The RTROSE (take my sweet time) HT Construction Thread

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

Stew,

that is a pretty good solution for the room layout. In my basement I won't have the sloping walls like you do and I'm concerned with losing valuable real estate in the basement if it is not necessary. Time will tell.

More on the dedicated HT. I am looking for a screen size of 114" to 120" 16 x 9. I am pretty sure I am going the DIY paint route with one of the "simpler" mixes pairing the screen with a 1080p projector.

I will most likely have the first seating area around 10-11 feet and then a raised bar type seating 2-3 feet behind that. My equipment rack will be at the rear wall with acess from the back side.

I just finished a big time consuming project tonight so I'm hoping this weekend will be a productive one in the basement.

Regards,

RTROSE

This area was the work out area and now will be the kids media-hang out room.



On the wall in the photo I'm planning on constructing built in cabinets/shelving to store the kids stuff along with putting a LCD TV, 3.1 surround, VCR/DVD, and a game system.

As you can see there is nothing special about the basement yet. A clean slate so to speak. As the weekend progresses I'll try to take more photos of my progress or lack there of!

Regards,

RTROSE

I am "educating" myself on this issue and I am planning so far to insulate the walls and ceiling with standard fiberglass "pink stuff" and looking into installing the isolation clips for the ceiling. I don't know much about the GG and layers of wall board still doing some reading on that.

I will be taking my time in the design stage too as you suggested. I am working out how I am going to pre-wire for all of the "goodies" I want.

My main goal is to get the basic frame work done so I have some building blocks to work from.



Not the best shot and messy to say the least but were all of the plastic shelves are is where the screen is going to be.

On the right side of the picture behind the 2 x 6 wall is where the new work out area is going to be.

I will definitely do some experimenting on screen size to see what I prefer and will go from there.

Regards,

RTROSE

Just a quick update.

Was only able to spend about 4 hours in the basement over the weekend so I did not get very much done. Told you all I was slow, didn't I.

Happy belated Fathers Day to all of you dads.

Does anybody have any suggestions regarding built in cabinets? I'm going to purchase a book on them but wondered if anybody here has built any for a multi purpose room. If so show me your pics.

Got some free time this PM wife at work and kids are with a friend so I'm going to go down and get to work.

Regards,

RTROSE

Have you ever noticed when working on the HT that time is expanded (or compressed) depending on your point of view. I worked four hours yesterday and two today and I felt like I had only been working for just a few minutes. I wonder why that is.

As I progress during the build and become increasingly closer to my goal of a finished HT does time then go the other way?

The past few days have provided slow but steady progress. I have gotten the kids area mostly framed out and am starting to tie in the framing to the other parts of the basement.

Nobody has answered my question regarding built ins. Any guidance here would be greatly appreciated.

Also how many out there have had other home projects "tie in" with the HT build. I am finding other things in the basement I should consider working into the finishing out the basement. I have some older (7-10 year old) equipment furnace, water softener and water purifier that may or may not need some attention. I figured these items are better checked into before anything is completely finished. These items have not been any problem so far, but you just never know.

Regards,

RTROSE

I am definitely not the master HT builder yet (long, long way to go), but I have learned that while I am busy doing my thing, as long as I also work some on my "honey do's" so she sees progress we have continued to live in harmony...."sigh" But is sure is strange how I can go to the basement and not surface for 4 plus hours and it seems as though I have just gotten a good start on things.

Regards,

RTROSE

I kind of figured as much. When I built my deck and put the decking on I thought I about had it licked, but I was sadly mistaken bout that! The "finishing touches" is what took me the majority of my time and energy!

Regarding the built in cabinets here is somewhat the look I'm going for.



I need closed storage for the kids stuff (games, toys, DVD's, VHS) Open shelf space to display the kids awards, trophys, nick knacks ect. and then the center for the TV, DVD player, game system, a/v receiver ect.

