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The RTROSE (take my sweet time) HT Construction Thread

305K views 2K replies 170 participants last post by  kezug 
#1 ·

Well I even debated if I should even start a HT construction thread, but I figured "What the hey" I don't have anything to lose and I have lots to gain from you all here at AVS.


As the title states I will be taking my sweet time with this project for several reasons.


1) Like many of you I have a family, job, and other things all clamoring for my time/attention.


2) When it comes to home improvement and home projects I am just slow. It is just the way I'm wired, much to the chagrin of my better half, but I'm not speedy when it comes to construction.


3) Budget limitations due to this being a total finishing out of the basement to include a dedicated HT, workout area, storage, and a kids multi-media "hangout" room.


The actual HT will be approximately 13 x 20 with 7.5 foot ceilings and I am still in the actual planning stages of the HT but have started "banging nails" for the kids area. This alone is getting me excited for the HT part.


There are many things still left to plan regarding the HT and this site really does not help due to the fact my plans keep changing from all the new info I get from here from AVS.


As time allows I provide some pics of what is going on, but first off those of you having built a HT is it better to build a screen wall that is AT and lose some valuable space, or is it better to keep the space and place the speakers on stands or floor next to the screen?


This is the biggest dilemma at the moment. I had just planned on using speaker mounts and placing the speakers to the side and under the screen and after seeing some of the theaters here I have appreciated the clean look of the theaters where the speakers are not visible.


Here I go slowly into this amazing journey. Hopefully I will be done in time for my oldest's graduation party in 2013!


Regards,


RTROSE


Well at the request of a poster later on in my build I have just now (4-23-09) gotten around to putting in a floor plan on this my first post. Sorry for the crude nature of the floor plan but I am in the learning stages of using Google Sketchup. Here ya go.




Ok at the request of the same poster (Drew you pesky devil you) who wanted a stick and paper representation here is a traditional drawing of my basement.




Hope this satisfies you Drew and all others who are wondering what the basement set up actually is.


Regards,


RTROSE

 

EDIT:  Thought it would be nice for those of you who start out with the first post to have some before and after shots to know how I got from here to "almost finished".

 

Kids media room.

 



 

 



 

 

Theater

 



 

 



 

 

Maybe these pics will encourage you to read further, or maybe not.  It has been quite the journey though, why not come along for the ride.
 
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#277 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cathan /forum/post/16700785


The Oppo BR is starting to ship. I passed up my pre-order slot, but intend to pick one up in a few months.

Yeah, I passed on mine too. I have given that unit a lot of thought for the dedicated space, but the price on the Pioneer unit is quite a bit less than the OPPO and for the kids area I just don't need a "big gun" like the OPPO.


Regards,


RTROSE
 
#278 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by RTROSE /forum/post/16700451



My wife and I are now trying to decide on colors for the kids area as this will be the first area finished. We are considering anything and everything besides blues as that is reserved for the theater. Any color combination's ya all want to throw out as suggestions feel free to do so because at this point it is wide open.

Scarlet and Grey gets my vote...
 
#280 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by smakovits /forum/post/16702805


Scarlet and Grey gets my vote...

Hmmm..... That is an interesting combo, one that I have not thought of, and I do like both of those colors. Thanks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by indygreg /forum/post/16703506


MR ROSE! YOU HAVE WALLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


haven't checked in for a while. it is coming along nicely. you must be jazzed.


greg

Yup, I'm really pumped. I had been staring at studded walls and electrical wiring for so long I still have to pinch myself when I go down there. The best part is now that it is taking shape my wife is getting excited as well.


Regards,


RTROSE
 
#281 ·
Just a short update.


Today I was able to finish my "water intrusion" prevention program. The weather finally cooperated and coincided with time off so I was able to remove the OSB boards covering my window wells and replace them with the clear covers. I siliconed the joint between the window well and the foundation to keep water seeping through and then used some construction adhesive to keep the clear window wells in place and when the adhesive dries I'll go back and silicone the edge for a little extra insurance.


My drywall guy has finished the ceiling texture and will be back on Monday to start sanding. He also said if I would provide the materials he would prime the drywall for a couple of hundred bucks. I said "sold" with out much thought prompting him to retort I should have asked for 400.00. Both of us got a chuckle from that. There are a couple of places he'll need to touch up but no big problems.


