Quilting Grammy Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 I would like some help deciding. I currently have my LA at my mom's house that is around 30 miles away, not good. I currently do not have a place for it so we are trying to decide if we should build me a studio for all of my sewing and crafting or build a room onto the house. What would you do? Pros and cons would be nice. I would only have to walk across the yard not drive for 45 min. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Connie, it would be good to know where you're at and what kind of weather you have: a snowy clime would suggest an add-on so that you don't have to bundle up to go quilt, same with a "swelter" climate. But if money and space were no object, I'd sure build a custom studio! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 I too would rather have a separate building studio rather than have customers parade through the house. No stairs into a basement or attic studio as business insurance frown on stairs. My first studio was about 3 miles away....I loved it, and would do it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnR Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Boy, if I had the money, I'd jump at the chance to build a custom studio. With lots of built-in shelving and cabinetry and a huge storage (fabric) closet. And lots of windows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o2b Quilting Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Barb and Bonnie have very valid points. My studio is in town (8 miles from home). I miss the convenience of just going to a room in the house in my pj's if I don't have a rental client but I really like the fact that I do not have to worry about people coming in my home. If the dishes aren't done or the floor needs mopping it doesn't matter because no one can see my housekeeping. (I would much rather spend time quilting than doing housework) It is also more convenient for clients to stop at the studio in town rather than out on the farm. If you add a room on to the house is there a possibility that it could have a separate entrance for customers? Also, what are your local zoning requirements? Good luck and have fun...oh so exciting to get your own special space!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamarack Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 My studio is separate from the house but only about 15 meters away. I love the fact it is separate and I am not disturbing anyone in the house when quilting. It is also great when clients come over and they don't have to go in the house. We are a very snowy climate and I have to spend extra to keep it warm but the quick dash running from the house to studio is no problem even when it is -30, that just wakes me up for the day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marsha Nichols Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 I am having a room built on right now for my Mille when the room is complete. As of now I don't sew for the public but the room will have an outside door if I do take the plunge. I wanted to be connected to the house for convience of the bathroom, kitchen, phone, fireplace, bad weather and wanting to quilt in PJ's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtnBarb Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 We converted our garage that is attached to the house when a larger separate garage was built. Like Marsha N., I'm connected to the house for the conveniences and like not having to go out in bad weather. The new room does have a separate door so that anyone coming in for quilting doesn't enter the actual house. If our land was larger and I could connect the new building with an enclosed walkway I'd definitely have a separate building. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Add a room to your home by all means! If you need a separate entrance. Add french doors or whatever type of door. For a brief time I had my long arm in a separate building....Quite frankly, I didn't like not being "home" (as in the house)---Long arm quilting is lonely work anyway, and being out of our home for hours only increased the isolation. When I take breaks I like to be able to catch up paper work at my desk, get a drink, talk to my husband (he hated that I was "gone" from the house a lot of the day)--- play with the dog, put in a load of laundry, check on food preparation for the evening meal. Do whatever between quilting. I don't want to have to walk back and forth between a studio and a house. Removing shoes and coats, or in the rain or whatever the weather that day brings. Then there is the extra heat or cooling bills for a separate building. Walking back to the house in the dark if I stayed out quilting late was no fun either. Depending on where you situate the studio in relationship to your house entrance. Usually their are building codes regarding how close you can build to the house. I feel building an additional room to your home increases the overall value of your home in the future and is the best overall comfortable choice not only for yourself, but for family members as well, or at least it was for me. Not that we ever built on a separate room for the long arm. I now have my long arm at the far end of our large living room. It's very convinient there, and when anyone comes I have a sitting area at one end of the room. Plus the long arm is quite the conversation piece as well! I feel so much more comfortable in the house than I ever felt in a separate space. I would never "move out" to quilt. Just my 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimerickson Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 I closed in an open breeze way for my