[PAP]

Just wanting to make sure I get things done in the right order. For example I was ready to start putting up my soffits, but realized I hadn't painted my ceiling yet and that it would be much easier to paint it before I built the things.


So, for the sake of some sense of planning to my HT project, can we lay out a plan for progressing through a HT.


I'm thinking:


* Make a master plan (I skipped this step )

* Frame walls

* Run electrical in walls (in my case just wires to bring into room so no direct holes other than small 1/2" in drywall)

* Insulate walls

* Subfloor - I used "subflor" brand

* Place RSIC clips, hat channel

* Drywall layer 1 ceiling first

* Caulk around the edges, tape and mud seams

* Green glue ceiling

* Drywall layer 2 ceiling (no overlying seams)

* Caulk again over 2nd layer, tape and mud seams

* Drywall layer 1 walls

* Caulk top and bottom of walls, tape and mud

* Green glue walls

* Drywall layer 2 walls (no overlying seams)

* Caulk again top and bottom, tape and mud


This is where I am now.


From here, I am planning:


* Finish and paint ceiling

* Build soffits along side and back walls

* Build columns along side walls, mount speakers inside

* Run wiring from Graphic eye mounted in column to lights in soffits

* Install door

* Build stage front

* Build screen wall and speaker wall

* Build platform rear

* Run speaker wire in soffits to front and side and rear speakers

* Install 1" furring strips around room for GOM

* Install Linacoustic, batting and then GOM

* Install carpet

* Install screen and projector


Anything look out of order in this plan.


I'm just want to make sure I'm not missing something...oops should have done this before that....

 

[Brian Hampton]

Well,


Sounds like you didn't get a permit and your electrical is not up to code. If you have a need to make a claim on you house insurance (assuming you have any) you could be denied due to the haphazard electrical work that was never inspected.


I spent a lot of time on planning and actually, I'm still planning but I've heard that the more the plan the better the later steps are going to go.


-Brian

 

[DKaps]

That was a little harsh, Brian. His post doesn't say to me that his electrical work is not up to code and certainly not "haphazard", or even that he chooses to not have it inspected.


PAP,


One thing I'd change is Linacoustic and batting, then carpet, then GOM. It would be too easy for the carpet to snag and damage your GOM when it's being put in. Plus, you'll appreciate the clean carpeted floor while your working on cutting and stapling the GOM.


Dan

 

[chs4]

Methinks perhaps Brian replied to the wrong post...? http://community.the-underdogs.org/s...t_confused.gif

 

[PAP]

Not sure what in the world you mean about my electrical.


1st - We don't need any permits and we have no code where I live. It isn't enforceable. Zero. Zilch. There were no inspections required at all during the construction of my home nor any other in the county in which I live. And what does the "if you have any" crack mean?


2nd - That having been said, all my work was done by a top notch electrician at the time my house was built in the last year. I've owned several homes and been involved in construction myself and the master electrician who did my home was personally selected.


3rd - Having said that, I've wired plenty of romex in my time and am perfectly capable of doing journeyman level work. I'm not a master electrician, and know it, but I've had my work inspected by pros in the past and I'll stack it up against most of the crap being called "professional labor" in quite a bit of this country today. I plan to wire my room interior including lights and the grafik eye, and that's no big challenge.


Thanks for the tip on the carpet - that's exactly the kind of thing I hadn't thought through.

 

[Brian Hampton]

Hey,


I'm sorry. Something about the way you said you were just running electricity to the room so that there are not many holes in the wall made me think that you were not following building codes.


I'm trying to get started on my basement and after giving it some thought decided to get a permit. Permits are cheap here ($75 including inspections) and required whenever any electrical work is done. The electrical has to be inspected though and to building codes.


I read that work done on the home that requires a permit that's done without a permit can cause problems with home owners insurance. In that case it would sort of make sense not to have the insurance since they would not likely cover you in the event you needed them.


Still, I find it amazing that you don't need a permit in Ohio to do electrical work on your house.


Anyway, I as I said, I'm sorry. When I read your post I just figured you had no idea about how to do the electrical and that's not the case.



-Brian

 

[PAP]

Well in general you're right that in most areas work done without inspection and code approval may invalidate insurance coverage and lead to personal liability if found to be the proximate cause of an injury or property damage.


My area is an anomoly and I was suprised as well when learning about the lack of inspection/code requirement. All of our work was done to "code" as established in neighboring more urban areas, but that was by intent, not by requirement. And that's not just to do electrical work, that's to build the entire house from the foundation up.


I appreciate the follow-up and realize that you were just trying to get the point across that doing electrical work without experience can be a very dangerous thing. Anyone considering such would be well advised to have a professional do it unless they understand local requirements and can meet the safety standards required.


For clarification what I have done is run just the wires through a 1/2" drywall hole and then caulked that hole. The sheath is then put into a standard box but that box is inside the room rather than in the wall with a big hole cut out of the drywall. The outlets will either be surface mounted (behind the screen) or in columns.

 

[MrSquid]

The only suggestion I would make would be to hold your subfloor installation until the end if you can. Clean up your concrete post-construction, install the subfloor and then you get a nice clean surface to lay your carpet on.


