searching for soundproof room to hire

bobwilson

This has been the bain of my life for 3 years. I am searching for a soundproof room to hire for 6 months ongoing with sole access, in London, for recording 24/7.

I don't need any equipment, as I provide my own, all I need is a room.

I've had all sorts of suggestions from people over the years, from using office space, buying a plot of land, to making a cloth tent outside. What I'm looking for is a soundproof space for recording. This means no sound allowed in from outside the place, or it will ruin the recordings.

I've researched practise rooms to no avail, they all allow sound in, which would ruin the recordings.

I've searched zoopla for soundproof flats, but when you turn up to view the flat, it seems the letting agents' idea of ''soundproof'' means double glazing, or cardboard egg crates on a wall.

I've tried searching for basements, no luck. You would still need to have no one living above it to avoid sound leakage coming down.

I've called up almost every recording studio I can find online, no luck.

I've considered buying a double garage and building underground beneath it, but the council won't tell me if planning permission is likely before I buy. It also seems like an extreme option, as we're talking over £50k to build a basement.

Just like I rent my flat, I need to rent a soundproof room as well.

I've been researching for 3 years so I'm not expecting any miracle answers on here, but here goes anyway. Does anyone know of anywhere, or of anyone who might know of anywhere?

Notmyrealname

You will have to build your own just as every recording studio has done. If noise is let in from the outside, you'll have to put in place things to stop that.

You are wanting what is a very niche item and expecting to find someone to foot the bill of creating it for you.

Your choices are do it all yourself adapting an existing building or rent an already running studio.

And if sound coming in from the outside is such an issue, why the hell are you looking to rent one in the most densely populated part of the UK?

Strapped

You could try the S&M dungeon market?

NiallB

Reporter: "So you lived next to Mr Wilson's so-called 'Music Room' for 6 months?"

Neighbour: "Well yeah, he seemed like a nice bloke, kept himself to himself. Ok, so occasionally he'd be coming and going with large things wrapped in black plastic in the small hours, but we had no idea about all those poor women"


Am I the only one who has this scenario in my head?

No offence Bob

googler

Notmyrealname wrote: »

You are wanting what is a very niche item and expecting to find someone to foot the bill of creating it for you.

Your choices are do it all yourself adapting an existing building or rent an already running studio.

And if sound coming in from the outside is such an issue, why the hell are you looking to rent one in the most densely populated part of the UK?

My thoughts exactly. Recording studios have the initial outlay from their build, which they recoup by charging folks like you by the hour in order to make a profit. Unless you're prepared to pay 'standard' studio rates for 6 months, there's no money in someone creating such a facility.

London is filled with recording studios, and even some of them are plagued by ambient noise - there are renowned instances of classical recordings wherein the rumble of underground trains can be heard as an accompaniment to the music......

Is there any scope for you to move out of the city, and 'get your head together in the country (maaannnn)'

scaredlady

didn't i read somewhere that some people rent those rooms in the storage places to practise playing thir music, would they block enough of the sound out if you rented one of them? I'm sure at certain times of the day they are very quiet.

bobwilson

Notmyrealname wrote: »

why the hell are you looking to rent one in the most densely populated part of the UK?

Because I the hell need to employ students and hire musicians and instruments quickly and easily, and various other reasons. Why is it so hard to believe that I need to be in London?

bobwilson

scaredlady wrote: »

didn't i read somewhere that some people rent those rooms in the storage places to practise playing thir music, would they block enough of the sound out if you rented one of them? I'm sure at certain times of the day they are very quiet.

No. And I've already asked, storage places don't allow this kind of use. You'd also have great difficulty hiring large instruments there, the companies would refuse.

bobwilson

Notmyrealname wrote: »

expecting to find someone to foot the bill of creating it for you.

No I'm not. I haven't asked anyone to build one for me or give it to me for free.

Notmyrealname wrote: »

Your choices are do it all yourself adapting an existing building or rent an already running studio.

I am and have been searching for a house with a suitable garden to do this. I just find it so hard to believe you can't rent a soundproof room.

bobwilson

googler wrote: »

Recording studios have the initial outlay from their build, which they recoup by charging folks like you

I'm aware of that, as I've said, I'm happy and able to pay. I'm looking for a soundproof room, not an entire studio, equipment, engineer and his wife. Just a soundproof room. I don't mind if it's in the same building as someone's studio, as long as I can rent it for sole use.

googler wrote: »

London is filled with recording studios, and even some of them are plagued by ambient noise - there are renowned instances of classical recordings wherein the rumble of underground trains can be heard as an accompaniment to the music......

I'm glad someone noticed this. Sound leakage like this isn't an option unfortuntely. It would certainly make things easier

googler wrote: »

Is there any scope for you to move out of the city, and 'get your head together in the country (maaannnn)'

Well, in London you can find houses with long gardens for around £230k, and an access passage down the back of the garden, walking distance from a tube station. You can't really find anything much lower than this price even in the country. I hire students, and musicians on a regular basis, which will be less possible in the country. In areas outside London where you find something suitable near plenty of students and musicians, you can't really find anything much lower than the price above anyway.

googler

bobwilson wrote: »

No I'm not. I haven't asked anyone to build one for me or give it to me for free.

True, but in order for you to hire one for 6 months, someone has to have put up the money and effort, in advance, to set it up as a commercial facility. So they've 'had to build it' so that you could hire it.

Soundproof rooms exist already. They're called recording or rehearsal studios. I realise you merely want the room, not the equipment or facilities that go with the studios, at least. Are there really no rehearsal studios in London that are suitable for your needs?