Home Theater and House Hunting !

[Scooby Blu]

So I looked at 20 houses this weekend. First thing I noticed is that in every single house I looked at no one had a HT room or any sound set up at all. Just goes to show what a sub-culture our hobby is.

Now the floor plans I looked at were horrible for a HT set up. Back to front split was great for the HT in the basement. However, I would like to have the kitchen near by for beverages and snacks. Could overcome this problem with a mini fridge though. The CA split had a "living" room about the size of my office. Not good. I still need to look at a side to side split and see how that looks. Price range I was looking at was 185K to 250K

Question does anyone know of a floor plan that would harbor a home theater and give me a close range to the kitchen ?

[Scooby Blu]

Anyone ?

[JJ]

Well, I could draw you up a plan...

::nudges to his architectural training::

But I can't build it for you for another 4 years (grad school + licensing),

[kpkelley]

Originally Posted by Scooby Blu

Question does anyone know of a floor plan that would harbor a home theater and give me a close range to the kitchen ?

Loft.

[Scooby Blu]

Originally Posted by JJxiv1215

Well, I could draw you up a plan...

::nudges to his architectural training::

But I can't build it for you for another 4 years (grad school + licensing),

I bet you could JJ. Four years is a little out of my time frame though It was funny though to see these nice houses and the sound systems in them were a fright to see to say the least.

[mr peepers]

if there's space in the basement, why not just build a small kitchen area down there by the theater?

[mdm1699]

Originally Posted by Scooby Blu

So I looked at 20 houses this weekend. First thing I noticed is that in every single house I looked at no one had a HT room or any sound set up at all. Just goes to show what a sub-culture our hobby is.

Now the floor plans I looked at were horrible for a HT set up. Back to front split was great for the HT in the basement. However, I would like to have the kitchen near by for beverages and snacks. Could overcome this problem with a mini fridge though. The CA split had a "living" room about the size of my office. Not good. I still need to look at a side to side split and see how that looks. Price range I was looking at was 185K to 250K

Question does anyone know of a floor plan that would harbor a home theater and give me a close range to the kitchen ?

I suggest putting the HT in the kitchen . You can alway eat out .

[RubberDucky]

why not just build a bar in the basement

[Hammie]

Unless something was already designed for a use similar to what you are looking for, it may be impossible.

I don't know what kind of space you are looking for. Most houses today are open floor plans which means they are not really acoustically sound for home theaters. A dedicated room on the first floor which is closed up will be very difficult to find unless you convert a bedroom into the room and that would usually be the master bedroom in a two story house or a smaller bedroom in a ranch style home.

After all that I said, this moves the discussion back to where you can retrofit an HT in a home yourself. I have seen three options.

1.) Build an HT in the basement with a mini kitchenette
2.) Convert an attic into an HT room with a kitchenette
3.) Convert a garage into an HT. These are usually ALWAYS off the kitchen.
4.) Hire a butler or have kids and make them get you what you need

Just my two cents. Good luck with the search and subsequent project!

[Scooby Blu]

Originally Posted by louhamilton

Unless something was already designed for a use similar to what you are looking for, it may be impossible.

I don't know what kind of space you are looking for. Most houses today are open floor plans which means they are not really acoustically sound for home theaters. A dedicated room on the first floor which is closed up will be very difficult to find unless you convert a bedroom into the room and that would usually be the master bedroom in a two story house or a smaller bedroom in a ranch style home.

After all that I said, this moves the discussion back to where you can retrofit an HT in a home yourself. I have seen three options.

1.) Build an HT in the basement with a mini kitchenette
2.) Convert an attic into an HT room with a kitchenette
3.) Convert a garage into an HT. These are usually ALWAYS off the kitchen.
4.) Hire a butler or have kids and make them get you what you need

Just my two cents. Good luck with the search and subsequent project!

I like that fourth option the best ! Thanks for the input though.

[Beta Man]

Well..... from what I have looked at, having looked at a LOT... and do I mean a LOT of homes, here is what you'll find.

1) if you're lucky enough to find someone who built a dedicated theater, complete with sound-deadening insulation, separate HVAC, stage area, etc.... they're gonna be hosed when they sell it, because Home Theaters don't really add much value to the home because many people just don't want one..... (I'm talking dedicated theater, not a basement they finished and put a big Rear-projection television in) So if you find one of these, scoop it up... it'll save you a TON of money.

2) what state are you in? Are basements dry, and abundant, or are you in Texas and have issues with the water table ?????? (I think you're in MN right?)


