Before I begin, I would like to thank everyone on this forum who has helped with my questions, and given me advice both publicly and through PM. I am sure I will have many more before this build is complete.

For those of you who get offended by construction threads that include areas of the basement/home outside of the dedicated theater, I apologize ahead of time because this thread will do that.

I will be building my HT literally from the ground up as I build my new home, and it just seems natural to include other parts of the build as well as the HT, but I promise to keep the majority of the focus on the HT as I get to that point.

I think the thing I most enjoy on this forum are the "before and after" photos that are posted showing how the talented people of this forum transformed a dreary basement or attic into an incredible showpiece of an HT, and I am actually a bit envious of those of you that have been able to do that, but I will use my pre-build photos as my "before" and feel a little better.

As background, for those who do not yet know, I am a contractor and have worked in the construction industry for many years. I will be doing a large amount of the work with the help of people that work with me on a daily basis, and because I build for a living I am confused as to whether or not this still qualifies as a DIY project. Since I am heading into uncharted waters with the theater portion of the home, and I am doing all of the planning, and installation without the assistance of someone who specializes in theaters, then I am going to say it does qualify as DIY.

Lastly, I love the theater names that everyone has come up with and would appreciate any suggestions or ideas that you may think of along the way. When it comes to that type of creativity, I simply do not have it. I could do something that plays on my last name (Funston) since it has the word fun in it, but I thought I would see if anybody else has any suggestions before I do that.

Thanks again for everyones input and help. I am very excited about HT portion of the build and I can not wait to get into the new house and enjoy the show.

I was asked to add a construction timeline with projected dates and actual dates, so here it is:

As I mentioned, one of my favorite parts of the forum are all of the "before and after" photos. Here are my "Before" shots of the lot right after we staked it out last week.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/LotStakeOut001.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/LotStakeOut004.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/LotStakeOut008.jpg

If I had known how much excitement is generated by backhoes on the forum, I would have included pictures of us digging the basement and strawing in the dig over the weekend. Here is what it looked like on Monday afternoon.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/DigandFootings006.jpg

The footings are under the straw. You can see the rebar sticking up through it.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/DigandFootings003.jpg

This is the corner of the basement where the HT will be.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/DigandFootings001.jpg

9' dig generates a lot of dirt.

Started forming the foundation yesterday. I was hoping to get it the last of the forms up and squared, and pour it today, but the weather is not cooperating. I need 48 hours above 20 degrees after the pour, and they are calling for single digit temps tonight and Friday. We might be able to pour Saturday.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FoundationForming001.jpg

This is a view of the "Safe Room" being formed. The room will have 8" thick concrete walls and 6" thick ceiling and floor with a steel door.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FoundationForming003.jpg

Corner of basement where HT will be.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FoundationForming006.jpg

View from garage looking towards the back of the house.

gotta love safe rooms :D

gotta love safe rooms :D

You need them just as much in hurricane country as we do here in tornado alley. A little easier putting one in the basement than it is for you down there, but we made sure my parents house in Sebring has one.

now those are truely some before pictures. should be cool to see the entire house come together. later.

Can I suggest you edit post #1 and put a timeline of all major const dates, two columns for plan date and actual date, sorta neat to see how close the final result will come in at.

I think threads like this are neat, weekly/bi-weekly updates while in the rough stage, then more as things progress faster.

I was going to ask "Is this your 1st new home construction or have you done the new home thing before?", then I re-read your OP and see you are in the business. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Good luck, looking good so far!

Just make sure they remove ALL of the hay before the pour the basement floor. They didn't on my build a few years ago and I had a fungus gnat problem for over a year. Damn little gnats all over the place. They eat the decaying hay. They were getting in around the foundation through the drainage tiles. Even an exterminator couldn't get rid of them. The only thing that helped was to install a Radon fan to dry out the the drainage system.

Terry

now those are truely some before pictures. should be cool to see the entire house come together. later.

I hope it comes together as easily as my last one.

Can I suggest you edit post #1 and put a timeline of all major const dates, two columns for plan date and actual date, sorta neat to see how close the final result will come in at.

I think threads like this are neat, weekly/bi-weekly updates while in the rough stage, then more as things progress faster.

I was going to ask "Is this your 1st new home construction or have you done the new home thing before?", then I re-read your OP and see you are in the business.

Great suggestion on the schedule. First post has been edited to include an attachment of the current schedule. Even though I am in the business it is just as nerve racking as it is for someone who is not directly involved in construction because this is a huge investment and you always want it to come out just the way you want, and that doesn't always happen.

Good luck, looking good so far!

Thanks vili!

Just make sure they remove ALL of the hay before the pour the basement floor. They didn't on my build a few years ago and I had a fungus gnat problem for over a year. Damn little gnats all over the place. They eat the decaying hay. They were getting in around the foundation through the drainage tiles. Even an exterminator couldn't get rid of them. The only thing that helped was to install a Radon fan to dry out the the drainage system.


I had never heard of that before, but will keep it in mind. We usually get most of the straw out, but I have not gotten it all out in the past. I will look into it more. Thanks TL!

