Okay after our last visit to the movie theater with our 6 year old son to see a kid’s movie, my wife looked at me and said “I want a Home Theater”:) :) I have been talking about having a HT for quite sometime now and nearly passed out when she said that:)!! The bad part is the timing for me is going to be very tough. I am a diy kind of guy and a very picky person, not to mention I can’t afford to have someone install one for me. I love to research my task and get great ideas from awesome sites like this one. I really don’t have the time to research like I want to, because I am in school full time and work full time. So I would love as much input and advice from the pros on what to do and what to avoid. I will somehow do most of the work myself. I am in the process of getting quotes for having HVAC installed in my unfinished basement. I am nervous about the price of this. I have someone coming out everyday for the next 5 days to give me quotes. I want this room to be a place where our son will want to bring his friends to when he is older, so I would like to install 8 to 10 seats if possible and as large a screen as I can. I am not a big fan of the bars on the screens or a stretched looking image. So much info here on this site and I know so little about any of it. That is until now!! We love our big screen HD TV and want to take it to the next level. Here are a few pictures of the canvas I have to work with and the dimensions of the room. The room is 15' wide by 20' to 21' long. The ceiling is 8' 10" tall to the floor joist of the room above and 8' 4" to the plumbing on the left. Above the room is the kitchen. I need to learn how too insert the pictures into the post. Thank you in advance for all your input.:D
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm204/cjwells30/P4140046.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm204/cjwells30/P4140044.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm204/cjwells30/P4140042.jpg

CJWells,

Looks like a nice clean space to work with. Especially with the taller ceilings.
If you can share a layout sketch - you are likely to get a lot of responses.

CJ, the goods news is you've got what looks to be an almost perfect space to work with. Based on your post, here's my advice; if you can, take your time, and I think you'll end up with a theater you're very happy with. Read a lot (starting here http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=978755), and get ideas from members who have rooms similar to yours.

You say you're the handy type, but busy...so again, you don't have to rush things; building the room is a labor of love, and some here take years not months getting done. Gather ideas, share them here for some feedback...do what you can, when you can. If you run into problems, or an area you're not sure about, post it here...usually with some pictures is a good idea...and the Forum will get you through it.

Welcome to the brotherhood!

CD

Curious - How many of your walls are exterior cinder block walls?

The reason I ask; for those walls I think you will want to cover with polystyrene foam board (the blue or pink stuff), then place studs over the top of the rigid foam board.

Of course you need to finalize your layout plan first. :)

Is using foam board against the foundation code where you live Craig ? ... not required here ... just have to have a vapour barrier covering outside of studs on exterior walls

Not code for me. but based on the studying here in the forum seems to be the best choice. (BTW - I ended up going with 2nd best choice, from concrete wall, a small airspace, then unfaced batt insulation, and no vapor barrier , then drywall)

Since you are having quotes on HVAC one of the critical elements in containing the sound in the theater is to plan your HVAC such that little of the sound can pass through duct work to the rest of the house. If the basement is going to be connected to the system servicing the first floor you need to use duct work that can absorb sound. Metal ducts are worst, Duct board better, and true acoustical duct is best.

see product 6 here:

http://www.flexmasterusa.com/ProductGallery/FabricDuctInsulated/tabid/67/Default.aspx

As for a closed space theater IT WILL GET HOT. you need to plan a really heavy dose of HVAC and you need both supplies and returns in the theater itself. Anything resembling duct work going to a typical bedroom will be undersized.

The white walls are poured concrete that are 8" thick. I coated the walls with Drylok sealer. I coated the floors with an epoxy sealer. The insulated wall on the right has my patio on the other side of it. I have attached a quick sketch of my room. Thanks all for the support and advice.:)

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm204/cjwells30/Picture2.png

I decide to learn how to insert pictures into my posts. I edited my previous post to make it a better view of my pictures. :D

It appears that HVAC is going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of $6000 dollars.:eek: I still have several more quotes coming though.

I paid around $5100 to have HVAC (it handles heat as well) installed for my basement only. This included:

1. Ductwork with 4 supplies (three in the theater, 1 in the bathroom), 2 returns. Main trunk is insulated tin, with flex duct for all branches.
2. 1 1/2 ton Goodman compressor (outdoor unit)
3. Air handler with additional heating coil
4. Adding a zone to my oil boiler (rest of the house is baseboard heat) and tying it into the new air handler.
5. 40' of copper lineset.
6. condensation pump
7. digital thermostat
8. labor, including electrical hookups

Depending on size of the unit and how extensive the duct work will be, $6000 sounds like it could be in the right ballpark.

A mini split might be cheaper, but you'd probably need more than one unit for the whole basement + theater and in that case, you'd be back up in the same price range.


This was prior to having the 4th zone added to the boiler and being hooked up to the air handler:

http://www.mostlyharmless.org/theater/ac4.jpg

It appears that HVAC is going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of $6000 dollars.:eek: I still have several more quotes coming though.

My HVAC for the basement (about 1600 finished sq ft) was $6700, for rheem furnace, ac, ductwork etc, and install.

I have a 100amp sub from the main 220 in my basement now. How much do I really need for my theater room? I hope to put in a 7.1 surround sound system and butt kickers at some point. Not sure about my projector yet, but I think I might go with a 120" ish curved 2.35:1 screen(need to learn much more about this), I would love and hope to do a star ceiling:)

cjwells,

Once your lighting is accounted for; I would add 2 dedicated 20amp circuits for equipment, this will leave you with headroom for future proofing.

As for HVAC budget; 6K$ sounds high, especially if only for additional ductwork, perhaps this price includes replacement of, or addition of furnace/AC units?

cjwells,

Once your lighting is accounted for; I would add 2 dedicated 20amp circuits for equipment, this will leave you with headroom for future proofing.

As for HVAC budget; 6K$ sounds high, especially if only for additional ductwork, perhaps this price includes replacement of, or addition of furnace/AC units?
cuzed2,

The HVAC quotes are for a complete install. My other units are in the attic along with the ductwork. I asked about the electrical because my main 220 only has enough room for half the system. The other half would have to go on my 100 sub in the basement. At least that is what I am being told right now. I still have several quotes to come.

Are there any experience HT design people in my general are? If anyone knows of a reputable designer near me I would be interested talking to them. I have been reading and reading on this site, wow information overload. I would consider a designer for the layout and design drawings; I would be the builder/installer of course.:D