# Help me decide..



## pghquest (Aug 30, 2010)

Ok, I'm in the designing stage of my new home theater, (figured it would be an awsome winter project), and I'm torn between a few choices, and hoping some can offer advice..

The breakdown of the house.. Its a 6k sf home, sitting in the middle of a neighborhood with an average sized home being 2K sf.. The reason I'm mentioning this is to keep in mind that someday I'll have to sell my home, and I'll want the biggest bang for the buck. While I plan to use the theater often, I plan to sell the home in about 10 years so I want the theater to be more inviting to a buyer, than to me. For the most part, I envision it being used a lot for video games, xbox, playstation etc for the children.

The screen I'm going to use is 105" x 60", motorized projector screen, for a 120" viewing. 

I have a choice between 2 rooms to use, both of them in my basement
Room 1
13 feet wide, 24 feet long
Positives
1) Convenient location, bottom of the steps, goes right into what would become the entrance way to the theater, (small area where I could put popcorn machine, soda machine etc, without taking up space for the theater)
2) Nice long narrow room already layed out
3) Nothing in the way, such as plumbing, duct work etc that would need moved
4) It leaves me the larger room below to turn into a game room, pool table, video games etc.
5) Allows a gas fireplace in the theater room to add to the atmosphere, especially when trying to have a nice romantic viewing with someone special. 

Negatives
1) Its at the bottom of the steps. People could turn the step lights on upstairs, to come downstairs and it would really bug me watching the movie. You spend all this time and money making it a "theater" and all it takes is lights to ruin it. If the kids are playing video games, it wouldnt matter, but when watching a movie, I would get annoyed.
2) The room has a window, about 2 feet wide, 3 feet tall that I should/could possibly consider bricking this shut during the theater construction I guess.
3) If I put the screen on the far wall (where the window is) away from the steps, there is 2 doors to the left, leading to 2 different garages, and a gas fireplace to the right.. The doors we never use, but I would have to plan to make them so they arent noticable, but still functional, (such as seating arrangements, making sure they dont block the doors etc), but the fireplace, as nice as it would be, would reduce the seating by at least 1 in the room. I'd like to get at least 7 seats in the room, 4 in the back row, 3 in the front, and dont know if thats reasonable.
4) This would remove the family room from the home, (which we never use anyways), but with the addition of a nice size gameroom as a selling feature, by using the room below, I'm not sure this is such a big issue. It is just nice to be able to advertise a livingroom, and family room.
5) This room is below the livingroom, so I would need some sort of sound barrier, otherwise I can envision a sound contest going on between the children downstairs with xbox, and us upstairs with the tv..

Room 2
31 feet wide, 24 feet long
Positives
1) Room is wide open, cement walls, I can build the room as large as needed.
2) I could have a dedicated entrance to the theater, with a hall way to put things like popcorn machine etc, and close the door making it pitch black.
3) This room has no windows, (ok, they have 2 glass block windows, but they wouldnt be in the theater section and are of no concern)
4) If I use this room, I keep the family room, (which is being turned into the video room above), and add a theater and a game room, but I dont know if the game room would be large enough if I break this room in half to add a theater.

Negatives
1) Room is too large, and I would want to divide the room to put pool table etc in the 2nd half of the room. 
2) To get to the 2nd half of the room, I would have to build a walk way at the back of the room, which would allow me a nice entrance to the theater, but would cut down on the length by several feet, leaving my length at around 21 feet, rather than 24.
3) There is a water pump, and drains in the room. While I'm not concerned about the noise from the drain, I think I can handle it, I am concerned that if the water ever backs up in the house, this is the room it would back up into. Get a clogged pipe and the room could be trashed with sewage.
4) Most of the room ceiling is ok, but the side that I would want to put the screen had duct work which just cant be moved reasonably. I thought about building a frame around it, and putting the screen behind it, so no one would see it until I pushed the botton to drop the screen, but the thought of lowering my screen about a foot doesnt thrill me, making it more difficult for those in the back row to see the screen.
5) I would also have to build a wall from the above room to this room, because in the middle is the laundry room and I wouldnt want theater goers to see the laundry room.
6) This room is below the guest bedroom and my home office, I'd again need sound barrier because I can picture the kids playing xbox, and me trying to use the phone conducting business.. With guests, I wouldnt them to stay way if people were watching a movie. (We dont have guests often)

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I just keep changing my mind on what room to use.. :help: I'm going to work on pictures shortly.


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## fitzwaddle (Aug 25, 2010)

If it was me, definitely room #2 - you'd have flexibility to use some of the space for an entry lobby (with pool table, perhaps wet bar or condiment area), false wall for an acoustically transparent screen, and a projection room / equipment room. Room #1 to me is too narrow for 4 wide seating, at least assuming recliners or the like. My room is 17' wide, and I will end up with about 28" on either side of a curved row of 4 berklines on the rear riser (3 curved in front, 7 total). You might want to look at a few floorplans of other completed theaters, note their dimensions and layout, for ideas how to best take advantage of your space options.

