Willem, My shop is nearly identical to yours and two pianos is crowded, but doable.  Improvements I would make  is more bench space.  If funding was ample, I would increase nice level work spaces, electrical outlets and storage drawers under the benches.  My main bench is a large slab of and old bowling alley with room for two actions.  It has a very crude home-made drawer under it that is fairly useless. I have only been here 3 months, but am already fustrated by the lack of storage for parts, dollies, and the like.  I have 3.5 metal cabinets, but they are pretty cluttered.  Perhaps this summer, I should re-organize it so to be more functional.   The former tech did install a divise chained to the ceiling for hoisting up plates, but it is not moveable, so the piano can only be in one place to use it and it is right in the middle of the room.  I would like to modify it so it can "slide" side to side 10 feet or so.  A built-in air compressor with multi-area hose plug-in would also be nice as well as a central vacuum system. Also, their is no freight elevator in the building and the elevator we have can only hold a Steinway B.  So rebuilding D's can't be done in the shop!!!  Now that's fustrating and expensive!!!!!!!!! Ken, keep these things in mind as well. Best, Paul T. Williams RPT University of Nebraska-Lincoln pwilliams4@unl.edu <table width=100%> <tr valign=top> <td width=40%>Willem Blees <wblees@bama.ua.edu> Sent by: caut-bounces@ptg.org 10/24/2006 09:22 AM <table border> <tr valign=top> <td bgcolor=white> <div align=center>Please respond to College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org></div></table> <td width=59%> <table width=100%> <tr valign=top> <td> <div align=right>To</div> <td>College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org> <tr valign=top> <td> <div align=right>cc</div> <td> <tr valign=top> <td> <div align=right>Subject</div> <td>Re: [CAUT] New Building Specs</table> <table> <tr valign=top> <td> <td></table> </table> <tt>Ken My shop is 19 x 27, a little 500 square feet. Although I don't do any rebuilding, because they don't give me any money, I could do two pianos at a time in here. (Right now I have three octaves of handbells set up). One corner of the room is also my office. One thing I wish I did have is a seperate room, so that dust and dirt don't get all over my desk and computer. So if they are willing to give you a 600 square foot room, maybe you could take one corner of it for a 10 x 10 office. Wim Willem Blees, RPT Piano Tuner/Technician School of Music University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL USA Quoting Ken Zahringer <ZahringerK@missouri.edu>: > I need some advice, guys.  Much to my shock and surprise, the > University has > hired an architectural firm to begin the planning & design process > for a new > School of Music.  I mean, our current building is only 55 years old, > and it > has fully half of the space we need!  Anyway, the Director sent out a > draft > of the space needs for the new building on Friday.  The draft > recommends 600 > sq ft, with an inventory of 175 or so pianos.  I think Išll need more > than > that.  Some questions for you: > > Išm sure some of you have moved into a new building in the last 10 > years or > so.  What kind of shop facility did you get, how involved were you, > how did > you justify your recommendations (if any)?  How is it working? > Anything you > should have done differently, or any features you wouldnšt trade for > the > world? > > Does anyone know of any łauthoritative˛ source I could use, other > than the > Guidelines & Steinwayšs ISP, particularly one that directly addresses > shop > size? > > The University has hired Susaki Architectural Associates from > Boston. > Anybody familiar with these guys, good, bad or indifferent?  You can > reply > off-list if need be :-) > > Thanks for any and all comments, > Ken Z. > -- > Ken Zahringer, RPT > University of Missouri > School of Music > > </tt>