BP's Basement Budget Build - Groundbreaking 6/27/14
Hi all,Been reading threads and enjoying stories and photos of everyone's theaters for years now here at AVSForum, so I'm excited to be starting mine.I'm pretty good at planning but not at construction. So, I'm happy to be in a position where I am looking to have a new custom home built, totally from scratch. I am trying to stay on a reasonable budget as we're already close to our price limit as-is, so if it's built, it will be on a fairly small budget. The good news is that I've already got my projector, chairs, sub, speakers, and AVR so it's a start on things in that regard.The end result is that I may even just end up having the basic framing of the room done, with construction to come later, and if that's the case, I at least need to be sure I set all the correct groundwork for the builder and the plan. So I was hoping I could start there with a little help from any of you in the know or who have been there. Things I should do at a minimum NOW in order to have the room "ready to finish" down the road if the money runs out.Here's the initial plan the builder came up with. This guy builds whole homes but is not a custom theater specialist so I want to make sure I cover areas like rack location, wiring, speakers (built into wall or not), front stage with hidden speakers (yes/no), etc.This is just a rough but gives you a basic idea of what he's proposing. What I'm hoping for from you all is any red flags you might see. The dimensions look to be roughly 22 feet long but only 14 feet wide (the width is a minor concern but I still hope I can get 4 chairs in there and hopefully 2 aisles).
Some feedback I am hoping for:- How are the dimensions and floor plan and would you suggest any changes that he might be able to make?- Are the two doors (double in the back, one in the front) too many?- Where can I put the equipment rack?- Can I fit two rows of seating in as well as a back bar with only 20 feet?- Should I build a stage?- He suggested sconces and floor lighting, I was thinking maybe just overhead cans to reduce clutter and keep costs down, is that typically the way things are going?I do want to put as large of a screen in here as I can. I am a BIG SCREEN person and have found that even going beyond the recommended size at sitting distances within reason is actually better for me. Plus, the second row can always be used as a default by anyone who thinks row 1 is too close.With the room length only around 20 feet I'm afraid I may not be able to do this, but what I'd love is to be able to get those 2 rows of 4 chairs plus a back bar).My hope is to keep this thread alive throughout the entire construction so that it can be referred back and a useful resource to others as well, so I will keep an active diary here as things progress.I've used this thread as an inspiration for a look I'd love to have: http://www.avsforum.com/t/1520803/ht-of-the-month-rawlinsway-theaterThanks for any insight, and even if you are just lurking, I hope to be able to share useful tips and a good story as this all comes together.Brad
Hi all,Been reading threads and enjoying stories and photos of everyone's theaters for years now here at AVSForum, so I'm excited to be starting mine.I'm pretty good at planning but not at construction. So, I'm happy to be in a position where I am looking to have a new custom home built, totally from scratch. I am trying to stay on a reasonable budget as we're already close to our price limit as-is, so if it's built, it will be on a fairly small budget. The good news is that I've already got my projector, chairs, sub, speakers, and AVR so it's a start on things in that regard.The end result is that I may even just end up having the basic framing of the room done, with construction to come later, and if that's the case, I at least need to be sure I set all the correct groundwork for the builder and the plan. So I was hoping I could start there with a little help from any of you in the know or who have been there. Things I should do at a minimum NOW in order to have the room "ready to finish" down the road if the money runs out.Here's the initial plan the builder came up with. This guy builds whole homes but is not a custom theater specialist so I want to make sure I cover areas like rack location, wiring, speakers (built into wall or not), front stage with hidden speakers (yes/no), etc.This is just a rough but gives you a basic idea of what he's proposing. What I'm hoping for from you all is any red flags you might see. The dimensions look to be roughly 22 feet long but only 14 feet wide (the width is a minor concern but I still hope I can get 4 chairs in there and hopefully 2 aisles).