http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=10777948#post10777948

I guess this reiterates "Everything is relative".

At least he "didn't blow the bank on it". Must be a bigger bank than I'm used to.

he’s happy to let system installer Allwired Technologies use it as a showcase.
Translation - he paid for materials, everything else was comp'd :D

Green glue, Grafix Eye, eight seats, Crestron, re-routed ductwork....

I think he did pretty well at that price point! I think Bailey151 has it nailed....

Does anyone think that even at a 45K price tag, that constitutes a "budget" theater. If so, I am in big trouble.

It heavily depends on what you are talking about. Adding an addition? Room construction in an existing room? Slapping some treatments on the walls of an existing room?

The other big variable: are you doing it yourself?

Rebuilding my room, green glue/double drywall, double floor, new screen wall, stage, riser: likely cost ~$6k ($1k gg, $1k drywall/OSB, $1k nail gun/chop saw/other tools, $1k all those random trips to HD, $1k for carpet, $1k for wall treatment supplies)

The carpet/treatment estimates are a guess, I haven't gotten that far yet.

When you get into equipment, it totally varies based on what you want and what you have.

I'll probably spend:
- $5k Projector
- $3k prepro/amps
- $2k DIY speakers
- $1-2k subs
- $1k DIY smx 120" wide 2.39:1 screen
- $500 PS3
- $2k HTPC

~$15k on equipment.

Add $3k for seating and I'll be at $25k for my DIY theater. If I was having a contractor plan it and build it, I could easily see it costing $45k. I'm not sure I'd call mine a 'budget HT', however.

On a budget, you could easily chop $10k off the equipment ($1k projector, $500 receiver, $2k speakers, paint the screen, etc.). If you are just adding treatments to an existing room (little/no construction cost), that can be done for $1k or less.

The wide variation makes it very difficult to compare one project to the next.

Does anyone think that even at a 45K price tag, that constitutes a "budget" theater. If so, I am in big trouble.

I guess like the OP said...it's all relative. I'm with you though, my budget theater (and I mean budget) looks really nice, sounds good, and all my family/friends love it, but it's not close to most of the theaters I see on these forums. To 'ME', $45K would have been way over the top for my budget. My house only cost 3.5x as much as that room..LOL. Some of these folks must be older with a great deal of retirement money, have massive paying professions, or hit the lottery. My idea of a Budget theater was around $8K for the construction and the equipment (and I had most the equipment for a few years before I built the HT). This reminds me, I need to upload some new pics to my gallery and post a real "Budget HT". The pics I have now are older and I've changed it a little.

That theater could very well be bundled into his mortgage, and represent an extra $100 a month in mortgage payments. Sound a little more reachable now?

That theater could very well be bundled into his mortgage, and represent an extra $100 a month in mortgage payments. Sound a little more reachable now?

Could be. But most HTs I see on here are built after their house is built. To each their own, but I wouldn't want to finance my equipment, furniture, etc. from a Home Theater for 15 or 30 years. I'm not trying to debate how people spend their money, I was commenting with the others that $49K doesn't sound like a 'budget' theater.

Could be. But most HTs I see on here are built after their house is built. To each their own, but I wouldn't want to finance my equipment, furniture, etc. from a Home Theater for 15 or 30 years. I'm not trying to debate how people spend their money, I was commenting with the others that $49K doesn't sound like a 'budget' theater.


It does sound budget, when compared to HT that are 150k to 500k which I have seen many of.

I consider mine to be budget since we did all work ourselves used alternate materials used seats etc. but my equipment is expensive compared to many. though still not in the over 100K league.

Add $3k for seating and I'll be at $25k for my DIY theater. If I was having a contractor plan it and build it, I could easily see it costing $45k. I'm not sure I'd call mine a 'budget HT', however.
Well.........it is really, you did have a budget, right? :)

It's all relative - pretty good bang for the buck "hobby" all around. Want to talk serious $$$ check into reef keeping ;) $45,000 will get you a 8'x3'x3'.....not even a whole room - lol.

All this stuff is relative.

Well.........it is really, you did have a budget, right? :)

It's all relative - pretty good bang for the buck "hobby" all around. Want to talk serious $$$ check into reef keeping ;) $45,000 will get you a 8'x3'x3'.....not even a whole room - lol.

All this stuff is relative.


You got it. That's why I stressed Relative in my other posts. I mean for me, personally, that's not budget. I'm sure a Doctor building a "Budget" room would be much more than my "Budget". And yes, I laugh everytime I hear it too....everyone does it on some sort of "Budget". I think the term Budget has been defined here as a lesser expensive option than some of the glamorous HTs that are on here (which I drool over).

I think the term Budget has been defined here as a lesser expensive option than some of the glamorous HTs that are on here (which I drool over).
Sorry, I was being a smart*ss.....but then I drool over the budget HT's :D

That theater could very well be bundled into his mortgage, and represent an extra $100 a month in mortgage payments. Sound a little more reachable now?

In the US, $45k worth of HT rolled into his mortgage would equal roughly $450 extra in payments a month, not $100, assuming a fixed rate/no funny business mortgage.

Maybe I should have dragged out a mortgage book, and it seems I was way low with the $100. However, I wasn't thinking of burying the electronics in a mortgage. (I don't consider that a wise move.)

As for affording luxuries, I always have been of the mind that maybe I can't afford everything I'd like, but I sure can afford any one thing I really want. Like the theater I am building.

As for that room being a budget build, it is, relative to what's in there, and it being a "turn key" room. I just want to know how they accomplished so much for what appears to me to be an attractive price.

I just checked, I could borrow that $45k for that turn key room for $300 a month.