[Johnsteph10]


Hello All!


Introduction


I am restarting my build thread since the one I originally started in August got deleted due to the AVS Great Crash of 2008.


Now, back on topic....


I wanted to thank all of the regulars in here for their build threads and all of the advice that has been dispensed over the years.


Of course, this couldn't happen without the poking/prodding/name-calling embodied by the Loganator's thread. Many of us have been Loganed since early this summer.. mostly to no real change in the status of our projects.



Room Description


Let me describe my space for a bit..



35 feet Long

21 feet (minimum) to 29 feet (maximum) width

10 foot ceilings


It is a walk-out basement with a steel exterior door and a pair of windows. When we moved in, it was partially finished with an under-the-stairs area for a closet, another closet framed in, a partially stubbed-in bathroom....and wires and ductwork hanging from everywhere.


It has 6 foot poured concrete walls on every side except the side facing outside and already had 2x6 pressure treated framing on top of the walls to bring the wall surface "flush" for easy finishing.


Requirements for the HT 3.0


What did I want in my basement HT?


1. A projector with around a minimum of a 120 inch screen.

2. Totally light controlled with full lighting remote control.

3. 7.1 surround sound

4. A bathroom.

5. A small wetbar/food prep area with sink, beverage cooler, kegarator

6. A stage/riser

7. Extensive sound proofing/isolation

8. Preserve the maximum ceiling height (my last HT only had 6 foot 4 inch ceilings...but that's how it was in Long Island, NY).

9. Dedicated electrical panel.

10. Outlets galore.

11. Full sound treatment.

12. (others will likely be added as I think of them!)



Equipment List


Projector - JVC RS20 --> Sony 1100
Anamorphic Lens: Isco IIIL on a Cineslide

Screen - SMX 130 inch Pro-Line Pro-Curve

Amp/Processor - Anthem D2v

Video Games: XBox 360, X-Box 1, PS3, PS4

Speakers:

1. Mark Seaton's Catalysts as LCR

2. Mark Seaton's Sparks as LR Side Surround/LR Back Surround (x4)

Subs: Submersive HPs x 2

Blu-Ray Player - Oppo BD105

Bar TV: Vizio 42 inch LED LCD

Bar TV#2: Sharp 52 inch LCD

Seating: 7 Berkline 090s with Buttkickers

Lighting: Lutron 6-Zone Grafik Eye


I've struggled with equipment choices for a while. I've gone through a lot of speakers over the last few years and demoed even more. I recently (during moving) got rid of half a dozen different sets (an ultimatum from my wife who doesn't share my interest!) and am down only to the set my wife loves: a 5.1 Rocket (AV123) setup. They are ok for the LR setup...but not what I want in my HT.


Picture of VERY ROUGH Floorplan (thanks to the heckling from RPhDrew).

Please note that the measurements are from memory and may not be totally accurate. I will check later...

Screen Size and Seating Distances (Resources):

1. Recommended seating/viewing distances.

2. Excellent spreadsheet for calculating screen size/seating distances (very extensive).
http://carltonbale.com/home-theater/...er-calculator/

 

[Johnsteph10]

Basement Stairs Leading Down:

At the foot of the Stairs Looking into the Room:

1. Looking Straight ahead:

2. Looking Left (bathroom in left corner):

3. Looking Right (at what will be the wet bar/concession area):

Walking into the Room Looking to the Right where the Wet Bar will Go:

Looking Back at the Stairs:

Looking at all of the Stuff that has to be moved in the Joists:

Closeup of the Future Equipment Closet/Behind Screen Wall:

A Look at Part of the Framing that Will be Moved:

Partially Framed Bathroom:

Will have shower/tub, vanity

 

[Johnsteph10]

As you can see,


I first had to tear down some of the shoddy dry wall work the builders had done 3 years ago when the house was built. It was terrible! It equalled around 15 contractor's bags of drywall broken into small sections to fit. That was a pain in the butt.


The other thing I had to do before getting started consisted of throwing out all of the crap that the previous owners left down there. That in itself was over a full days worth of work!


I think those were all of the initial round of pics I took.


The general order of things:


- clean up

- tear down old drywall

- clean up again

- dry-lok basement walls (for peace of mind)

- frame rest of walls

- start plumbing

- start electrical

- consider ductwork problems

- re-route security system and box

- bathroom sump and pump

- add drain line and water lines to area for bar sink

- run conduit for wiring/future proofing

- insulation

- DD+GG+Clips


I think that is an imposing enough list so I'll stop right there for now....