3 Months start to finish holy smokes, I can see you have all your sub's lined up and loaded.

Where in the timeline is the HT portion?
Or, is that simultaneous with the main home and your DIY time while the subs do their thing?

Three months to build, but we have spent 5 months designing the house and picking colors and finishes. Now that everything is set up, the timeline shouldn't be too hard to meet.

I will be doing all of the structural, wiring, drywall, etc of the HT simultaneous with the house, and will have it 80% + complete when I move into the house. I will be doing all of the fabric treatments, and installing the equipment after we move in.

I will put together a separate HT schedule and post it as well.

It is time for an update on the progress of the house and theater. The weather has not been real cooperative, but what should I expect from a Midwest Spring. Even though there have been some delays, we have been able to work some longer hours thanks to Daylight Savings Time, so we are actually still on schedule. I am posting the latest and greatest schedule and I have taken the advice of MT and I have added HT milestones to it.

I am still struggling for a name for the theater. There is a creek that runs through the treeline that you see at the back of the property, and I think I will incorporate that into the name somehow. It would be nice if the creek had a catchy name, but it is called Four Mile Creek and that just doesn't roll off the tongue. I am leaning towards Creekside Cinema or Creekside Theater or something along those lines.

I took the advice of Bud and others on the forum, and I have contacted BPape about designing the acoustical needs of the room. He is really busy at the moment, but we are going to go through the room information in detail this week so he can get started on calculations. I am really looking forward to getting his input and doing it right the first time.

I have my Green Glue Order in. I did not go through the website. I have a long history with a drywall supply company that is headquartered in the St. Louis area that is a distributor of Green Glue. I am getting it from them with a "customer loyalty discount" so I will end up paying about $137/case delivered. This is a ridiculously low price for Green Glue, but last year I purchased nearly 11 million square feet of drywall from them for new construction projects, so they are just showing some love.

I sent a request for fabric samples to Interface over two weeks ago, and have not received them yet. Others on the forum have said they usually arrive in a week or so. I resubmitted the request this morning. It will be nice to get those so my wife can begin to get involved. She has no interest in the technical aspect of the HT, just the decorating portion.

Here is the updated schedule, pictures will follow in sequence.

I know some of the forum members like hearing about large construction equipment, so here is the concrete pump truck pouring my basement.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FoundationPour.jpg

View from the street as the pour was going on.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/Pour2.jpg

I am glad I was standing to the side supervising. Man-handling the discharge hose with thousands of pounds of concrete pouring through it while balancing on a 3" wide ledge is not my idea of a good time.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/Pour3.jpg

Almost have the safe room completely poured.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/Pour7.jpg

We maxed out the reach of the concrete pump, but got the deck footing poured.

The next day the forms were stripped, and the plumber dug and installed the water and sewer approaches, and began the ground works. Within a couple days we managed to get the plumbing inspected, the exterior waterproofing done, and everything backfilled. My pictures of these steps did not come out at all which upset me a bit because I know waterproofing is a subject that comes up often on the forum.

In summary, I have both and interior and exterior drain tile that dump into my sump basket. The municipality that I am building in lets you discharge the sump pump into the storm sewer, so there is PVC piping running from the sump discharge location to the storm sewer. The outside of the foundation is coated in this:

http://www.tremcobarriersolutions.com/products/default.asp?id=2

Watchdog is a rubberized product that will span typical cracks and maintain the water tight seal.

After the waterproofing and plumbing were complete we prepped for the slabs.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/Basement.jpg

A view of the 2" styrofoam insulation along the perimeter of the frost wall for the walk-out basement.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/Basement7.jpg

Another view of the insulation for the edge of the slab.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/Basement8.jpg

Looking into the safe room.

Chris,
WOW, what an undertaking for 3 months! I too love all the before and after pics in this forum and all the ones in between. I love to see the progress others are making, and as I don't have years of construction or building to draw from, I love to use what I have learned from all the talent on these forums for my own build. Anyway, good luck to you, can't wait to see more.

Once the slab was poured, it was finally time to start what I enjoy most. The framing!

We started framing this past Friday. We originally planned to work on Saturday as well, but we have hit a small snag. One of the load bearing beams was sent out from the lumberyard incorrectly, and we can not get the replacement until this afternoon, so we got as much framing done as we could until we get the replacement material. We have fabricated a lot of the components on the garage slab so once the beam comes in, we can drop them in place with the truss boom and make up lost time.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FramingDay1003.jpg

Sill plates laid out first morning.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FramingDay1005.jpg

Basement load bearing walls, walkout and side walls laid out and in progress (About 10:30 a.m.)

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FramingDay1012.jpg

Looking into the SW corner of the basement where the HT will be.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FramingDay1014.jpg

Large gaping hole where floor joists can't be completed due to incorrect support beam. (picture taken about 4:30 p.m. on first day of framing)

That is the updates to this point. I will keep everyone up to date as it moves along.