If you have floorplans, post them, you may get some other creative suggestions based on the features of the layout as it stands now.


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## pghquest (Aug 30, 2010)

Thanks for the reply.. 

I was looking tonight and I agree with you about #1, I figured the most I coudl get is 3 rows of 3 seats, but I'd be pushing space issues. Might get 9 seats comfortably..

I dont have floor plans yet, have been looking for a decent program to draw them up.. Any suggestions?

Charging batteries up for the digital camera to take photos..


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## fitzwaddle (Aug 25, 2010)

pghquest said:


> Thanks for the reply..
> 
> I was looking tonight and I agree with you about #1, I figured the most I coudl get is 3 rows of 3 seats, but I'd be pushing space issues. Might get 9 seats comfortably..
> 
> ...


I use Visio for floorplan / electrical plan / elevations, and Google SketchUp for 3d modeling.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Alen K (Aug 27, 2010)

Concur about room #2, perhaps subdivided appropriately. Many issues to solve, which will become apparent from the drawings. 

But...a 6K sf home in a neighborhood _averaging_ 2k sf homes? Did you have this built, by any chance? I think this will be a challenge to sell for the price you'll want even with a nice home theater inside, but it's the right thing to do if your family will get enjoyment out of it. But build it to please yourself, not the next tenants!


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## pghquest (Aug 30, 2010)

Alen K said:


> Concur about room #2, perhaps subdivided appropriately. Many issues to solve, which will become apparent from the drawings


The more I kept looking at the layout and the rooms other individuals designed, the more I agree with the replies. Originally I didnt really think I could divide a 31 foot room in half and allow me space for the pool table in 1 room, and the theater in room 2. While the with would be adaquate, I was thinking that since I would have to shorten the depth of the room from 24 feet to 20 to give me room for a hallway, that this would only leave me with 20 feet which wouldnt be long enough.


Alen K said:


> But...a 6K sf home in a neighborhood _averaging_ 2k sf homes? Did you have this built, by any chance? I think this will be a challenge to sell for the price you'll want even with a nice home theater inside, but it's the right thing to do if your family will get enjoyment out of it. But build it to please yourself, not the next tenants!


No, I didnt have it built, I bought it last year after the bank repo'd it from the previous owner who doubled the size of the home.. The master bedroom is 1,000 sf.. and he added an addition for his mother-in-law, which is its own apartment for her to move in, but the guys wife died, and she never moved in.. The home sat vacant for several years due to its size, and I finally picked it up cheaper than the average price of homes in the neighborhood.. My neighbor is putting their home on the market for $20K more than I paid for this house, and its only 1800sf... The price was right... Since I work from home, (run an internet company), I took over the apartment and renovated it into a 1,000 sf home office.

I got photos, let me figure out how to upload them...


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

Need Pics. Maybe some reconstruction will get your the best of both worlds....or closer anyways


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## HughACA (Aug 25, 2010)

+1.

A quick sketch of your rooms (you can use Google Sketch-Up) can help in recommending which option is best. 


Andre said:


> Need Pics. Maybe some reconstruction will get your the best of both worlds....or closer anyways


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## pghquest (Aug 30, 2010)

Ok.. I got them uploaded...
Sorry they arent the best photos.. its pretty dark down there.. Descriptions are as follows
First photo, is top of the steps, from the kitchen going into the basement. If I make room 1 the movie room, I could put a soda machine and popcorn machine right at the bottom of the steps etc..

The 2nd photo is the corner of room 1, showing shelving on the left where I could put the audio/video equipment, (built in), and the doorway leading to the laundryroom, and the 2nd room

Other various photos showing fireplace, and layout. The one with the window, I'm torn if I would want to put the tv screen there, or on the wall where the pool table is at the moment. If I put the tv screen where the window is, then I would have to deal with rising seats where people walk to get into the room. The window by the pool table is already bricked shut.

Excuse the mess, I'm tearing apart have the house and needed storage space.. :bigsmile:


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## pghquest (Aug 30, 2010)

This is the doorway at the bottom of the kitchen steps, (to the left at the bottom of the steps). It goes to the new laundryroom, so I would need to build a wall hiding the laundryroom from view for people going to room #2, if I make it the movie room. I could decorate this hallway nicely though with movie memorabilia...


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## pghquest (Aug 30, 2010)

Room 2, which I think I would need to cut in half, put the pool table on the right hand side in the photos, (where you see the steps going upstairs), and the movie room on the left section where the washing machine is, but being moved..

Again, sorry photos arent the best, rooms are really dark..