But from the "This is where I am now" line, it may be too late for that move.

 

[PAP]

I thought about that, but given I wanted to seal the gap between subflor and drywall, and given the subflor product needs to be about 1/4" away from a wall and pounded into place it wasn't going to work with drywall floated on RSIC channel.


My subflor has collected quite a few glops of green glue, and clumps of drywall compound. A good cleaning will be needed before carpet comes

 

[BasementBob]

PAP:


I would have done ceiling, walls, ceiling, walls - to give the sound a more complex path where they connect.


When you build the soffits, depending on how you do them, you could leave one side off -- which would make running wire easier.


Before you put up the linacoustic you might want to paint.


I'd be of two minds about finish the risers before I did the door. Doing the risers first would mean the doorway is larger to get materials in and less likely to bump the door. On the other hand I'd be insatiably curious about soundproofing, so I'd be tempted to put the door as soon as the walls were done.


I didn't see any 120V recepticles (plugs). nor the running of ButtKicker wires.

 

[Bulldogs111]

PAP, I'm in the early stages of finishing my basement and your plan will come in handy.


Not to make this thread about permits but do most people pull permits for their work? I live in an area where if you do not get permits you can be fined up to $500 if your caught. Also, getting permits for finishing my basement will cost around $500. Does this seem expensive?

 

[skyman00]

Just my 2¢...

I would advise building columns after installing GOM. It's just easier to deal with your walls acoustic treatment first and makes for a cleaner finish in the end.

In fact, after you run speaker wire in soffits...I would carpet, furring strips, linacoustic, batting, GOM, hang speakers(ie. surround), columns, screen, all trim work then PJ and equipment.

HTH, -j

 

[Jeff Hovis]

I don't have a permit either. I know I should and maybe I will get one. However, the electrical is done and the HVAC is being installed right now. I would have to pay a small fine for getting the permit late and then see my taxes go up...again. The electrical was installed by a fully licensed company and so is the HVAC, so I'm sure it's done correctly.


My last basement was an interesting lesson in permits. I didn't have one there either and a worker who was working for the electrician came knocking on my door after they were finished. He wanted his money. Funny thing is, I already paid the other guy $1600 for the job and he didn't pay his helper. In GA, I'm liable and this guy threatened me with a lien on my property. I became pissed and told this guy he only had a few precious seconds to remove his ass from my doorstep. He left and my wife who normally would have been very upset with me was actually turned-on by my manliness;-) Well...this guy comes back later, goes into my garage, steals my Titleist golf clubs and then turns me in to the county for having an unpermitted job. To make matters worse, he also informed the county inspector that the "electrician" I hired wasn't really licensed. Yes, I got a permit, paid the fine and watched my taxes go up. Now, I'm living on the edge again and I wonder...do I feel lucky? Should I get a permit?...well should I?

 

[DWhite]

I have been struggling with the permit thing as well. I started to frame my basement last week. Our permit pricing is based on the sq. footage of the area to be finished. Since mine is the whole basement, it could get costly. Then once the basement is finished that sq. footage is equated into my actual home sq. footage (liveable space). Great if I am planning on selling the house. Bad if I plan to stay there because I will have additional yearly taxes. Something I certainly do not need.

My only concern with having a non-permitted basement is the insurance. If anything happens magesin the basement I am sure that insurance could make a pretty good case around why they will not cover the damage...

I dont think the risk is worth it *shrug*



DWhite

 

[PAP]

BasementBob - great thought, and I didn't think of it. You're right, that would have been better.


The other suggestions are so helpful. You don't realize these things until after you've been through it, and then it's too late!

 

[Brian Hampton]

Well,


I pondered the permit question for a while but called to ask about it. DWhite mentions something about a cost for Sq foot for permit and that's what the office told me at first but that was a mistake and that was for additions. Renovations were a flat and very low fee of $75 including all inspections. Then It was just a question of taxes but the town office told me that unfinished space it taxed at something like $30 Sqf and finished space may be $42 so in the end the tax change is fairly small.


(Still hurts to pay taxes these days when I hate some of the things that are being done with the tax money.)


My own thinking about insurance is that they have people who are paid to try to find a reason not to honor your claims. If they can say something about you not meeting all the critera for getting the money... they will.


Not only that, I don't know if it's really true but my real estate agent told me that the insurance companies lost big in the recent turn down of the stock market and now they have databases of people who file claims and if you've filed claims before you may have a harder time getting insurance again. I do so hate insurance but I have some anyway.


Anyway, Sorry to detract from the original thread to the extent that I have...


Good Luck,


Brian

 

[Gig103]

Quote:

Place RSIC clips, hat channel

Sorry for the threadjack, but what does this mean/do?


/we now return to our regularly scheduled thread

 

[BasementBob]

Gig103:


RSIC can be found and explained a bit at http://www.pac-intl.com/


Hat channel is a sort of thin tiny bent steel beam that you attach drywall to.

RSIC is a rubber like mounting to attach between the hat channel and the wood studs.

The effect is to increase the decoupling between the grypsum and the studs, and suspend them in the air, to improve sound isolation between rooms.

 

[Gig103]

Thanks Bob!