Chris,
WOW, what an undertaking for 3 months! I too love all the before and after pics in this forum and all the ones in between. I love to see the progress others are making, and as I don't have years of construction or building to draw from, I love to use what I have learned from all the talent on these forums for my own build. Anyway, good luck to you, can't wait to see more.

Thanks Mark! I do this work everyday, but still get a rush seeing the site change from a bare lot to a completed structure.

I am learning a lot on this build because we are doing some things, and using some products I have not used before and if it goes well, I plan to use them in homes for clients. I am also learning a great deal about sound isolation and acoustics for the HT that I did not previously know, and we are taking that learned knowledge and applying it to our multi-family construction projects to try to make them more livable and quiet environments.

Tons 'O Fun Cinema.

Chris,

Is your house located in the Copper Creek area. Just wondering I live on the south side. Good luck with your build.

Chad

Tons 'O Fun Cinema

Definitely a possibility.

Chad,

I am actually building the house on the North side of Ankeny.

Stony Creek Cinema.

I don't know if your creek is stony or not, but I just thought it sounded catchy. :)

Do you have any renders of your theatre? I can't wait to see how this all comes out, especially the theatre and the safe room. I have long pondered a safe room when I build, and even considered a "passage" from master bedroom to safe room.

Keep the pics coming!
-Aaron

Speedy! For DIYers, there's nothing like seeing the speed and accuracy of construction being done by seasoned pros. I'm a bit jealous too ... for all the years I've been stuck behind an office desk 9-5, I'm a contractor at heart (couple of summers as a commercial electrician apprentice/networks installer many years ago).

Good luck, can't wait to see the results.

Well, so far this morning we have had rain, hail, sleet, and snow, so we are not working right now. If the weather forcast is right, we should be able to start again this afternoon, so I thought I would check in and give some updates.

Stony Creek Cinema.

I don't know if your creek is stony or not, but I just thought it sounded catchy. :)



As a matter of fact

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FramingDay2013.jpg

Granted the stones on the right bank are not natural and were placed there for erosion control, but still, that is great name and is appropriate. It is going to the top of the list.


Do you have any renders of your theatre? I can't wait to see how this all comes out, especially the theatre and the safe room. I have long pondered a safe room when I build, and even considered a "passage" from master bedroom to safe room.

Keep the pics coming!
-Aaron

An excellent point. I guess I should share more specifics about the theater.

The room is going to have finished dimensions of 12'-2"x16'-3" and I did these renderings in Sketch-Up a few weeks ago.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/mediaroom-RightSideOpen-Graphic.png
View from the right side of the room with exterior wall removed

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/mediaroom-BackOpen-Graphic3.png
View from back of room with rear wall removed

Here is a detail of screen wall/stage/proscenium

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/screenwall2.jpg

The colors in the renderings are not accurate, but gave me a starting point to discuss the project with my wife. She is actually excited about decorating the room and picking out the fabrics for the wall treatments.

The safe room is something we have not had before. Our last house had a full, in-ground basement, but the new house is on a walk-out lot so my wife was a bit nervous about having someplace to go if there is a tornado. The room is being built underneath the front porch of the home. We decided to put it there so it would not take any usable space out of the rest of the basement.

Thanks for checking in, things should get going pretty fast in the next few weeks.

Speedy! For DIYers, there's nothing like seeing the speed and accuracy of construction being done by seasoned pros. I'm a bit jealous too ... for all the years I've been stuck behind an office desk 9-5, I'm a contractor at heart (couple of summers as a commercial electrician apprentice/networks installer many years ago).

Good luck, can't wait to see the results.

I really do have the best of both worlds. On really nice days I strap on the bags and work boots and enjoy being outside getting my hands dirty, but when the weather is foul and nasty, like this morning, I get to head into the office and take care of bids, plan development, and meeting with buyers/clients to build their dream home.

It is pretty rewarding when it is all said and done.

As for the "speed and accuracy of the pros", I forgot to frame the window opening for the breakfast nook and have to go back and cut that in later. My 7 year old daughter pointed it out to me last night. I built the wall two days ago and it never dawned on me it wasn't there.

Just proof, that if you try to do it too fast and not double check your measurements you will regret it later :)

Thanks for the encouragement, I was seriously questioning the size of my room until I saw what a great job you did with yours and realized smaller rooms can be just as nice as the big HT's

After waiting a couple of weeks to get the fabric samples from Interface, I was seriously disapointed last night. The samples I received are about 2"x2" square. There was one in particular that has a pattern, but you can't see the pattern well because the sample is so small. I have seen other peoples pictures of their fabric samples, and they appear to be much bigger than this, so my question is, how do you get the larger samples from Interface?

Here are the latest pics:

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FramingDay2006.jpg
Correct beam arrived and there no longer is a large gaping hole in the floor.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FramingDay2007.jpg
Looking into the corner of the basement with the HT. The wall on the left is front wall of the HT.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FramingDay2001.jpg
View of front of house after the 2nd day of framing

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FramingDay2019.jpg
Standing in the great room looking towards the dining nook/kitchen. The missing window is supposed to be on the side wall to the left of the opening for the sliding glass door.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FramingDay2029.jpg
Front Porch beams in place. You can see the safe room under the porch.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FramingDay2017.jpg
Front of house after the 3rd day of framing

Those renders look great! That's going to be a nice, cozy theatre.
What is the width of your screen going to be? I couldn't quite make it out on the pic (I think it says 92").