machine. I put a sliding glass door on both sides. Being situated near the garage, when ever anyone comes with a quilt, they see the quilting room and come there rather than going to the front door. The only problem I have with the room is that it is just a tad tight. I've got a 12' machine and the room is only 14.5'-15'., so moving around it is a little inconvenient. I have a closet in one end, so if it ever gets too tight I guess I could tear it out and give me another 3'. Quilting aside, I really like the room. When I built the house, I left the breeze way open. After closing it in for Zelda (my Ult2), I had to ask myself why I didn't close it in to begin with. If I ever move Zelda out, I still have a really nice addition to the house. Angie has some interesting thoughts, because being part of the house is nice-well most of the time, anyway. Just my thoughts. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Look at all options, including what would be the most attractive to a buyer if you ever sell your house. Your city/county restrictions may preclude you building something over a certain square footage--like a mother-in-law addition, but not have restrictions on an addition to the main house. We are maxed-out with outbuildings but could build a MIL building at 800 square feet or less. It must include a bathroom and kitchen facilities so it qualifies as an apartment, and it must be occupied by a relative. Hey, I'm related! I'm in an outbuilding, love it there, have heat and A/C, music, TV, everything but a recliner!! But my heart's desire would be an addition to the house with a separate entrance and big windows--for all the reasons given by Angie--to still feel connected to all the people and things we love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judy Bland Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 I too was in a separate building, part of the workshop we partitioned off, insulated, carpet etc, it was comfy enough except in very hot or cold weather but I still felt isolated and uncomfortable about clients having to walk up through the garden and the workshop to get to me. We demolished the front porch and added a 6x7 metre studio, incorporated a little entry so I have the option of closing the French doors into the living room, cost was more than we expected but so worthwhile and added a lot to the value of the house and made my life soo much more comfortable and productive. It really comes down to what your building by-laws are, how much you are prepared to spend and try to look into the future a little, regarding easy access etc. Draw up a list of possible scenarios and list the pros and cons, we had a builder friend come for an informal look, just to see if what we were dreaming about was actually do-able. Whatever you decide, get cracking, you'll wonder why you didn't do it years ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Grammy Posted February 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 I would like to thank everyone who put your 2 cents in. Let me see if I can answer all of your questions. - Barb - I live in Southern Missouri which means usually cold winters and hot summers but I was looking at some sort of all in one air conditioning / heating unit. (We have wood heat and window units for air in the house). - I don't have a room to convert so I would have to add on and that would have to be on to our bedroom and I don't want people going through my BR, it would take about 15 steps from the ground to a seperate door or a porch extention. I live where believe it or not I do not have building codes and we live on a farm and I know that a building if built I can claim on taxes for 27 years, portable building 5 years. We would be doing our own construction so my DH said it would cost about the same, the only disagreement is a Bathroom! I said if he put me in a differant building I HAVE to have a bathroom!!!!!! And where to actually build it. I know what I want if we build he on the other hand has his ideas. I just need to win the lottery then no problems about when and where:D. I hope I covered it all thank you for the help! I know what ever we end up doing I am going to have a major amount of storage and I have found a desk/table that I really would love to have for my DM at a flea market I would buy tomorrow if I had a place for it now. I know that windows and lights are also going to be a huge part of it I am tired of poor lighting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Grammy Posted February 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Oh I am so sorry Angie - I almost forgot you said that you had a building and didn't like being alone, if it is during the day and I don't have the grandbabies I am alone all day most days and depending on the weather and what needs to be taken care of outside most nights too. There is always something that they are working on or fixing and it is worse in the summer with the garden. So that isn't a huge issue right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Della Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 We built a sunroom on our house last summer...2010...so when I got my Freedom this past August, she fit very nicely...lol Perfect light, part of the house, separate entrance to outside...I love working in whatever I might have on...from jammies to sweats...not feeling alone or isolated and just a step from being in my easy chair...lol I would not like being away from the house. I have another room in the house that has my sewing machine and other things needed for quilting...that is the room that needs some help!!! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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