Costs of Setting Up Home Studio

[beadergal]

Hi -

I've been wanting to set up a studio for lampworking at my house. I've been slowly accumulating things, such as the torch, oxygen concentrator and kiln. I had a vent fume box fabricated. I've also been researching ventilation and home studio set-up here and on other discussion boards.

I just got an estimate for the running of the gas line, and setting up the ventilation and make-up air ducts. And, I'm in sticker shock, as it's nearly $4,000.00 to do this. :shock: The ventilatation would include outside duct work up the house as my planned area for this studio is in my basement. I will see the written estimate when I get home, this was given to me over the phone.

While this is only one estimate, and I will definately work on getting more estimates, what might be the expected cost on this?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Wendy

[evilglass]

that doesn't seem that crazy....when mine was built, we spend about $5000, but almost all labor was me and my partner plus my dad or another relative or two. I actually managed to get blisters from a nail gun putting in the floor! Then had my dad accidentally shooting nails through wallboard at me when he was not hitting the stud it was supposed to go on.

We did build a porch, though and put my studio on as a room attached to it.

So we're kind of apples and oranges here, I'm afraid.

Get more estimates!

[Heather/Ericaceae]

Let's see... we'll say $200ish for a torch, $400 for a concentrator, $500 for a natural gas line, $200 for an exhaust fan, $100 for venting equipment (possibly another $500ish for installation if you hire someone), $700 (at least!) for a kiln, around $150 for a work surface. Then there's didy's - at least $50 for a BASIC model - and storage and tools and glass... And this is assuming that you already have a suitable space. So, just DIY/basic, you can easily spent $2500. You do save some start-up money if you go with tanks, but lose over the long-term.

$4000 for just gas and venting sounds VERY high. But I guess it depends on how nice your hosue is. Mine is very shabby and had covered-up perforations anyway (an old eavestrough pipe that used to feed into the house drain, and an old coal chute) that were easy for me to adapt for venting and make-up air. If your house is new and nicely engineered, then it might be more worthwhile to get it done in a tidier and more measured way. Cheers - H.

[beadergal]

Thanks evilglass and Heather/Ericaceae for the responses. I've got some thinking to do about this, as there are a few issues that came up when talking to the fellow about the ventilation.

One thing I have to be clear in my head about is that my bead making is strictly a hobby. Given the amount on this one estimate, and my typical time I can spend weekly making beads, I would be able to continue to rent studio time for about 7 years.

I'm also a bit embarassed, because, I should have gotten estimates first before making any purchases. :oops: Live and learn.

Thanks again.

[Deb Hopeful Journeys]

Keep plugging away at your purchases. You will eventually have everything you need to get your studio going.

I did it gradually also. I think you could really do your own ventilation for much cheaper. Keep researching and something will work. It shouldn't cost that much.

Deb in MN

[Laurie L]

Yeah it can be expensive - this is the most money I have ever spent on a hobby. LOL.

[jj burke]

I am in the middle of building a studio. So far I have spent about $2500 I am coverting an old woodshed. I reshingled the roof, had help putting up walls and siding.I still need an electrican and then drywall.Double french doors and paned windows came from a recycle place. It is going to be so cute. I need a good armchair so my husband can visit. I have most of the toys except a kiln Still not sure what kind to get It should be about $4500 by the time I am finished and a lot of the work I have done myself

[e. mort]

Yeah, it can get pretty expensive. Ventilation including the hood for my studio was about $700, but then enclosing and insulating one space in the garage, running electricity, installing a small A/C unit, building the bench, etc cost over $7K - and I did the painting, built the bench, and quite a bit of drywall and mudding myself.

However, costs down here in Texas are high right now since a lot of the contractors have left to rebuild New Orleans.

If you can rent studio space for cheaper maybe that would be a good way to go. Might be annoying to have to torch on somebody elses schedule though.

Good Luck!

Eric

[Megan]

I don't have a set studio.. Its my dining room converted all into lampworking stuff but just with throwing the line outside the window when I torch and venting to the outside through the window and all the other setup.. We probably spent 2,000+ at least.. It definitely isn't a cheap hobby but has the advantage of being able to recoup the money you spend by selling the beads.. :-)

[boroburner]

That seems a lil high to me. I just re-did my shop i have 5 fans/hoods with seperate vents right through the roof. Hard plumbed Oxy and Propane, and 6 sets(2) of regs. Although i did all the instalation myself, except gas lines, it only cost me 4000$CAD for all that, and it works GREAT!!!

If ur gonna get hard line run for your oxy, make sure you get heavy gauge medical(nitrogen filled) grade copper, and use silfoss(sp?) to put it together, otherwise youll get grease from the flux in ur oxy lines.

This isnt including drywall, lighting, torches etc. Just venting and gas supply.
I think you could prolly do a lot better on your estimated price for just 1 station.
Heres a link so you can get an idea of what i did. http://www.glassartists.org/Gal17109_shop_pics.asp

Hope this helps.
B

[beadergal]

I greatly appreciate all the replies to my original post. boroburner, your set up it very impressive, and e. mort, with your post, I thought about setting something up it the large garage I have, but again, expense is a huge consideration. I even re-arranged shelving and tables in the garage thinking about this. With the current heat wave in Michigan, it was quite the drain on me both physically and mentally.