Those renders look great! That's going to be a nice, cozy theatre.
What is the width of your screen going to be? I couldn't quite make it out on the pic (I think it says 92").

Yes, it is 92" wide. After seeing all the 2:35 screens on the forum I am wishing I had a bigger room for one, but overall, I think we are going to be really pleased with room and equipment.

For those following along on the schedule, we are now behind a week due to weather. You will see what we were dealing with in some of the following pictures. Even on the days that were sunny, the mud was so thick our equipment would get stuck, you couldn't hardly carry material without falling on your a**, and it just slowed us way down.

On a positive theater based note, the wife and I finally agreed on this color scheme for the HT.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-8-08update110.jpg

The carpet is Shaw "Backstage" in "Heart" color, the GOM is the "Anchorage" in "Cobalt" for the wall treatments on the lower half of the wall, with red paint on top half of wall. Black paint ceiling and "Onyx" fabric for the screen wall.

I got my green glue yesterday since I thought we would be starting drywall this next week.

We spotted otters swimming in the creek and we are now considering the name "Otter Creek Cinema" for the theater.

Here are the framing updates.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-8-08update063.jpg

It rained

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-8-08update062.jpg

ALOT!

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-8-08update064.jpg

Not a dry space to work in.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-8-08update069.jpg

Finally got roof trusses set.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-8-08update071.jpg

Cut in the missing window.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-8-08update093.jpg

Got more rain.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-8-08update096.jpg

Finished roof, set windows and doors and tried to get the roof dried in so we wouldn't lose any more days, but it rained again. On the calendar it has been over two weeks since we started framing, but have only actually worked 6 days.

The HVAC contractor is coming in to start running the first floor runs and we should finish framing the basement tomorrow. If the weather holds, we will finally get the roof dried in tomorrow and the weather will no longer be an issue.

It is raining yet again, so instead of installing the exterior siding and front porch columns I will post the weekly update.

We finally got the framing finished, got the house weather proofed, completed HVAC and plumbing, and started wiring.

We are currently about 10 days behind schedule due to weather delays, but should be able to make some of that back up.

First update is on the framing of the basement.

When we designed the house, we didn't know exactly where the slope of the lot would be, and I was pleased to find out we had room to add another window to the basement to help bring in more light to the rec room/bar area.

Here is a picture of the basement framed per the original plan

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/FramingDay2023.jpg

And here it is after we added a new window.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update026.jpg

This picture is taken in the rec room area looking towards the HT entrance. The bar is on the right next to the stairs.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update032.jpg

This is looking at the front wall of the HT.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update034.jpg

This is the opening for the equipment rack. The rack is recessed into a mechanical closet that will also be lined with DD & GG.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update035.jpg

We then completed the underframing for the poured concrete stoop that acts as the ceiling of the safe room.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update020.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update021.jpg

This is what it looks like from inside the safe room.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update030.jpg

Next, the concrete porch was poured.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update076.jpg

And the house is completely weather proofed.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update050.jpg

I will post pictures of the mechanical work as well as an updated schedule in following posts.

How thick is that porch? I assume it's solid to weigh it town encase of a tornado? Any pictures of it during the poor, just really curious is all...

The stoop is 8" thick at the front and side where it bears on the foundation wall. We drilled the foundation wall and inserted re-bar that was epoxied in place to tie the stoop to the foundation. To cut down on the amount of concrete needed and reduce the weight on top of the overframing, we attached two layers of 2" thick styrofoam sheathing to the framed deck so the stoop is only 4" thick in the center. The rebar comes up through the vertical face of the stoop, makes a 90 degree bend and runs horizontally through the top 4", and then was tied back into the foundation on the other side. I don't think there is anything that is going to move it.

We covered the underframing with a .60 mil rubber to weatherproof the space before we did all the concrete work. You can see it sticking up from behind the concrete in the picture.

I took a couple pictures, but they did not come out and you can't make out any of the detail in them. My neighbor also took pictures and I am waiting to find out if his are clear and if I can get copies.

What type of door do you use to secure the secure room? Man, that is just crazy...

Are there ventilation holes? or does that defeat the purpose?

It will have a solid core, steel door, and there is a passive vent that will allow fresh air into the room. I hadn't considered if the vent would be an issue, but I can't imagine it would be.

Funston,

Any updates on your build? Very interested in your progress.

Regards,

RTROSE

Thanks RTR. As a matter of fact, I have quite a bit of progress to update on and since it is raining AGAIN, I have lots of time to post them.

My last update ended with the completion of all of the framing of the house. First up after framing was the plumbing and mechanicals.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update053.jpg

Had to plumb a "Chicago Loop" to vent the kitchen sink.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update062.jpg

Got the wet bar all plumbed.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update054.jpg

Installed Sterling "Ensemble" tub/shower combo units in the basement bathroom and kids bathrooms upstairs.