Of course, basment progress slowed significantly when our daughter was born on Nov 10th (also my dad's birthday).

 

[Johnsteph10]

So, to continue updating the thread....


FRAMING!



Framing the first wall:

Closeup showing the studs and sill plate

Framing of the Wet Bar area:

Framing for the Bathroom in the Back Right of the HT:

Inside the Bathroom -- where the tub/shower will go:

Framing for the Media Niche/Double Window in the Basement:

Just some random pics of the finished framing.

Supplies:

- 200 10 foot studs (delivered) from a local lumber yard (except for 2 they were all straight!)

- 20 10 foot PT, 10 12 foot PT


One of the things that made this possible:

I had a compressor setup several years ago (a pancake compressor) - it was loud, noisy. It died a horrible death and I gave away my air tools.


I heard great things about this puppy. It is absolutely great! No hoses, relatively light. The battery lasts for 3000 or so nails (so far haven't needed to recharge it) and the gas cartridges supposedly last for 1500-2000 nails (haven't changed the first one yet). The smell of combustion is a wonderful thing.

What's left of all the wood:

The problem is that it had numerous 2x6 appearing to provide support for one of the major joists running across the basement.

Luckily for me, my best friend's wife is a structural engineer and she spent 2 hours analyzing stuff and running it though some kind of engineering program (please note my amazing grasp of what she does) and she said that I can remove all that without causing increased deflection. She said that they majorly overbuilt the support.




Several hours later and with a sawz-all in hand:

Now, most of the basic framing around the exterior walls is finished!

 

[Johnsteph10]

Drain Line rerouted to be enclosed in soffit:

Another drain re-routed to edge:

Tub/Shower Enclosure:

Bathroom rough lines plumbed in:

Drain Line for Wet Bar/Sink:

Obviously, I'm basically at a stopping point for plumbing until I drywall so I can finish everything. I also still have to finish plumbing in the sump pump/vent (which, luckily enough, will be easy).


To be finished:

1. Sink/Vanity

2. Toilet

3. Sump pump/hook-up

4. Bar Sink hook-up/installation

 

[Johnsteph10]

Pic of the upstairs circuit panel...

As you can see, it is full..except for that lower space which would accomodate a nice 100 amp breaker..to the basement. Yes, it will do nicely. You can see it in place (and in the off position!)

Now a 100amp subpanel in the basement! I ran #2 HTTN wire (4 individual = 2 hot, 1 neutral, 1 ground) rather than bundled) as the space leading from the main breaker was fairly full and I just didn't have the room to run the bundled wire together.


$145 in material and I'm finished. The cheapest quote I got from an electrician (out of 3 quotes) to do the same was $1300. Simply insane!


Don't forget that most of this type of wiring is aluminum and you need to coat it with Nolux (or an equivalent agent to prevent oxidizing).


Edit: Also note that those wires are in conduit shortly after than photo was taken -- I was simply measuring for length there!

 

[Johnsteph10]

Another note: I highly recommend "Black and Decker: The complete guide to home wiring." It is a great resource with lots of pictures. I think it has been mentioned here before. It even makes wiring 3 and 4 way switches easy.

 

[queendvd2]

John, looks like you have a great area for 3.0. Thanks for posting all the pics. I look forward to watching your progress.

 

[Johnsteph10]

Just to bump it back up to the top...


Electrical is pretty much done.


I went nuts!


Summary:


Bathroom

- 1 15 amp dedicated GCFI for outlet

- 1 15 amp dedicated for vanity light/overhead light/exhaust fan

Bar

- 1 20 amp dedicated for all of the outlets

- 1 15 amp dedicated for halo lights/overhead sink light/fan or exhaust hood

Equipment Room

- 1 dedicated 20 amp for 3 outlets

- 1 dedicated 20 amp for 2 outlets

- 1 dedicated 15 amp for 2 outlets

Main HT

- 1 dedicated 15 amp for all 6 zones of lighting (halos, sconces, rope, riser, stage, soffit)

- 1 dedicated 20 amp for outlets and eventually run to riser for power/buttkickers


Left to do:

- 1 dedicated 15 amp for projector

- 1 dedicated 15 amp for side and rear surrounds


All of the outlets are in and wired.

The rope lighting, soffit, and stage wiring is run but that's it -- I have to build first!


Lutron Grafik Eye is install and wired with 2 zones running (the only 2 that are wired -- the halos and the risers lights at the base of the stairs).


I'll take some updated pics in a bit.

 

[Johnsteph10]

HVAC update:


HVAC flexible ducts are now re-routed to be either enclosed in soffits or raised to run in the rafters.


