My Potential Man Cave - queries

[manutd123]

Hi guys

I'm looking to have a loft conversion in early 2014.

Now, whilst i came up with this idea, it suddenly dawned on me that i could utilise some of the area for a Home cinema...

Now i have no idea about cost and even less about setting up a home cinema.

What i can say:

1. I live in a very straightforward square shaped 4 bedroom house.

2. The roof is low and needs to be raised about half a metre to 1 metre for any discernible benefit.

3. Half the loft will be available for the home cinema; the other half will be a bedroom and bathroom. Staircase potentially in the middle.

4. No doubt all the sides will be affected by a slanting roof.

I cannot give measurements yet as to size, albeit looks possible that we can potentially fit 3 rows of seating for the home cinema.

Now i have a young family and so whatever noise the movies make will need to be sound proofed.

Having said that, i'm not sure how that works if the stairs come directly into the open plan area - is it possible/wise to have a separate soundproof roof hatch?

I have a total spend for roof raising, carpets, paint, bathroom fittings, furniture etc of £25k-£30k. (well i don't, but i guess i should start saving). That is, that is the total spend for EVERYTHING.

Should i go to a home cinema specialist? If so, anyone in the Midlands, UK, recommended?

Or should i go to builders? Or Loft conversion specialists?

Someone mentioned raising a roof alone costs £15k, anyone know if that's right?

Sorry for the hundred questions.

 

[Wreck]

Raising a roof does sound expensive ... not even sure how laws are in regards to UK vs. USA ... such a thing here might require a permit or inspection ...idk. Cause raising a roof starts getting into structural integrity one would imagine.

I can say from having a basement and stairs in the middle leading up .... that the wife complains about noise level .... however I think it would be much easier to manage when the stairs is going up allowing for a temporary hatch.

You could probably make something simple out of plywood and purchase soundproof sheets on ebay to go on one side therefore eliminating the sound downward. All in all ... I think that issue will be the last issue you worry about as its probably going to be your cheapest issue of them all anyways.

 

[manutd123]

Thanks Wreck - if my cinema room is open plan, but the home cinema is set to the right wall, will the sound be affected on the left side?

Only, the left side is completely open, so there will not be a close enough wall to bounce the sound around, whereas the speakers on the right would be next to the right wall.

It's a shame we don't have basements more in our UK houses, one of my neighbours recently converted their garage into a theatre, which works well as there is no one above the building as it's slightly detached from the rest of the house. No such luck for me....

I've got loft conversion specialists (builders ) coming out Monday to quote me, will see how that goes, let's hope i can afford what they say....

 

[Wreck]

Try to get multiple quotes, then the company you really want might drop pricing a bit when showing competitors lower quotes

---------- Post added at 08:50 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:49 AM ----------

As for sound,most good receivers will do what's best after running sound tests in your room