As has always been the plan the kids area is the first to get the finishing touches and this is the area my wife wants done before Christmas (she really wants it all done but.....) and if things keep going this should be a reachable goal.


Sorry smakovits the wife vetoed the scarlet and gray. Thought it was a good suggestion so don't let that stop you from throwing some more ideas my way. Your suggestions do go before the "high court".


Regards,


RTROSE
 
#282 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by smakovits /forum/post/16702805


Scarlet and Grey gets my vote...

hmmmm Buckeye fan I would bet
 
#283 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffC /forum/post/16731701


hmmmm Buckeye fan I would bet

Things to ponder.............did not think of that. Good point. I'm thinking that combo would be better than the Black and Gold of Purdue though, but not as good as the Cream and Crimson of IU.



Regards,


RTROSE
 
#284 ·
RTROSE


"Those that HAVE had water in their basement and those that WILL have water in their basement."


Well, although I don't have a theater down there, the basement is finished and after 20 years, I've never had a water problem (knock on dry wood).
 
#285 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by md1953 /forum/post/16732323


RTROSE


"Those that HAVE had water in their basement and those that WILL have water in their basement."


Well, although I don't have a theater down there, the basement is finished and after 20 years, I've never had a water problem (knock on dry wood).

DUDE...NO you just did not say that! What in the blue blazes are you THINKING man!!!!!


I'm glad to hear that for 20 yrs. you have not had that first issue, I sure hope your luck continues. If you are fortunate to live in an area with sandy soil your battle is already half won. I live in a very clay rich soil area which holds lots of moisture and water. But that is not why I actually had water in my basement. I still stand (unfortunately) by my statement though as most people I know have had water in their basement at some point in time.


Regards,


RTROSE
 
#286 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by RTROSE /forum/post/16732593

DUDE...NO you just did not say that! What in the blue blazes are you THINKING man!!!!!


I'm glad to hear that for 20 yrs. you have not had that first issue, I sure hope your luck continues. If you are fortunate to live in an area with sandy soil your battle is already half won. I live in a very clay rich soil area which holds lots of moisture and water. But that is not why I actually had water in my basement. I still stand (unfortunately) by my statement though as most people I know have had water in their basement at some point in time.


Regards,


RTROSE


The laundry room is down there (steel jacketed supply lines, of course) and we did have an interesting occurence a few years back. The washer would not drain, so I used the shop vac to see if I could clear whatever was in the drain. Worked like a champ as I heard a thump in the bottom of the vac. Opened it up and found a......dead rat! Very nice. I don't know what he was up to, he didn't respond to questioning



The drywall makes all the difference, defining the space. Hope you've conquered your water problems.


Hate to say it, but it looks like your Colts will be embarrassed on national TV come November 15th. Sorry about that.
 
#287 ·

Quote:
Well, although I don't have a theater down there, the basement is finished and after 20 years, I've never had a water problem (knock on dry wood).

Neither did I until last year when Hannah blew through AND MY SUMP PUMP FAILED. Three inches of water and a removed dricore subfloor later, I'm just now getting ready to replace it. Fortunately, I didn't have any drywall up and got the water out within about 2 hours so there have been no long-term effects. Still have a boatload of "stuff" stored in the garage that came out of the basement, but luckily we lost very little more than cardboard boxes.


Don't kid yourself. Fortunately, I was paying for the additional flood rider on my homeowner's insurance.
 
#288 ·
Logan,


I knew you had water issues but had forgotten how it happened. Under normal circumstances most of us would still be basement owners that WILL have water not HAVE had water, but then again we're not talking normal circumstances. Yours was a hurricane, mine was a torrential down pour of biblical proportions, and I would guess prior to our "issues" that both of us would have said all is well in our basement.


Unfortunately I still stand by my statement and to all that have not had water issues yet I continue to wish you the best of luck.......my it continue to hold.


Now back to our regularly scheduled build.


My drywaller finished up the finishing work and sanding today and tomorrow he sprays the primer and if all goes well will be finished tomorrow. I am so happy that I have not had to do the drywall, but boy I still can't escape the mess. There is drywall dust everywhere. Those who have done or are at the drywall stage know exactly what I'm talking about.