Not much exciting in the way of plumbing except for the Rinnai whole house tankless water heater which will be installed at trim stage.

Next up was HVAC. The install is pretty straightforward. The entire house got roughed in, but the theater only has a stub in for bot the supply and return air. The duct work inside the HT will be completed after the DD & GG go on the walls and ceiling. Here are the HVAC highlights so far.

Here are pictures of the thermostat controled zone damper before installation.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update078.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update079.jpg

And here it is installed.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update003.jpg

We added an air purification unit. This particular unit uses a MERV-16 media filter and anti-microbial lights to clean the air as it enters the unit. My daughter has asthma, and with this unit I don't ever worry about her having an attack.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update004.jpg

Once all the duct work was installed, I built the bulkheads around the duct runs in the rec room.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update017.jpg

Next post, electrical and low voltage wiring.

The electrical work started as soon as the HVAC was completed. There were a couple of things the electrician did/used that I think the AVS forum would be interested in.

First, I spoke to the electrician about using the Carlon adjustable boxes so we would be able to extend the box far enough out of the wall to allow for DD & GG and the wall treatments I am going to use. He gave me a puzzled look and asked why I wanted to waste my money on the adjustable box. I told him I didn't want to mess with extension rings and he told me he could set a standard electric box up to 2 inches out of the wall and I didn't need to waste my time or money on extension rings or adjustable boxes.

Instead, he used a Raco box that has the nails positioned farther back on the box than the Carlon boxes and he could set it up to 2" out. These boxes are made of a harder material and seem to be a bit more rigid than the Carlon boxes. Here is one installed.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-15-08Update064.jpg

Another interesting item that I had not seen used before is a Wago push in connector. This is used instead of wire nuts to make up connections in the box.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update072.jpg

What is really nice about these, is that if I decide later to pull another outlet or switch from one of the existing boxes, I don't have to undo the wire nut and un-twist the wires and then twist it all back together again. You can simply strip the new wire and it pushes into this bar without having to take anything else apart. It also leaves a lot more room in the wall boxes than regular wire nuts do as you can see here.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update073.jpg

I have not seen these at HD or Lowes, but found them on the internet for about the same cost as standard wire nuts.

He also used a different type of Raco metal box for the Grafik Eye. This box can be expanded by removing the end plate and attaching more "gang" openings.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update022.jpg

Other than the ceiling outlet for the projector and the wall outlets, the electric for the HT is not complete. My can lights are going in the soffit that isn't built yet, so right now, there is just wire hanging out of the ceiling. I won't waste a lot of time or bandwidth on the rest of the electric because there is plenty of information about general wiring in other threads.

As the electrician was finishing his wiring, it was time to start doing the low voltage.

I hired out the plumbing, HVAC and electrical because I needed to get it done much faster than I could have done myself, but I wanted to pull all of the low voltage wiring myself so that everything would be exactly where I wanted it, and I would know what was going where when it is time to trim everything out and install equipment.

I started by installing the wiring for a complete security system pulling CAT 5 for a whole house computer network.

Next I installed speaker wire and remote volume control wires for audio in the rec room and on the deck. Music will come from A/V receiver which has multi room functions and driven by an amp.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update033.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update031-1.jpg

I pulled RG-6 to the Satelite dish location so it would be inside the house and not running around the outside, and pulled 2 runs to each TV location in the house so I would be covered and could put a DVR anywhere.

Finally, I pulled the HDMI, Component Video and Cat 5 cables to the projector as well as run smurf tube for future upgrades.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update055.jpg

All of the low voltage wire was run to the area behind the HT where the equipment rack will be.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update058.jpg

The speaker wire for the HT has not been run yet. I have decided to run it in the soffits to limit the number of penetrations into the sound rated wall assembly, so that will be installed after drywall and the soffits are hung.

I passed all of my inspections on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, we sealed all of the ductwork,

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update076.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update030.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update074.jpg

And sealed all of the electric boxes and plate penetrations.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update070.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update077.jpg

Insulation is going in today, and drywall is being stocked tomorrow. There is a 4 man crew that is going to start hanging the drywall in the house tomorrow afternoon. One of those guys is going to help me hang the two layers of drywall in the HT on Saturday, and the taper/finisher will start on Monday. I should be able to start my soffits, riser and stage by Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, and pull the rest of my wiring for the theater by next Friday.

Got the insulation installed today. I am using a BIB (Blown-In-Blanket) system which is a much better product than regular insulation for thermal efficiency. It packs into the wall/ceiling cavity and forms a very tight, dense barrier. I had them blow this insulation into the theater walls and ceilings because its density will work as an outstanding sound dampener.

First, the walls are covered with a netting that holds the insulation in place.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update065.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update067.jpg

Insulation is pumped into the house.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update078.jpg

The installer cuts a small hole in the netting and fills the cavity with the loose fill fiberglass.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update090.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update091.jpg

Here is the insulation installed in the HT.

