[patrickwebb]

Hello all,


We close on our new house in about 1 month. There are lots of projects that I am going to be working on, but I hope to start on the basement/theater by the end of the summer. I have uploaded some images and plan proposals to My Gallery and would appreciate any comments or advice. I plan on doing 90% of the basement myself and am trying to set a finishing date of Christmas.


I am up in the air about doing a dedicated theater or incorporating a media/entertainment area with a bar. I do know that I will be doing a front projector with something like a 100" screen. I want to incorporate my current A/V racks somehow because I paid a lot for them and they are really nice pieces. I was thinking about installing them into the back wall with access from an unfinished storage area.


Areas of concern:


1. Doing a dedicated theater and then moving in a couple years (we are prone to do that). I just read a few threads on resale value and I will admit that we have had the attitude that we do add things to the house for us and not for resale, but have to be realistic. If I do risers and proscenium, install so they can be removed without too much headaches.


2. Kids. I want to do a theater that is kid proof. No speakers to knock over, worried about fabric on walls, etc...


3. Furniture. We have a really nice sectional that was bought 1 year ago for current basement and need to try to incorporate it.


Ok, large post, but thanks!

 

[patrickwebb]

No one?

 

[traveler]

Patrick,

Building a dedicated HT into a house will not help the resale value unless it is a high end home or unless you happen to find a buyer who is also into HT. Even if you do find a buyer who likes HT you may be forced to part with some of your equipment to satisfy the buyer. Therefore, if you do create a dedicated room for HT, try to make it so that the room would easily convert to something else (like a bedroom, or general family room.) That's not always easy, though.

As far as putting your equipment in the back wall and accessing it from a storage room behind, that's a good approach. I have a similar arrangement in my HT room where the equipment cabinet is built into a side wall which is accessible from the guest room closet. It makes cabling and troubleshooting much easier.

It looks like your options contain a direct view (or RPTV) TV in some situations and front projection in others. I think option 5 makes the most sense because the HT room could be a game room or rumpus room for some other family. It also would lend itself to either FP or RPTV usage. If I were you, I would look into some way of making the opening between the HT room and the bar closable (double doors?) This way you can close up the HT room to create a more theater like experience.

My advice... keep working on options and asking others. When you find what you like, go for it and don't worry about the resale value. If you do it well, the next buyer is likely to like the looks of it even if they don't plan on having a HT. Who knows, it may be the very thing to push them over the edge to become a HT addict themselves.

 

[cgblack]

I see in your latest plan you are going to break up the sectional. I did the same thing with mine after realizing there is no good way to incorporate an L-shaped sectional into a dedicated HT.


Here is a picture of my sectional in position.

 

[patrickwebb]

Yeah, what I want to do is break up the sectional and buy one more chaise lounge chair that goes with that sectional for the first row and then put the other half of the sectional on the back riser. My wife is complaining that she won't be able to lay down during a movie...


Traveler, I am thinking about the door idea, possibly a pocket door or double door. My wife wasn't too keen on that idea at the time, but it is still a possiblilty. As to resale value, I agree that it won't add value, I just don't want to make a room that couldn't be converted into a normal space.

 

[Scrimpin]

I plan on placing my "L" shaped sectional in a "V" shape. If you have the room width to do so, it is the optimal way to make use of the sectional that is the same length on each side. It provides the end units with a natural angled view to the screen, without having to turn the neck sideways. The middle seats are further back and ideally will be the theater "sweet spot". For most sectionals a 12-13' wide room will allow this, but without access behind.