Now I'm looking for colors for the kids area and going to be starting the sanding process for my basement doors.


The wife is having/wanting some input regarding the kids area and the common theme surfacing is brown. When I asked her why brown she stated it was a color we really haven't done as a theme before. Not sure about the browns yet as I have not seen a brown color pallet that moves me...........Stay tuned!


Regards,


RTROSE
 
#289 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by md1953 /forum/post/16734474


Hate to say it, but it looks like your Colts will be embarrassed on national TV come November 15th. Sorry about that.

Oh now not too fast there buddy boy. Time will tell but I think a Patriot whooping is in the air. I am very curious to see how this new coaching staff leads the team, but I'm confident the Colts will find their groove by the time they meet the Pats. Sorry, but it's the Pats that will be embarrassed when the day is done.



Regards,


RTROSE
 
#291 ·
I've been following your work (and Cathan's) for quite a while. Basically living vicariously through your builds. LOL


Looking really nice.


Like I learned at a former job. You can have any two of the following: SPEED, QUALITY, or PRICE.



I only did a small bar area, and I completely understand the drywall dust issue!! http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1137605

That small area coated everything in our house (even with teh AC units off) with a light layer of dust and we're still finding several weeks later. UGH.


Anyway, maybe with the drywall and priming done, it'll give your motivator a swift kick in the rear and you can meet your deadline.


again, Nice work so far....
 
#292 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnsteph10 /forum/post/16743242


RPh Drew actually gave some good advice (there is a 1st time for everything!
) -- vacuum/wipe everything down then rent a rug doctor and use it with just water on the floor.


It is absolutely amazing how much crap it gets up off of the concrete.


Yep, I tend to agree with ya that Drew finally came through with an idea that was actually worth something. Although in my application I can't take advantage of the Rug Doctor because of the flooring system I have is topped by OSB which HATES to be wet so soaking it with a Rug Doctor is not going to work. I would use the RD if I was just on bare concrete though, perfect solution.


Quote:
Originally Posted by rgroves /forum/post/16745919


I've been following your work (and Cathan's) for quite a while. Basically living vicariously through your builds. LOL


Looking really nice.


Like I learned at a former job. You can have any two of the following: SPEED, QUALITY, or PRICE.



I only did a small bar area, and I completely understand the drywall dust issue!! http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1137605

That small area coated everything in our house (even with teh AC units off) with a light layer of dust and we're still finding several weeks later. UGH.


Anyway, maybe with the drywall and priming done, it'll give your motivator a swift kick in the rear and you can meet your deadline.


again, Nice work so far....

Thanks for the kind words, and glad you have been following my (and Cathan's) threads. It is always nice to know that your work is being followed and appreciated, although Cathan's build is a couple of notches higher than mine due to the beautiful woodwork and the IB setup he is doing.


I'm hoping that once the priming is done I can get back down there and give the space a good cleaning and then get to work securing the floor and on to sanding and staining the doors and woodwork. Cathan said at one point that drywall marks the halfway point and looking at it right now I would say it is more like 40% vs. 50% but like the 10% really matters at this point.



Regards,


RTROSE
 
#293 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by RTROSE /forum/post/16748184


I'm hoping that once the priming is done I can get back down there and give the space a good cleaning and then get to work securing the floor and on to sanding and staining the doors and woodwork. Cathan said at one point that drywall marks the halfway point and looking at it right now I would say it is more like 40% vs. 50% but like the 10% really matters at this point.



Regards,


RTROSE

Ha! Don't sell yourself short. Getting halfway done is a huge accomplishment, and let's be honest. That last 10% of the project we all know gets done many, many moons after the first movie is played in the theater. In terms of just the passing of time, I would venture to guess is that the last 10% may take as long as the first 50%.



I can tell you this though, post drywall, the work get's a lot more fun. With each step you can "see" the direct impact on your final project. It really helps motivate you to keep going.
 
#294 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by RTROSE /forum/post/16748184


I'm hoping that once the priming is done I can get back down there and give the space a good cleaning and then get to work securing the floor and on to sanding and staining the doors and woodwork. Cathan said at one point that drywall marks the halfway point and looking at it right now I would say it is more like 40% vs. 50% but like the 10% really matters at this point.


