Damage Inc Plan-Build

Hey my name is Ian,
.You all know how it goes… Been a long time lurker…reading up as much as I can…
I have always impressed by the build quality and ingenuity that the “average Joe” has produced that gets posted here. Also with the quality and depth of support that AVS Forum community provides.

Brief history

Had a basement, family room style PJ and 7.1 open area in our last house consisting of:
BenQ W500 PJ
106” 16:9 screen
Onkyo 708 AVR
Speakers: Polk RTi6 LR, CSi5 center, FX4i sides, Polk in-ceiling rears (can’t remember model #) and SVS sub

Speakers and AVR came with us to the new house.
New house (2 story) has a partially unfinished basement (drawing attached). This unfinished area has roughed in services to turn it into a helper or in-law suite. Big push to get HT done before in-laws catch wind of the space…

The Vision:
HT, TV, video game room with wet bar and ½ bath. A space that once you are in, you would not need to leave for an entire evening whether watching movies/TV, sports events, etc…
Enough seating for 6-9 (2 rows) plus a sit up bar. Want it to be an area for entertaining during UFCs, sports finals and such.

The Plan:
•Sound proofed/contained isolation clips + hat channel, OSB+GG+DW, heavy SP door, light back boxes, etc…

•AT treatments behind fabric covered walls

•Reuse speakers and AVR for now but allow for upgrade/expansion in the future as once the dust settles on the build I am sure a case of upgrade-itis will set in.

•1080P LCD PJ with auto zoom and focus.

•120”ish 235 AT screen with LCR and sub (1 for now) behind screen. Black screen wall.

•1st row, typical HT recliners.

•2nd row, higher end theater style chairs (see challenged section)

•3rd row, sit up bar.

•Fabric walls with acoustic treatments.

•Soffits with down lighting and rope lighting for ceiling.

•Main ceiling down lighting.

•Remote controlled zone lighting.

•Wet bar, sink, fridge, microwave.

•½ bath, sink and toilet. Urinal already got WAF’d, I guess it’s not all about me…

The Challenges:
•Incorporating existing door, window and service locations to create a space long enough for 2 row + sit up bar while creating a spare room/ storage space both out of the unfinished area.

•Time

•The exterior basement door and adjacent window falls right near my minimum screen distance. Compromise with 2nd row theatre chairs as opposed to another row of regular HT recliners. I could have moved the screen wall further into the ‘spare’ room area but then would lose that window completely. Maybe I will as the window gets almost buried in a corner by the recessed speaker area. Also exterior door location would conflict with a stage.

•Electrical sub panel relocation, although having a builder with the foresight to install a sub panel is definitely a good thing. Probably relocate to new spare/storage room.

•Try to maintain large enough space for a single bed and storage in the room behind the screen wall. As I said above may have to loose the window beside the door. Also have 4 other bedrooms in the house so it really will end up more just a storage area. Will require new door from lower stair landing.

•Time


•Have tried flipping room 180 but then you would be walking past the screen to get to bathroom and bar.

•Current speakers and AVR may not fill room this size. May have to add second row side speakers (along with amp). Also they are middle of the road is terms of quality not to mention no need for a ‘center’ channel with the LCR behind the AT screen. Should I sell now and buy more appropriate speakers for the new room? Probably LOL.

•More time.

•Hundreds more things I haven’t even thought of yet…

Crude Sketches attached.

actual dims 1.pdf 101k .pdf file


OPTION 1a.pdf 105k .pdf file




Anyway, would love to here what all of you think. Thanks for checking it out.

-Ian

Big items I am looking for input on?

1. Could I get away with 2 rows of dedicated HT recliners or it it just better to move forward with reduced depth of theare chairs as the secod row?

2. Will the space I have planned walled in behind the screen be bad for speaker placement and sound? Still trying to conserve window use for that spare room...

-Ian

Pic Map


Pics
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Oh ya. Another issue is how to sound proof around fire sprinkler heads? They are code in our area for residential housing. Maybe some sort of backer box similar what others do around pot lights?

Anyone have to sound proof these and have some advice?

rough 3D

Obligitory Green Glue pic


Part way through installing two layers of drywall and GG for soundeadening from main floor. Drywall was recycled from what came off the walls. It's only 1/2" (x2 layers) but I figure that its better than putting it in the landfill...

Well after some input from a forum member have decided to scrap the side window in the soon to be spare room in favour of a full width screen wall. See Option 1b below. Did some prelim thinking about risers/steps and the equipment rack placement.



Then noticed that the 3 primary seats would end up being almost dead center in the room. Thought I remember reading somewhere this could quite possibly the worst accoustically correct spot in the the room. Decided to throw the idea out there of making the cheap seats in the front row and making the second row the sweet spot. Any thoughts or advice?

Soundproofing question. I am going to do whisper clips +OSB+GG+drywall in the main HT area but should I continue with is approach into the wet bar and 1/2 bath area? Thinking of no door into bar and pocket door into bathroom. Am I defeating the efforts in the main area by not continuing the full meal deal?

Crap... Well at least it's a small space. Thanks Skip

Thanks Gareth. Going to do my best to do it right. Those time and money issues always seem to get in the way though. LOL. I work out of town 2 weeks on and one week off so lack of time pressures the money even more... We do plan on staying in this house for at least the next 10 - 15 years so I guess that helps. Reading all these great build threads that take 12 months + also helps. Still hard to be patient

Never too late for a layout change. Are you thinking more than just your HT and bar/bathroom door isolation suggestion (door and extra framing costs may even be cheaper than super high end QUIET fridge)? Lay it on me! I have had so many options swimming around inside my head since we took possession in July that never even made it to paper that its been a real challenge to stay focused.

Hey Gareth,
I am picking up what you are putting down. (Side note, you have mad Paint skills LOL). One issue is that the location you have shown the door accessing the bathroom and new room is the mechanical room. Sorry not shown on that sketch. Essentially furnace and hot water tank block off that bathroom wall. Could just move it to new back wall on your sketch... Hmmm. I think I am going have to go downstairs and ponder this one some more. Thanks and please keep the feedback coming!