Looking towards the back of the room to the opening for the equipment rack.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-22-08Update096.jpg

Looking at the ceiling at the projector location.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-22-08Update097.jpg

I did not know that the BIB system should not be blown into a wall that is open on two sides. I did not have any plywood or drywall on site to seal one side of the front and side wall of the theater, so we just installed regular batt insulation in those walls.

Looking at front right corner of theater.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-22-08Update099.jpg

Looking at front left corner of theater. Entrance visible on the left side of the picture.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-22-08Update098.jpg

I used the Owens Corning "Pro Pink" blown in insulation. There are several other similar products, the most well known being Certainteed's "Optima" BIB system.

Some HD stores sell the loose fill insulation and will rent a portable blowing machine. The loose fill fiberglass is a little less expensive than batts, but the cost of renting the machine more than makes up the difference. If you are insulating for thermal resistance as well as sound, I highly reccommend using this type system because it is much more energy efficient and pays for itself in a matter of months.

Hey Chris are you still around? Do you need to be Loganed?

-Ryan

I have a question concerning your basement. Is there some reason you only poured 9 feet of concrete. I'm contemplating building and wanted my basement to have higher than normal ceilings so that it felt more spacious. I was thinking 10 foot ceilings so I would probably need a 12 foot basement. That would leave 2 feet above the ceilings for all the plumbing, electrical and HVAC. Is there a code issue or does it really jack up the cost?

Hey Chris are you still around? Do you need to be Loganed?

-Ryan

Hey Ryan,

I have actually been making good progress, but have not had much chance to post updates.

I have hit one HUGE snag in my build. The sale of the house I am currently living in has fallen through, so I have to slow this build way down so I don't get stuck with two mortgages. I will post pictures of what I have gotten done the last week or so later tonight.

I have a question concerning your basement. Is there some reason you only poured 9 feet of concrete. I'm contemplating building and wanted my basement to have higher than normal ceilings so that it felt more spacious. I was thinking 10 foot ceilings so I would probably need a 12 foot basement. That would leave 2 feet above the ceilings for all the plumbing, electrical and HVAC. Is there a code issue or does it really jack up the cost?

With a 9' pour, I have 8'-8" of ceiling height over 90% of my basement, and 7'-10" where the bulkheads for the HVAC runs are. The costs for pouring a deeper basement grow significantly the deeper you go. On my house, the cost to go from standard 8' pour to 9' was about $1,200. To go to 10' pour would have been over $5,000. Code requires that a wall taller than 9' tall has to also be poured wider (10" wide vs. 8"), so there is a lot more concrete involved. Code also requires more steel the taller you go. For myself, I didn't feel the additional foot of headroom was worth the added cost. Also, keep in mind that the taller you go, the longer your stair run has to be, and I did not want to give up any more floor space for the stairs.

If you want 10' basement ceilings, you don't need to pour 12'. all of your electric and plumbing should fit in the floor joist cavity, and the only bulkhead you would have would be at the trunk line for your HVAC. With planning, you can locate the trunk line so the 1' you lose there is kept to minimum.

If you have the budget and the space, then by all means, go for as deep a pour as you want, but IMO, you hit a point of diminising return over 9 or 10'.

<sidetrack>
You can also save room from the trunk like by going with radiant floor heat, although if you need cooling it doesn't perform as well as forced air in that regard (at least not that I'm aware of.)

</sidetrack>

Cool insulation and electrical info, and a promising looking room, Chris. Keep up the good work and keep posting, it's fun to follow such well documented builds.

Chris,

Sorry to hear about the sale of your home falling through...what a bummer.

I am very interested in the insulation you had blown in it looks very different than what I associate with typical blown in insulation. The blown in seems to be a pretty slick way to go. Cost wise how does it compare to the "bat" type insulation? I think the blown in would be the way to go with cavities that have all kinds of wires and boxes like we have in a HT.

Regards,

RTROSE

Thanks for the encouragement BFauska. I like the feel of a radiant heat floor. You get a very comfortable house heat wise, but you are correct, you still have to find another way to cool the home.

RTRose, the insulation is a great product. You are right that it does an awesome job insulating around wires and pipes. A typical batt needs to be split and installed around the wires and pipes, but you usually end up having gaps and areas of compression. While some of the accoustic experts on the forum have said that compressed insulation doesn't matter for sound, it does make a huge difference in thermal performance. I personally think that filling all the voids with a more dense product has to make some difference.

Cost wise, the material costs are about the same between this blown system and batts, but surprisingly, it is actually a little more labor intensive. It cost me about $600 more to use it on the entire house, but because the house is sealed more tightly, I was actually able to downsize my HVAC equipment and save some money there. Additionally, the better system will reduce my utility bills and will pay for itself in a year.

I prefer this particular blown system for a couple reasons. Blown cellulose insulation performs very well, but you have to add water to it as it is blown in, and that just goes against everything I have ever learned abut building. Plus, cellulose is the primary food for mold, so I prefer the loose fill fiberglass. The two part expanding foam systems work well if you have an installer that really knows what they are doing. I have done a couple remodels where we opened up walls that huge voids in the foam because it wasn't applied properly. The BIB system I used is so easy, even I could do it without messing it up.

