With a small 17' X 11' room, is it worth it to have a professional company build a dedicated home theater for me? I would rather choose the parts but I like someone to put it together. For instance, I could have that company look at some of the nice small dedicated theater room that are found on this forum then I would pick out the speakers, other electrical equipments, carpet, wall material, and have them build it, since I am not that good of a handy man.

Also, how much does it usually run to build one without the equipment cost?

You're not the first and won't be the last to ask an unanswerable question on this forum.

If you are 'loaded' and don't want to build it yourself than hire someone...

As far as how much it costs - that's impossible to say. It can cost whatever you have budget for.

You're not the first and won't be the last to ask an unanswerable question on this forum.

If you are 'loaded' and don't want to build it yourself than hire someone...

As far as how much it costs - that's impossible to say. It can cost whatever you have budget for.

Fair enough. Now that I think about it, it is a pretty stupid question. I guess I should just leave it to the professionals and ask them about their estimates on how much it would cost and then make the decision from there.

This is a pretty big project.

Another thing that I have to think about is when to do it. Should I have it built before I move into this new home or have them do it while I am living in it. It is not a brand new home.

It comes down to what is the best combo of skill, time, knowledge and money. You can mix and match as you see fit. In my last build, and in my next I will hire out the general build elements, but focus on the final trim, equipment, LV wiring and general design. Many DIY a lot more, but its not required.

If you want acoustic treatments and sound isolation, unless you hire the best (e.g. Dennis Erskine) you will need to cultivate some knowledge to get your contractors to build at that level or hire a designer to provide them with plans (e.g. Dennis again, and others) which you will need to supervise.

Don't rush into things and buy the projector last (the tech improves the most on price and performance each year).

Not bad advice. Those who can't do - teach. ;)

Learn enough that you can be very clear with how you want your contractors to procede, at the very least. You may not be handy enough to do the work, but you should be at least able to instruct them clearly on what you want done. Most contractors won't know crap about HT building. But again this all really depends on what you are considering a HT room.

If you're talking a regular room with a big screen in it, no worries.

If you're talking a regular room with a big screen in it, no worries.

This will be my first build and want to make it look similar to this:


http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=996159

The person (Rob) who did this is very skilled and his theater room looks great. I want mine to look like that.
Looking at his thread is very inspirational but at the same time very intimidating for me to think of the skill and the time that I have to have to accomplish that task.

I want it to also have sound proof quality because my wife hates loud noise. The sound proofing requirement is what I think I need a contractor the most. I am not sure I can break down walls and install sound proofing materials on my own. Do you have to actually break down walls or can you just add a sound proofing layer on top of the walls and floors?

I guess I should just leave it to the professionals
Define "professional".
You're thinking remodel contractor, yes? For what you want to do, that is not going to meet the definition of "professional". The simple reason is if they have not previously built a purpose built, sound isolated acoustic space, then what you're going to get is not going to be what you're expecting to get (and I don't mean the guy that did the home theater down the street, across the way, etc.). I am not suggesting the contractor is bad, poor, sleezy or just shoddy. This is specialized work. Even the order of construction is different than a GC would expect. (For example, we just completely tore out a room by just such a GC and did it over ... not a bad GC, just didn't grasp what needed to be done.) That was an expensive mistake.

In your last post, you mentioned "sound proof quality". The plans you get for such a project are very specific, highly detailed and the contractor will be 'lost' without outside guidance. (Just because you can drive a car or fly MS-FlightSim doesn't mean you can fly the real McCoy.).

So, in the end, you're going to need someone to design a very specific set of construction plans (not Visio put this here plans). You're going to want someone to build the room (turnkey) that has done this before OR you're going to want your design firm on site once a week to mentor your builder. (And, I mean "design firm" that is specialized in this area of work...not the home theater store down the street.)

Quote:
I guess I should just leave it to the professionals

Define "professional".
You're thinking remodel contractor, yes? For what you want to do, that is not going to meet the definition of "professional". The simple reason is if they have not previously built a purpose built, sound isolated acoustic space, then what you're going to get is not going to be what you're expecting to get (and I don't mean the guy that did the home theater down the street, across the way, etc.). I am not suggesting the contractor is bad, poor, sleezy or just shoddy. This is specialized work. Even the order of construction is different than a GC would expect. (For example, we just completely tore out a room by just such a GC and did it over ... not a bad GC, just didn't grasp what needed to be done.) That was an expensive mistake.

In your last post, you mentioned "sound proof quality". The plans you get for such a project are very specific, highly detailed and the contractor will be 'lost' without outside guidance. (Just because you can drive a car or fly MS-FlightSim doesn't mean you can fly the real McCoy.).

So, in the end, you're going to need someone to design a very specific set of construction plans (not Visio put this here plans). You're going to want someone to build the room (turnkey) that has done this before OR you're going to want your design firm on site once a week to mentor your builder. (And, I mean "design firm" that is specialized in this area of work...not the home theater store down the street.)
__________________
D. Erskine
The Erskine Group
Architectural Acoustics
Cinema Design/Build - Worldwide
www.erskine-group.com

Dennis's advise is spot on. That is a nice looking theater Rob built. Without extensive construction experience, and extensive knowledge of home theater construction techniques, I wouldn't attempt to build a theater like that myself. And I have 31+ years of commercial construction experience. If you are on a budget and just building a media room where soundproofing and other specialized theater construction techniques aren't needed or desired, it might be a different story IMO.

....and I won't make a winter ascent on Mt. Moran (again). :D

Define "professional".


Dennis, I appreciate the input.

When I say professional, I am talking about companies like yours. I just saw your post and read your signature and read an earlier reply in which someone mentioned your name and I realized that you represent that type of professional that I am talking about.

Like I said, this is a big project and an expensive one. I rather have it done right the first time to save money and time. Even if I have some construction skill the time that is put in to build a theater like Rob's would probably be more than the time I go out to work and earn to money to pay for such service. Time is money. I also look at a professional work as an investment because the value of a house may go up and worth more if it is being sold to someone who like to have a home theater room in the house.

Dennis, too bad your company is in GA and I am in San Diego, CA. I need to find a company like yours locally so that I can ask questions and perhaps see some of their work in person.
Your site indicates very professional work and it even looks like it is done for wealthy people. I still don't know how much it would cost (approximately of course) for a small theater room like Rob's. It looks more affordable than in your (Dennis's website).

Yup. Too bad it's San Diego. The furthest South we've built in Calif is Atherton. :)

For the record, we have had (or currently have) projects in the Caribbean, Bosnia, Greece, the UK, Denmark (cold in the winter), and a few others.

For the record, we have had (or currently have) projects in the Caribbean, Bosnia, Greece, the UK, Denmark (cold in the winter), and a few others.

Those are for multi-millionairs or multi-bilionairs I am assuming (judging from some of the galleries in your website) :D