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Home Theater Update - Hiring an Expert Contractor

Remember how I was going to DIY the expansion to our home theater? Well.... that plan's out.

This project is going to be one of the most, if not THE most, visible items in our home. Now that I really think about it, I should probably engage someone who knows how to calculate molding angles with a miter saw.

We recently engaged a contractor to take my original sketches, and my 3D design, and to create something with more of a craftsman aesthetic to fit our house.

Just to refresh your memory - here's what our living room fireplace/cabinet currently looks like:


And this is what the contractor came back with:


Wow. That's.... that's a lot better.

And honestly, the cost for this custom cabinet wall - installed - isn't much more than I was going to spend on the semi-custom cabinets for my DIY job. I guess sometimes hiring a pro is the better call.

There are a few tweaks we have in mind - the wall to either side of the cabinets will have stone tile, instead of wood trimwork.

And obviously, I'm going to have to get all of the electronics integrated - we'll be running redmere HDMI cables and speaker wire behind this system. I'm not sure if we'll be installing in-wall speakers, or using our current Bose Acoustimass system.

Regardless, we'll get started in August. Very excited to be moving forward.

Comments

  1. You have big plans for August. How long will the contractor take to complete it? Have you worked with them before? Do you really think it's better to go pro, cost wise?

    I think sometimes it does work out financially when you go pro, after you consider the amount of time it would take to complete the job on your own. Sometimes, it flows smoothly, especially if you are working with someone who can be trusted to come up with good ideas for solving problems when they arise.

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  2. getting help of experts may beneficial a lot to avoid hassle. But I completed it on my own and enjoying watching and listing music or TV shows with my Bose sound system.

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  3. Controlling your home theater can be a nightmare or a dream. It's all up to the remote control. You can make almost any theater work with a single button touch.

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  4. I don't think it's a good idea to put your TV right over the fireplace. It may damage the TV or the picture tube in many ways. I hope you will take this into consideration.

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    Replies
    1. We definitely installed the TV over the fireplace. For better or worse, that's how the house was designed.

      That said, the TV (an LED, so no picture tube) is installed into 2x4s and drywall. If there were heat escaping the fireplace or chimney to the point that the TV could be damaged, I'd expect that those combustibles would be damaged first.... as it stands, there isn't any excessive heat at all near the TV.

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  5. this really is a great idea. Home Theater, OMG, I think I really have to do immediately. music is my life.

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  6. i just love everything you do, it's all just so quirky and makes me smile! so glad you shared :)

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  7. Great design, love the TV and the furniture !

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