3) You want a solid concrete slab floor..... so basement is the BEST room to start a theater in (obviously we all make sacrifices if necessary though)

4) Many people build a theater ABOVE a garage, since the sound issue isn't as much of a problem, and this way you don't give up having an actual garage....... problem is, you have to either find a home with a completed addition/room above the garage, or shell out $20k or so to have it added on yourself........ I'd look for homes with a room built above the garage..... it's a common place to add-on to a home for older kids, play-rooms, etc. they will typically not have center beam-supports etc.... and they're a good size, so they make for good theaters.


5) I'd forget about the kitchen etc..... a theater is a theater, and a kitchen is a kitchen..... when was the last time you were at the movies, and heard an ice-maker drop ice, a microwave time go off, or a dishwasher running ????

[yellowblanket]

Ok, i put in down in layman term for you.
-secretly poke a few holes in the condom before sex DONE
-get wife/gf pregnant DONE
-kid will be out in 9 months 10 days DONE
-within 3 years of training kid will be able to bring you food and coronna DONE

...the timing of this plan is roughly 4 years give or take.

have fun!

[Schrute Farms]

I live in DFW area in Texas, and basements don't exist here. There are tradeoffs here, in that MOST leading home builders are adding "media" rooms to most of their floorplans. I am buying a home and framing is complete. I converted two of the five bedrooms into a dedicated theater. See my post here. https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=57810

If I had my druthers, I would have a basement converted into a theater for sound isolation reasons, and to prevent ambient light. I'm not wild about theaters above garages because the ceilings are usually pitched, which causes weird sound issues.

[Scooby Blu]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Well..... from what I have looked at, having looked at a LOT... and do I mean a LOT of homes, here is what you'll find.

1) if you're lucky enough to find someone who built a dedicated theater, complete with sound-deadening insulation, separate HVAC, stage area, etc.... they're gonna be hosed when they sell it, because Home Theaters don't really add much value to the home because many people just don't want one..... (I'm talking dedicated theater, not a basement they finished and put a big Rear-projection television in) So if you find one of these, scoop it up... it'll save you a TON of money.

2) what state are you in? Are basements dry, and abundant, or are you in Texas and have issues with the water table ?????? (I think you're in MN right?)


3) You want a solid concrete slab floor..... so basement is the BEST room to start a theater in (obviously we all make sacrifices if necessary though)

4) Many people build a theater ABOVE a garage, since the sound issue isn't as much of a problem, and this way you don't give up having an actual garage....... problem is, you have to either find a home with a completed addition/room above the garage, or shell out $20k or so to have it added on yourself........ I'd look for homes with a room built above the garage..... it's a common place to add-on to a home for older kids, play-rooms, etc. they will typically not have center beam-supports etc.... and they're a good size, so they make for good theaters.


5) I'd forget about the kitchen etc..... a theater is a theater, and a kitchen is a kitchen..... when was the last time you were at the movies, and heard an ice-maker drop ice, a microwave time go off, or a dishwasher running ????

I'm a border ruffian ! Kansas/Missouri border. Yes, we have basements that are dry or have a sump pump. I could build a "snack bar" in the basement though

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by Schrute Farms

I'm not wild about theaters above garages because the ceilings are usually pitched, which causes weird sound issues.

My Attic has a flat ceiling...... wasn't always like that.... that's what Dry-wall and insulation are for

[Pelican170]

Originally Posted by RubberDucky

why not just build a bar in the basement

+1. I recently bought a home and was looking for a perfect room for Home Theater for what i wanted. I never found it after 2 yrs and settled on what i have with no HT room , but i have an unfinished basement to work with so one day i will have my setup complete. Moral is, sometimes you just have to settle but you can always build upon what you have if you get creative..

[Uniquely]

Where are you looking? Where I live 250K will get you almost anything you want. I got a brand new 1820 sq ft 3/2 brick house with a full acre fenced in lot for 67.6K. 250K here will get you 5 bedrooms 3 baths, library, office, sun room, 2500 sq ft, pool; you name it.

[JJ]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

Where are you looking? Where I live 250K will get you almost anything you want. I got a brand new 1820 sq ft 3/2 brick house with a full acre fenced in lot for 67.6K. 250K here will get you 5 bedrooms 3 baths, library, office, sun room, 2500 sq ft, pool; you name it.

Isn't that the truth, it's all location - $250,000 here gets you very, very little.

[Uniquely]

Originally Posted by JJxiv1215

Isn't that the truth, it's all location - $250,000 here gets you very, very little.

I know. I don't think I could live in one of those places. Being able to buy a nice house for less than a years salary leaves lots of spending cash for the finer things in life. With my appetite for nice things, I'm sure I'd be up to my ears in debt in other parts of the country.

[Pelican170]

Originally Posted by JJxiv1215

Isn't that the truth, it's all location - $250,000 here gets you very, very little.

Here also....