Suggestion not about renovation: think about security. Since you have all your tech at home - you must have security system with surveillance.

Adapting to the times is not failure dude, it's smart. Way better than waiting until the thing has dragged you down before trying to get out.

I had to down-size a lot 18 months ago, I really struggled with it at the time but looking back I'm happy that it happened when it did. Having property and gear isn't professional success IMO, having the liberty to be creative and pull of great work is what matters. You're super talented. it'll be totally fine.

Honestly, you should look into doing an acid stain/wash on the concrete instead. You can do the whole thing yourself you stain or dye the floor, then seal it, and it can look absolutely amazing.
If you want to take it a step further, you can use a concrete saw to score shallow 2' x 2' grout lines and make the floor look like it’s made of huge tiles. You can even use different colors of acid stain to give each section some variation.
I did this myself downstairs in my house, and I had absolutely no experience doing it. I scored the grid, used different acid washes, and sealed the whole floor myself. It was surprisingly easy and came out awesome. Definitely worth considering before spending $3,000 on an epoxy floor.

I actually closed down my studio and embraced the streets. Never looked back. And in glad I did that. Good luck Manny

Good luck! I have my studio in a small one-room apartment. It’s not the biggest space in the world, but I can still work with my favorite lens, a 135mm.

I try not to have too many things around so I don’t feel overwhelmed by all the stuff. It’s difficult, but you can always get rid of things, there are always things you don’t use that much.

7:11 going back to your house a retooling doesn’t mean failure. This economy is crazy, this is a smart move. You can always go back to a studio and then you’ll have two options. Plus now you have write offs in your home.

Thank you for keeping real about the realities of being a photographer/creator

Having a storefront is wild! I spent over 150k on a gym buildout, and a year or so in i hated it. the overhead was rough.

Hey Manny, from where I sit, you’re making some good decisions for yourself.
I have followed you for quite a long time now in fact, you have encouraged me to pick up a camera so I definitely wish you success in all of your endeavors.
You mentioned that you’re not a DIY guy you’re going to need a second pair of hands to do the things that I see you heading toward if I can be of any assistance to you don’t hesitate to reach out thank you for the work that you do

This is such a smart decision. This is not a failure. Its a smart pivot.

Converted my 4 car garage when the pandemic hit. Best decision I've made. I didn't park in it anyways. I love being able to just pop in the studio if I have a random idea or needed to check on something.

Well done Manny!! wish you the best!!

The reasons you've mentioned totally make sense - all the best on the new chapter!!

One reccomendation is to put in wall mounted garage door.  It will free up over head and provide a cleaner look.  Secondly make sure you keep up with pest control. And I reccomend a split system for temp control.

This is the right move.

I turned my attached basement-level garage into my studio (and also a guest room) and I’m super happy. I’m not DIY-ish but had almost no budget, so I painted it myself and put in the flooring myself, with a cork underlay (for insulation) and laminate on top. That made a huge difference compared to the bare concrete. But the outer walls are not insulated so I’m using a space heater in winter 😳. I never miss my old studio. The convenience is worth everything to me.

I converted my garage Into my studio (south of O’Hare)
The only drawbacks is the heater that was installed can only heat so much. (5000watt)And my ceiling is only about 7ft tall.
So I’d say it’s useless 4months out of the year.

Do your  thing, buddy - this move will be great for you.  My question is, how do you handle bringing clients to your residence? That's the part I would struggle with if I shot at home.  As you go through this project, please provide your thoughts on that as well.  Continued success, my friend!

Bro, thank you for sharing. I've struggled with this exact same challenge. Both with the cost of renting a space and the emotional toll it eventually takes on you. I also struggled with the identity issue when closing my opening and closing my studios. I think you're making the right move. Being able to do your shoots from the comforts of home and not having to travel will make your space much more enjoyable. Can't wait to see what you do with the space!

good thing you can write off all these upgrades, since they will be for work