Cool build out. Subscribed!

Cool build out. Subscribed!

+1

Nice build!

I hope that your other house sells soon so you can get back on track.

Scientest, TF Ghost, and cobolisdead, thanks for the encouragement. I am exploring other possibilities if the house doesn't sell, so hopefully the build does not get sidetracked.

PM sent

Funston -

Oh, man, bad luck on the sale. I have friend been trying to sell his for almost a year now. Hope yours goes faster. Youv'e been making really great progress. Great pics, too! keep it up, as best you can!

Good luck,
Tom

PM sent

Got it, sent a response.

Funston -

Oh, man, bad luck on the sale. I have friend been trying to sell his for almost a year now. Hope yours goes faster. Youv'e been making really great progress. Great pics, too! keep it up, as best you can!

Good luck,
Tom

Thanks for the encouragement Tom. We have been feeling a bit bummed out the last few days because we were making really good progress and getting excited about moving into the new house, but I am sure everything will work out just fine in the end.

Even with this glitch, I should still be finished before you are :)

I have slowed down the construction schedule on the new house a bit since the sale of my current home fell through, but we are still making progress and I thought I would update everyone on what we have accomplished.

I got a lot of siding material delivered to the house.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/4-24-08Update012.jpg

After several days of dealing with cold, wet weather, we had the exterior siding completed

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-9-08Update025.jpg

The masons will be out to install the stone accents this week and I should have the column material in by Tuesday to finish the porch columns and the exterior will essentially be done.

While we were hanging siding, I hired a drywall company to hang all the rock in the house.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-9-08Update036.jpg

This is looking at the theater with the wet bar on the right side of the room.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-9-08Update039.jpg

Inside the theater looking to the back right corner where the equipment closet is. The theater is double 5/8" drywall with green glue (2 tubes per 4x8 sheet). It is amazing how much more difficult it is to handle a sheet of drywall when you only have 2 inches on the edges to hold onto. The top sheet on the wall slipped, and you can see the green glue mess it left on the top of the sheet. It won't be an issue because it will be behind the bulkheads, but I am very glad it didn't get on one of the finished surfaces. This stuff is incredibly sticky. The two round sheetmetal sleeves are the HVAC supply lines for the HT. 6" round, insulated duct will be run through the bulk head to supply the HT.

After the drywall was textured, we installed the bulkheads.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-13-08Update005.jpg

I decided to clip the corners of the bulkhead to give the ceiling more of an octagon type shape.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-13-08Update010.jpg

Another view of the angled corner.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-13-08Update004.jpg

The hanging wires are the leads for the can lights that will be installed in the bulkhead.

The electrician is at the house today installing the cans and the electric meter to the house, and I started hanging the cabinets for the wetbar and kitchen.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-13-08Update006.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-13-08Update007.jpg

The cabinets are Cherry with a light "golden" stain. The finish is not actually that glossy, the camera flash just makes it look that way.

I hope to finish the cabinets and start the riser over the next few days.

Chris,

Looking good. Did you do the "knock down" style finish on your drywall. Here in Indiana it is just starting to become more popular here in the last 2-4 years and I am considering it for my HT. The cabinets look very nice. I really like the color. I hope you get your other home sold so you won't have that worry. Keep up the good work and keep the pics coming!

Regards,

RTROSE

Hey Chris I like the red. We did red tin eyebrows on the front of our place with vinyl shake. What kind of stone you using?

RTROSE- most builders here in CR are still doing a light orange peel for walls and ceilings. I haven't seen the knock down as of yet not even in the parade homes

Hey Chris I like the red. We did red tin eyebrows on the front of our place with vinyl shake. What kind of stone you using?

RTROSE- most builders here in CR are still doing a light orange peel for walls and ceilings. I haven't seen the knock down as of yet not even in the parade homes

I think that I just may have my terminology wrong. The "knock down" finish I was referring to looks a lot like an orange peel texture but possibly could be a heavier application where there it is not applied as heavily.

I was first introduced to the knock down/orange peel when our neighbors remodeled two summers ago and their drywall contractor did that texture on their walls. I then saw this done in some of the upper scale/parade homes around here but it is just now making its way to "standard homes" and is not the norm. I really like the look though and would like to do this type of finish in my basement.

Regards,

RTROSE

Ah yea I agree it looks good our whole house has it very light. In order to do a light coat like that you need real good drywall finishers as it doesn't hide anything. So what is the norm?

RTRose, yes we did textured walls and ceilings.

Orange peel and knock down are both types of texture, and we actually used both in the house. Orange peel is a lightly sprayed texture that gets a very light sanding after it has dried. As Jeff mentioned, you have to have a really good tape job under it because it does not hide imperfections well. We used this type of texture on the walls.

Knock down is applied by using a slightly heavier spray patern, and then the finisher lightly pulls a taping knife across it while it is still wet to create a very varied pattern in the finish. This is a great finish for ceilings because it does an excellent job of masking "flashing" which is a common problem on ceilings. Flashing is caused by the mud & tape of joints absorbing the primer and paint differently than the paper of the drywall does. It happens on walls too, but is most noticeable on ceilings. The texture eliminates that problem.