Like Cathan said, it's that 10% that makes a HUGE difference. I thought I'd never finish my bar until I got the drywall finshed. Then when I got it painted it really pushed me to get working on it. Until them it was the dreaded hole I was working on...then if became the alcove I was working on, and once the cabinets were test fitted I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel.


I only wish I had an area to make into a HT. Our current house just isn't right for a dedicated HT. A house we looked at before this one would've had a great HT with a fireplace already built in to the room and a connected office for the gear and my office. But they wanted too much, the house was much older, and many other rooms in teh house were small and odd shaped. Curse you early 70's houses, and your blasted designs!! That's why I'm living vicariously through you guys...
 
#295 ·
rgroves,


I sure hope I can continue to live up to your expectations, living vicariously through me may be/could be an excruciating process! I'm getting motivated again to get back down there to start again.


My wife came home yesterday from Lowe's with a bazillion paint samples. She laid them all out and then said "hey why don't you try to pick the ones I like" Sheesh.....I would have had better luck picking the winning lottery numbers. We wanted to come up with a scheme we have not used before so that sort of limits our options. We have done a combination in differen rooms of the house of blues, browns/reds, greens/reds. yellow/white, and faux finishes so we are trying to be creative and tasteful in our application too.


BTW who comes up with all of these paint names....Cowboy Boots, Thunder Gray, Fishnet, Book Cloth Brown, Chocolate Curl..........makes your head spin, and to top it all off she made mention of going carpet shopping today too. AAAAAACK!!!!!!!!! I'm not ready for that anguish yet! Information overload!!!!!!


On a sad note my drywaller showed up yesterday to finish and prime, got his spraying equipment set up made a couple of passes and his sprayer "exploded" (according to the wife) and he had packed up and was gone by the time I got home. I called him and he is not happy about the situation (obviously) but I think he is more stressed about the delay in getting my job done and of course the cost of the repair to the sprayer. I have a couple of options to explore, but I want what is best for both of us since he has done an excellent job and gave me a big break already on his labor costs.


Now off to start sanding on my doors.


Regards,


RTROSE
 
#296 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnsteph10 /forum/post/16743242


RPh Drew actually gave some good advice (there is a 1st time for everything!
)
Quote:
Originally Posted by RTROSE /forum/post/16748184


Yep, I tend to agree with ya that Drew finally came through with an idea that was actually worth something.

HEY!!! I heard that... TWICE!!! I pitty the foo (in my best Mr. T impersonation) who messes with me.
 
#297 ·

Quote:
I can tell you this though, post drywall, the work get's a lot more fun. With each step you can "see" the direct impact on your final project. It really helps motivate you to keep going.

I'm hoping that most of the post-drywall projects become somewhat shorter in duration, which makes it easier to see the progress. Which makes it easier to stay motivated....
 
#298 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by RTROSE /forum/post/16751530


...BTW who comes up with all of these paint names....Cowboy Boots, Thunder Gray, Fishnet, Book Cloth Brown, Chocolate Curl..........makes your head spin...

That's funny. I probably have to turn in my man card after the paint color we picked- puppy paws! Notice that I mentioned this in your thread rather than mine



CJ
 
#299 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cathan /forum/post/16748682


Ha! Don't sell yourself short. Getting halfway done is a huge accomplishment, and let's be honest. That last 10% of the project we all know gets done many, many moons after the first movie is played in the theater. In terms of just the passing of time, I would venture to guess is that the last 10% may take as long as the first 50%.



I can tell you this though, post drywall, the work get's a lot more fun. With each step you can "see" the direct impact on your final project. It really helps motivate you to keep going.

For sure, my drywall was complete in November of 2008...while I am close, I still have a bunch of items that need completed. At least I can use the room at this point to relax and watch shows.
 
#301 ·
RT,

"My wife came home yesterday from Lowe's with a bazillion paint samples. She laid them all out and then said "hey why don't you try to pick the ones I like"


Damn that is an: "impossible challenge, loaded question, no-win proposal; It sucks to be you at this decision making point. If I were you I would postpone the paint decision and go out for dinner instead.


No wait;

Because if you were me - you would then here the question "What do you think I should wear? this outfit, or this, or....!"


Have Fun and choose wisely !!
 
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