The picture is not exactly what I want and I don't think anything affordable is available commercially to fill approximately 13 ft of wall space. The unit pictured is from 2500 to 3000 dollars so I was going to build my own.

1) To reduce cost. Unless DIY is more expensive in this case.

2) Get exactly what I need.

Regards,

RTROSE

Hello Everyone,

Have been away for a while and thought I would update all. My HT construction has come to a stand still for now. Due to other "projects" in and around the house and work considerations I have not been able to do much in the basement which is a real bummer.

I have also learned that by using borrowed tools you are at the mercy of the lender (the price for saving money). So I will be purchasing some of the construction tools I need vs. borrowing them (framing nailer and air compressor). I guess borrowing would work if I just worked faster or other things did not come up taking time away from my HT build.

dazed,

I have actually given thought to the fact the unit may not fit down the basement staircase. I would ideally have a walkout basement, but this is not the case. I am having quite the time finding something commercially available to fit my space (for a reasonable price anyway), and I have done some "googling" in an attempt to find something close to what I am looking for, but just have not found it yet. I have even looked for plans for such and animal but still no such luck. I'll keep searching, but it is looking like I will just have to build it myself to get exactly what I want.

Another question I would like to pose is how many out there run a second or third zone off of your main A/V receiver? I was planning on running at least two zones off of my primary receiver and was wondering how it works out for everyone or if they have had issues what those issues may be.

I sure hope I can get back to pounding nails soon or it will be 2013 when this thing is done!

Regards,

RTROSE

aaron,

I'm with ya on the prewire for everything and running extra for future applications. Much easier now vs. doing it when all the drywall is up and finished.

Speaking of IR distribution and repeaters is there a favorite brand out there? This is one of the many things that I just have very little info or knowledge about. I know I will probably need one due to the 2nd zone option and the fact my A/V rack will be at the back of the room. I figured I would not want to lift my arm and point backwards at the rack so an IR repeater will be necessary.

I'm not sweating the build, it will get done eventually. It just seems when I plan on doing some construction in the basement something else needs my attention. That is just life I guess, just too many projects going on at once.

Regards,

RTROSE

aaron,

Thanks I'll look those up and get to reading. I think you may have said this already, but it is amazing as I plan my HT no matter how I plan, I read around here and discover something else I need to consider! Sheesh.......sometimes I wished I had remained an uneducated goof that would still be happy watching DVD in 480i on a 32" tube TV!

The one thing that is to my advantage is I am so slow the technology is improving and coming down in price that if I had built my HT when I first started thinking about it I would have spent more money than I will now to get less performance and then would need to upgrade at about now! So I guess that is a good thing.

I'm planning on some vacation time coming up in the not so distant future (and I currently don't see any honey do's on the radar screen) so I should be able to get back downstairs and get back to it.

Regards,

RTROSE

All,

I'm on vacation now for a couple of weeks so I should make some progress in the basement. I was able to work today for about three hours down there and it felt good to get back to work.

It still amazes me that the three hours I spent working down there went so fast. I almost have the kids multimedia area completely framed and I am working on framing the wall that leads into the dedicated HT area.

Making some progress, but a very long way to go for sure. When I get some more done I'll post some pics.

I have decided to build my shelving I just can't find a commercial application that fits my needs and is reasonable in price. I have been looking for plans on the net and even that is turning up very few options. Anybody have suggestions where I can look further?

Regards,

RTROSE

Big,

Thanks for that. I very quickly checked the site and it looks as if it may fit my needs. I'll go back and down load the catalog to get a better idea.

I wasn't looking forward to doing a DIY built in type of thing, especially at the speed at which I do things. ;-)

Regards,

RTROSE

Oh No! That won't happen. I always manage to get new tools into any "home improvement" project and the basement/HT won't be any different.

Looking at getting a nice compressor and framing gun as a start to this project. Pounding nails the old fashion way SUCKS! ;-)

I forgive you Big, you were just trying to help and my wife doesn't read AVS (that I know of anyway) so I'm safe!

Regards,

RTROSE