I will take some close up photos of the two pictures and post them next week.

Jeff, thanks for the compliment on the red. I was a little nervous about using it because Des Moines is pretty conservative when it comes to using color on exteriors of homes, but my wife talked me into it and I am really glad we used it. We have had a couple clients look at the siding on my house, and now they are changing their plans to include some color.

When I lived in Indianapolis in the early 90's, the norm for that area was smooth finished walls. I believe that is what they still do in most homes in the area. Am I right RT?

Hey Chris quick thanks for the extra case of Green Glue! Nice to meet you as well

Jeff,

You are very welcome. I am glad you will be able to use. It was nice meeting you and good luck with drywall hanging.

I took a couple pictures of the textured drywall. The first two pictures are the orange peel finish that is applied to the walls in the house and theater.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-20-08download014.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-20-08download015.jpg

The texture is very light and difficult to pick up in the photos, but once the walls are painted their final color, it will add a very nice finishing touch.

This is the knock down texture that is used on the ceilings.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-20-08download016.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-20-08download017.jpg

You can see that it is a much heavier application, but the knock down process give the ceiling a lot of character.

Riser construction update to follow.

I got the riser framed, completed some more trim work, and the electrician finished the can lighting and step lighting.

The riser is 12" tall with a 6" step on each end. I decided to frame a "wall" using pressure treated material for the base plate, some scrap 3/4" OSB and 2x4 material to fill out the height, and 2x4 top plate. I set 2x6 joists on top of these "walls", and the 3/4" subfloor brings the final height to 12". I decided to go this method because I will be running the cold air return vent through the riser as well as installing conduit for future cable runs and this was easier than boring through 2x12 material. Once the HVAC duct and conduit are installed, it will be heavily insulated.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-20-08download025.jpg

Here is the support wall built with pressure treated plate, layer of 3/4" OSB and two 2x4 plates.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-20-08download027.jpg

The riser carries through to the equipment closet. The rack will sit on top of the riser and conduit will run under it for future expansion.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-20-08download029.jpg

The step on the right side of the riser. There is a step on the left side as well.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-20-08download028.jpg

View of the back of the room with bulkhead and riser installed. I have about 7 feet of head room from top of the riser to bottom of the bulkhead, and 8' from riser to finished ceiling.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-20-08download030.jpg

Juno 4" airtight cans installed.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj224/CFunston/5-20-08download021.jpg

Finished trimming out the wetbar as well.


HVAC should be in to run the duct work through the bulkheads and return air in the riser today, and I am going to run the rest of the speaker wire in the bulkhead tonight so I can insulate it and get it sealed up.

If this is the slowed down version of the build I fear the speed up version. Great work, love the bar!

Are you placing sand or insulation in your riser?

Chris,

Thanks for the photos on the two different finishes both look very nice. I actually think my neighbor used the knock down finish on his walls because it looks just like the texture on your ceiling.

Here in Indiana plain ole walls still reign supreme and the textured finishes while becoming more prevalent still are far from the norm. You are right on the money with your previous statement. It seems all the good ideas (and bad ones too) take a while to reach Indiana from either coast or in your case from farther inland. Indiana is conservative in more ways than just politically I guess. You lived here for a while so you know what I'm talking about.

Keep up the good work.

Regards,

RTROSE

Hey Chris I noticed you hung the rock before the doors. I know the is normally the case but have read on here which makes sense to hang the doors first to get a good fit (drywall to Jamb). You have any thoughts on this method?

Mastiff, it has been difficult to slow the process down. Half of my brain keeps wanting to push to get it done and see everything completed and the other half keeps trying to push things off.

RTROSE, thanks for the encouragement. Both of my sisters live in Indy, and they hate their smooth walls. One of them has a Beazer home in Westfield and you can see nearly every single stud when the sun hits the wall in the afternoon. As more people ask for the finish, it gets more economical.

Jeff, I have seen that method here too, and while I understand the theory behind it, the process would not work well when you are trying to sheet rock an entire house. It seems to me, that the opening would have to be cut before you hang the rock because a roto-zip will tear the wood jambs apart if you cut it in place. I saw another builder piece in around the opening, but this is a sure fire way to get drywall cracking at the corners of the doors. For the HT, I plan to seal the void between the jamb and framing/drywall with accoustic caulk before applying the casing.

Yep definitely need to cut prior to hanging. Have to love the rotozip- I got pretty good with it after hanging all the drywall in the basement of the old place

Nice looking bar (and riser) Chris! I used the great-stuff spray-foam insulation between my door jamb and the wall. I am also much more concerned about my room sounding good, than about sound isolation. Just a thought,

-Ryan

Hey Funston,
Your build popped into my mind today. I intially missed your posting about the riser, looks good. I like the way it carries into the equipment closet, very nice.

Anything new going on?

Yoo Hoo... anybody home. Whats going on in here...

Did I hear an echo....