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3 Things to Consider Before You Build Your Voice Over Studio

It’s a process that’s been years in the making. All I had to do to get started was buy a house with space.

Took care of that last summer.

After that, it was on like Donkey Kong!

Many of you have been following along with the new voice over studio build on my Facebook page (click here for pics).

Now that the framing is done and the drywall is up, I thought I’d share a few of the lessons I learned a long the way.

3 Things to Consider Before You Build Your Voice Over Studio

Consider Flowpath / Layout: Once the space was empty, before a single wall was framed, we taped off everything in the room so I could get a more visual concept of layout and flow. We taped off the walls so we knew exact interior dimensions. Then we taped off all the different furniture. I bought about a dozen rolls of green painters tape from the Dollar Store and we put it on the concrete floor. This gave me the ability walk through the space and make sure I was happy with the design. It also helped me decide the best location for outlets and wall boxes for Cat6 cable.

Anticipate ALL Wiring: Yes, we think about where outlets should go or where switches need to be. But what about the rest of it? Are you installing a TV, for example? Where are you running the cable? What about internet? Do you need to run Cat5/6 cable? How are you connecting your office computer to your booth? Do you need to run USB? HDMI? More Cat 5/6? These are things I had given some consideration, but not enough. The result, I had to make a lot of quick decisions so we could move forward with the drywalling. Think about every conceivable device and need and how you’re going to get wire/cabling to it. The other reason this is important to consider ahead of time is because it has a pretty big impact on your overall budget. I’d estimate I spent around $750 in wiring / cabling and the required accessories alone.

Don’t Cheap Out: My office / studio is my business space. This is where I earn my living. This is where I spend the vast majority of my day. The space needs to be amazing. It needs to be inviting. It needs to be comfortable. It needs to have good flow and energy. I need to want to spend time there. For all those reasons, I made a decision with my wife (who nudged me a few times along the way) not to cheap out. This is a big investment in my business. No different than a retailer choosing a store location. It meant we had to save some extra money. It meant we spent a little more than I originally budgeted. But when it’s done, I have no doubt it will be worth every dime. If you’re building a permanent space in your home to work, you want to do it right. You NEED to do it right!

Budgeting For a New Studio

I’ve been asked a number of times about the budget. The build isn’t done yet, and I saved a lot of money by being able to do all the work thus far with myself, my dad and my father-in-law. We did all the framing, wiring and drywalling. I’m hiring a contractor to mud and tape the drywall. I’ll hiring a contractor to lay the carpet. My wife will do the painting. I’ll do all the finish work, such as trim and door installation.

Planning to build a #voiceover studio? Make sure you consider these three things.
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If I took into account only the building of the space, which includes lumber and materials, plus the contractors for drywall finish and carpet install, I’d estimate the final total will be around $10,000 CAD (appox $8,000 USD). I’m so grateful for how much I was able to do on my own and with the help of family, as that no doubt saved a few thousand dollars, which allowed some funds to be directed in other areas.

There’s still a lot of work to do, but I’m getting excited more and more each day as it takes shape. It’s going to be an amazing space to grow my business in!

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The New Studio Build Begins… Sort Of…

When we moved into our new house in the summer, I knew after the upstairs renovations were complete and the main part of the house was a home, I’d be able to turn my focus to the next major project. My new studio!

For the past few months, I’ve been working in less than ideal conditions. A spare “bedroom” in the basement that hasn’t been updated since the house was built in the 80’s. It has green shag carpet, green flowery wallpaper, and it stinks so badly of mothballs and other unidentified smells that it’s all I can do to hang in there long enough to get recordings done.

For a guy like me who loves his job and wants to work, it’s been hard to not have a space to create and be productive.

At the same time, it’s further evidence of something I’ve always said… you can record just about anywhere. You don’t need to have the best studio or the fanciest equipment to get the job done. Remember, for years I recorded in my living room with an EV-RE20 and made really great money doing it!

Now, though, I finally get the build the dream studio I’ve been designing off and on in my brain for a decade.

It’s going to be a much bigger job than I originally thought. Nothing in our basement is salvageable. Not even the framing! So I’m literally going to be starting with a blank slate. That makes it a little more exciting and a little more intimidating. I want to make sure I get this right.

As the work progresses over the new few weeks, I’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear any pro tips you’ve got. Have you built a studio? What do I need to know that I may not be thinking about?

Any recommendations? Any mistakes I should avoid? Any lessons you learned the hard way?

Any tips for making it even more awesome?

Comment or email marc@marcscottvoiceover.com. I’d love to hear from you!