When I pulled down some of them, it looks like the builders basically used them for garbage cans....cigarette butts, pieces of grout, a newspaper, gloves, scraps, etc. I couldn't believe it!



Rerouted Flex Duct to run along walls:

Another view of the same:

Now entering through the wall along the main support beam:

Moved air intake up the wall:

Newly empty space in joists:

New low-profile 90 degree boots to keep them in the joists:

More duct-work on other side of main support beam (lam joist):

Vent running over bar (will be enclosed in soffit):

We'll have to see if I get enough air exchange (especially in the hot GA summer)...

 

[Johnsteph10]

Wall on left as you walk down into the basement:


Note that the Lutron Graphic Eye is located at the bottom of the stairs.

I also mounted 2 outlet boxes for either sconces and/or lit poster frames (to be decided later).

The duct will be enclosed in a 12 inch deep soffit and (hopefully) lined with insulation/duct liner for dampening..and maybe to act as somewhat of a bass trap if I can put enough insulation in there..

Left side of theater with outlet boxes/sconces in place:

This wall will also have a 12 inch soffit stuffed with insulation..

 

[Johnsteph10]

Fancy and extremely high-tech method of labeling the wiring going into the dimmer:

It will boil down into 6 scenes:

- overhead can lighting

- side sconces (up to 6 of them)

- 3 small can lights to illuminate the screen/stage

- Soffit lighting (again, likely small cans)

- Rope lighting (blue LED most likely)

- Stair/riser lights

 

[Johnsteph10]

On to the next stage of building:


Soffits!


I know a lot of people build their soffits after the framing/drywall stage, but the majority of mine will contain plumbing and my HVAC flex ducts...


Some photos of the build:


Left Wall soffit as you walk down into the basement:

Right Wall soffit as you walk down into the basement:

These are both just beginning framing as I ran out of 2x4s!



The soffit enclosing the lam beam will be a bit deeper and bigger...hopefully some cool architectural designs that I have in mind will make this look pretty sharp.

 

[Johnsteph10]

Oh, and now I'm fairly up-to-date on my progress.


It sure makes it look easy when you post several months of work in a few posts...

 

[fire735]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnsteph10 /forum/post/15400511

Now a 100amp subpanel in the basement! I ran #2 HTTN wire (4 individual = 2 hot, 1 neutral, 1 ground) rather than bundled) as the space leading from the main breaker was fairly full and I just didn't have the room to run the bundled wire together.

I'm not an electrician, but I think you have to run THHN in conduit. If you have to get an electrical inspection you might want to check.

 

[Johnsteph10]

I wonder why that pic is showing sideways?


Anyway, it is in conduit now...those pics are old!


Thanks for the input!

 

[queendvd2]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnsteph10 /forum/post/15518308


I wonder why that pic is showing sideways?

I found that my vertical (portrait) shots were getting posted the same way. I think it has something to do with how your image is saved. You might need to rotate it first, save it and then post to photobucket. Not that I know for sure though because I opted for the lazy way out and just shoot all my build pics horizontal (landscape)

.

 

[Johnsteph10]



Quote:
Originally Posted by queendvd2 /forum/post/15518371


I found that my vertical (portrait) shots were getting posted the same way. I think it has something to do with how your image is saved. You might need to rotate it first, save it and then post to photobucket. Not that I know for sure though because I opted for the lazy way out and just shoot all my build pics horizontal (landscape)

.

I like the lazy way better.

I tidied up a bunch of wiring today and ran the last lines:


1 15 amp dedicated for the projector.


1 15 amp dedicated for the 4 surround speakers (2 side, 2 rear). All of this HT's speakers will be active so I need the power (literally).

Finished insulating the equipment room. *scratch...scratch*


I got my large monoprice order in. 1000 ft of Cat 6 for a bazillion runs, HDMI, component..I just realized I need to order more cables!

Tidied up the conduit run in the crawlspace (hangers, sealing everything, etc.)


Moved a small wall and almost finished framing a wall for the bathroom closet/sump room (it was open to the rest of the basement before).


Went to Lowe's (closer than HD where I live now) and got 10x12 and 12x12 PT lumber to get started on my stage and riser, respectively. Those things weight a TON!


I have to fine tune my stage, riser, and ceiling above the stage plans. I only have the general idea of their design.


Any ideas?

 

[W00lly]

John


Great progress

keep posting pics

 

[Johnsteph10]

It's always nice to get comments. It makes me feel like I'm not talking to the voices in my head all alone.