I've spent the last few days thinking about home studio vs renting studio time. Glass bead-making is very new to me, I began learning and practicing just last October. I may have been premature in getting some items, but at least, I did not go over board. At this time, I feel a need to still rent time. and put thoughts of a home set-up on the back burner (so to speak).

Thanks again to the sincere responses.

Wendy

[boroburner]

ne time
B

[e. mort]

If it helps, there are two threads that I started showing the progress of building the studio, as well as what it looks like now that it is complete. However, I put a lot into my studio because it is my business now, and I spend a lot of time out there. I worked for years as a now and then hobbyist with much less.

Good Luck,

Eric

[boroburner]

ditto!

[Cosmo]

Yeah. I have seen it done very cheaply and very expensively. A friend uses an old shed with ventilation he made himself, and he built his own bench. Not counting his torch, kiln, glass, oxygen, etc. he probably has less than $50 in his studio.

Our studio, on the other hand, will probably end up costing us in excess of $20,000 before it's over with. Of course, it's 1400 square feet, has 8 torches, 4 kilns, and a lot more...

[boroburner]

ill trade you my 500sf an a goblet for you 1400.
Deal?
B

[Rose Leslie]

Ok I'm in a bedroom right now. When I get the studio building I want it will be about four gande. That is just the building. Nothing else. I have to put down the cement pad and then have the electric, insulation and any of the other good stuff installed. Will probably do most of it my self unless it requires a permit. I'm looking at around about seven grande. Just for the building and maybe a little more. I have every thing for the studio except the electrical work and getting it up. We are going to put the pad in our selfs. Go figure this fall winter is going to be fun. Good luc. I will be using propane and oxy generators that I have all ready. I do want to purchase a oxy tank though.

Good luck

[glass_beads]

Unless I've missed the point of the original post, Wendy isn't asking how much it costs to build a studio -- she has a space (her basement) she is just asking if $4000 seems like a lot for running of the gas line, and setting up the ventilation and make-up air ducts.

Are you or someone you know very handy? Many of the lampworkers on this forum have opted to set up their ventilation themselves in order to save money. Of course, you should still have a professional run the gas lines so you'll have that expense, but a lot of the work on the ventilation and make up air you can either do yourself or have someone (husband, friend, siblings...anyone who is handy with a few power tools) help you. Do a search for ventilation so you can see pics of everyone's ventilation. Many people have saved even more money by building their ventilation system themself...others have purchased ventilation from Glasscraft (reasonably priced) and installed themself. Of course, you'll still have the issue of make up air, but I believe you can get some answers here from the likes of Mike or Dale or others who can help you determine how to do this yourself.

Don't let that high estimate from your HVAC guy scare you. So many others here have gotten the same inflated estimate then through researching the forum, learned they could cut those costs dramatically by installing a lot of it themselves.

Many beadmakers have set up studios on a very tight budget...it can be done. Continue purchasing items for your studio while you continue renting torch time. Doing it piece by piece like this makes it easier on the wallet!

My advice to you is to read through every single post on ventilation you can find on this forum. Then next week when everyone is back from the conference, start asking questions...and take notes. Before you know it, you will have all the info you need to set up the ventilation and makeup air yourself. I don't imagine it will cost more than a few hundred dollars to hire out having the gas lines done, and you'll probably be able to buy the ventilation and install it for a few hundred dollars as well. Very few of the beadmkers you'll meet on this forum have spent $4000.00 on just ventilation for one torch.

edited to add:
A lot of the info you need to read is located in the safety forum. TONS of info there on ventilation and makeup air!

[beadergal]

Thank you, glassbeads, I appreciate the response. I appreciate all the responses to my original post/question.

I'm not sure exactly what I am going to do at this point. While I originally considered the space in the basement, for proper ventilation, I've read that I would need to install outside ducting up the side of my house. This is where I have an issue. You see, I've spent the last 4 years or so, fixing up the outside of my house, and I really don't want to detract from that. Another thing is that I am not all that handy, which is why I tend to hire out for anything that would require more than a drill or small hammer.

Also, what I have to consider, is that I am doing glass bead making as a hobby. I'm not planning on selling beads, just learning and sharing beads with my nieces. It's facinating seeing how the nieces put beads together for necklaces, bracelets and anklets.

I have a huge garage, and, while it would be possible to set up a studio there, again, safety issues. More research needs to be done. I've read that it is possible, but cars and other gasoline powered vehicles should be removed from the location during torch times.

At this time, I'm close to selling the torch, concentrator and kiln, hopefully recouping the money I've put in them, all can be re-bought later. I don't know what the heck I'd do about that vent box . . .

Thanks again, everyone, I do appreciate the information. I just have to consider how committed to bead making and glass work I am or will be.

Wendy