don't have Income Tax!!!

Ahhhhh, I get it now. That explains it!

Touché!

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"Converting a garage into living space requires a city permit . . . homeowners insurance won't cover a structure that's been changed without a building permit . . ." --Sacramento Bee, May 27, 2006

OK,

Between having to work at the boss' house w/ his computer, having to do some digital transfers, and telling a good friend to never call me again, I managed to do a little work on the studio.

I framed the first of 2 walls that will separate the 2 main tracking rooms...

...and then I ran out of studs to do any more...

Sorry for no recent posts. Been having to take it easy this past week. Thought I may have had a kidney stone, but looks like something else. Still painful though whatever it is.

I may be on hold anyway though for awhile. Need to rebuild that retaining wall that burned up. Insurance finally kicked out a check, but it's not enough to pay someone else the labor costs. So it looks like I'll be doing the grunt work. Wish me luck. It's only about 47 tons of block...literally.

Is it the deductible that makes the check so small?

Hope you feel better soon, Aaron.

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"Converting a garage into living space requires a city permit . . . homeowners insurance won't cover a structure that's been changed without a building permit . . ." --Sacramento Bee, May 27, 2006

Deductible is only a part of it. They took 20% off for depreciation...

Anyway, Friday afternoon I had another quote. I had them start Saturday. Just need to come up w/ another 2k. At least I'm not digging this thing up...

For those who wanted to see the status of the side project, here's a couple pix...

I like the one with the two-tone bush... The heat from the fire must have burned the life out of half of it!

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"Converting a garage into living space requires a city permit . . . homeowners insurance won't cover a structure that's been changed without a building permit . . ." --Sacramento Bee, May 27, 2006

Yeah, it got 3 of them like that. Of course I lost one (the workers pulled it out) because it was in the way of construction. I'll probably loose one more when they get ready to do the stairs. Maybe I'll move the good one over to where the burned one is.

I F***ING HATE CONTRACTORS!!!!!!!!

This A$$hole wanted more money to finish up the project, beyond the original $$$$. So last night I went and bought 14 bags of concrete and finished core filling the wall myself. Can't wait to get this project done so I can get back to studio construction.

It's lookin' good though. Got the stairs done, and most of the core fill done last week. We were about a yard short of concrete though. And that's where the guy wanted more $$$ to come out and finish up the wall. Money I've already paid him to do the job. So I went out and finished it up myself.

But, that's why I've been my own contractor and builder for the studio. I don't have to deal w/ all the BS of someone else.

Anyways, just wanted to drop a note on the status of the project. I'm probably not going to be able to do much between now and this time next month. Money is too tight, and had to take time off from work and babysit the guys building the wall. I have a few choice words, but will refrain from them here.

I hope everyone elses projects are doing well. Haven't been on the site much lately.

OK, I'm planning to start working on the studio a little more. A couple weeks ago I picked up some more studs. Yesterday I picked up some more 1/8" rubber to put under the bottom track, and today went and picked up 10 more pieces of track. This should all be enough (except I may need a few more studs?) to finish out all the framing for the tracking rooms.

Then it'll be on to finishing up the conduits (mostly electrical at this point). Then I can insulate (gotta get more insulation). Then it'll be time for the drywall and finally get around to doing the duct work. Yippie!

I still have 6 bags of insulation, so I can get started on some of it, but that'll go up in a hurry. I figure another $2-300 for the ceiling joists, probably another 4-500 for the walls, and about $1k for drywall (damn this shit's getting expensive).

So hopefully I'll have some new pix to put up next week.

Aloha Aaron,

Sorry about the contractor hassles , but glad to hear things are back on track.

Best wishes and looking forward to the pics of progress.

Aloha

Me too...

Once I get insulation in the walls, I can at least do some minor tracking. Right now w/ the bare metal, it rings. Then I can use that money to either pay off some of this debt or buy more materials to do the drywall.

I've got a client that wants to get in now or ASAP. I'm tired of having to turn down work.

Aloha Aaron,

Yeah, having that income sure helps offset some of the financial pressures. That's actually where I got the funding to move ahead with mine.

Keep on keeping on.

Aloha