The room would be a fabulous media room, but it would be HUGE.. haha.. Maybe thats not so bad.. hehe


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## pghquest (Aug 30, 2010)

OnixMan said:


> +1.
> 
> A quick sketch of your rooms (you can use Google Sketch-Up) can help in recommending which option is best.


I downloaded it last night and plan to mess with it...

If I use room 2, I can break it apart and make a media room, and a pool table room, and keep the family room (room with the fireplace).. I guess I can put a little 15 inch black and white tv in the family room for the kids.. :bigsmile:
If I use room 1 for the media room, then I can get a very large game room, put a bar, pool table, and make the 2nd room the "family room"/play room.. 

The more I keep thinking about this, I might want to call a local realtor to get their feedback on values. I'm not too concerned about "money", but when I want to sell, I dont want to be sitting on the home for years because I did something stupid, and cant find a buyer...

I might want to ask what people would find more attractive, a dedicated media room, a smaller game room for a pool table, and a family room, or option 2, a media room, and a very large game room.


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## pghquest (Aug 30, 2010)

Ok, if I go with room #2, the question I have, is what do I do with the sub pump in the floor? Where the drains all go into. This would be the wall where I would put the movie screen. I'm not worried about the pipes, I can cover them up and create access panels, but the hole in the floor with the pump, probably not a real good idea to cover up..

with the ductwork, I could box it up, (unreasonable to really move), should I drop the screen from behind it or from the duct work? If I put it infront of the ductwork, it would stick out way to far, unless I make this part the back of the theater, and people walk into the front near the screen.. 

I'm starting to like the idea of room #2, just placement of the screen, and water pumps main issue to contend with..


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## Stele (Jul 3, 2010)

If you are going to use room #2 I would definitely get a plumber in to advise about the pump etc, I would hate to put a lot of work into making a HT/games room etc and in a few year the pipes back up and release into the room.... 

Could you possibly put the HT on the other side so the dividing wall would stop any water from destroying the HT gear. If you did that you would probably want to put a few feet from the bottom of the steps so you can block light and (some) sound from the steps into the HT.

If you have floor plans available they would help us visualize it better overall, from a space comparison point of view.


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## pghquest (Aug 30, 2010)

I'm not worried about the hot water tank, I already moved one of them and the one in room #2 I plan to move next to the furnace when I install the goe thermals.. The issue I have is..

If you look at the last photo, there is a white pipe that comes down the wall and into the floor (the one with the black connector in the middle).. If this ever backs up and the sub pump fail, this room would be trashed. The other pipes I can easily put behind walls and move, but what do I do with the big hole in the floor?

I suppose thats what insurance is for, but I dont want to put all this work into something that gets trashed..


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

Wow this is a tuff one.

Where does the door beside the dart board lead? You can put your HT in that rectangle with all your equipment where what looks like a built in desk is. I would put a Heavy curtain to close off that rectangle this will take care of the light issue, and let you open up the space when not watching movies. The fireplace is the issue here, it would basically be unuseable once seating is put in. I would put the screan on the side of the room where the pool table currently is, however, i don't know what or where that luvered door goes too.

Room 2. For resale, I believe you will have a problem if your selling the house without a laundry room. So, your going to have have one. As one of the poster suggested you will need a plumer. I would think of moving the washer into the corner, build in a counter and make that corner into a larger closet type laundry area. 

On the side with the door is where I would think of boing the HT, the other problem is the load bearing posts in pic 5 on this page looks like there is one that would be in the way

The furnace you will want to close that, however, you will have to find out what code is for the size of room you will require.

As for the other half of the room you can look at a moveable divider wall that closed when in HT mode and opened up when not with the pool table on the side where the washer is. A small wet bar could possibly be put under the window where the washer/laundry tub are now.

There some thoughts to spark your imagination, hope they are useful


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## pghquest (Aug 30, 2010)

Andre said:


> Wow this is a tuff one.
> 
> Where does the door beside the dart board lead?


That door leads to a 1 car garage. There is another door to the right of it behind the tv stand, which leads to a 4 car garage. The more I keep looking at this, the more I keep thinking I dont want to be traveling through the theater room to come in and out of the house daily. Carrying groceries, etc.. could get to be a pain navigating through furniture, etc..


Andre said:


> You can put your HT in that rectangle with all your equipment where what looks like a built in desk is. I would put a Heavy curtain to close off that rectangle this will take care of the light issue, and let you open up the space when not watching movies. The fireplace is the issue here, it would basically be unuseable once seating is put in. I would put the screan on the side of the room where the pool table currently is, however, i don't know what or where that luvered door goes too.


I had similar thoughts about a curtain.. Put it on levers so I can draw them shut when I wanted to use the theater, and leave them open for the kids to play their xbox etc. I dont use the fireplace at the moment, but I might in the future. I know I dont want to be blocking it off so the next family cant benefit from it.


Andre said:


> Room 2. For resale, I believe you will have a problem if your selling the house without a laundry room. So, your going to have have one. As one of the poster suggested you will need a plumer. I would think of moving the washer into the corner, build in a counter and make that corner into a larger closet type laundry area.


I have plenty of laundry rooms.. 2 at the moment, and installing 1 on the 3rd floor. We'll have one in the basement for kids, and one on the 3rd floor for adult clothese.. This will be just removing one.. I've already moved the dryer into the new laundryroom.. Washing machine will be moved by this weekend.. 


Andre said:


> On the side with the door is where I would think of boing the HT, the other problem is the load bearing posts in pic 5 on this page looks like there is one that would be in the way
> 
> The furnace you will want to close that, however, you will have to find out what code is for the size of room you will require.
> 
> ...


Thanks.. I was originally thinking of room #1, but with the suggestions and feedback here, I'm really looking at #2. Need to sit down with a software program and lay it out... 

Good suggestions from all.. I appreciate the input.. I really dont want to start something and then regret the choice later.. My screen should be in later this week, I'm going to mount it on the wall in each room and see how it looks.. I might hang it up and suddenly something click about why that room wont work.


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## pghquest (Aug 30, 2010)

Screen arrived today.. Takes up almost the whole back wall if I put it in Room #1.. about 15 inches left on each side before I hit wall.. Might be too large for the room.

Plumber told me that the hole in the floor is an interior french drain, it can be moved, (not cheap) but it cant be blocked. If the pump fails during a rain, the basement will flood in room #2.. 

Have to see if its reasonable to move the drain outside, and not bring the water inside instead..


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## Harold Dale (Jun 26, 2006)

Just curious, if it's a dedicated theater room why would you use a motorized screen? Seems like a fixed frame screen would be a no brainer and also better choice quality wise.


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## pghquest (Aug 30, 2010)

Dougie085 said:


> Just curious, if it's a dedicated theater room why would you use a motorized screen? Seems like a fixed frame screen would be a no brainer and also better choice quality wise.


Other than the coolness factor of pushing the button to have the screen drop.. (and it is REALLY cool.. haha) originally I was planning to keep the window to let light into the room. If I put it in room #1, we would have to walk through it to get to the garages.

I mounted the monitor in room #1, it takes up most of the wall, tonight or tomorrow I'm going to mount it in room #2 to see how it looks. I might turn room #2 around from what I was thinking about, putting the piping etc in the back of the room and have people walk into the front near the screen. I'm thinking

Build a fake front wall where the screen would hang, which would provide me with an aisle of the room for popcorn, soda machine etc, and then a nice entrance to the theater with an aisle up the right of the screen, and on the photos where the piping comes down, I can make that the back of the room (I originally thought that would be the front). Since the back rows are elevated, I can elevate the seating up and over the piping into the floor.

I wont know how it'll look until I mount the screen and pretend there is a wall. I've tried some of the softwar epackages, was hard to figure out. I have another program here I'm going to mess with and see if its any easier.


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## Harold Dale (Jun 26, 2006)

Ok was just asking because I always see issues with roll up screens, wrinkles and what not they never seem to sit flat  But if there is a reason for it then obviously you should use it.


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## pghquest (Aug 30, 2010)

I think I have it narrowed down to choice B.. I'll get around 14-15 feet wide 22-24 feet deep depending on the final layout. I think I'm going to decorate the walls with some type of curtain material that will retract on one side into the pool table room. This way the popcorn machine and soda machine can be shared with the gameroom and if people are playing pool you can have a football on etc for entertainment and background.. I havent done the final layout, researching materials an size needs but one is coming soon.


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## tanker1811 (Feb 29, 2008)

pghquest said:


> Room 2, which I think I would need to cut in half, put the pool table on the right hand side in the photos, (where you see the steps going upstairs), and the movie room on the left section where the washing machine is, but being moved..
> 
> Again, sorry photos arent the best, rooms are really dark..
> 
> The room would be a fabulous media room, but it would be HUGE.. haha.. Maybe thats not so bad.. hehe



OK, were you being chased by a werewolf or something when taking these pictures? I mean, I think it looks good, but MAN they are blurry...


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## pghquest (Aug 30, 2010)

tanker1811 said:


> OK, were you being chased by a werewolf or something when taking these pictures? I mean, I think it looks good, but MAN they are blurry...


Thats what that was.. he kept mumbling something about 10 feet not being big enough.. haha.. 

I have decided it will be in room B, and I will put a removable divider to divide the room in 1/2 so we can have it open to watch sports etc while we play pool, or close it up for a theater look. Screen purchased, project purchased, having someone move the support beams in the next few weeks to give me 1 right down the middle.

Will put the furnace and the hot water tank in a close, move them together on the far wall to the right and I think I'll be set to begin construction on the room itself..


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