Home Theater and Home Resale Value

[lancer360]

I'm getting ready to make the next big step for my home theater. The next step is to install a projector and screen. Before I do this though I really want to paint the room, install some lighting, and replace the crappy builder ceiling fan with two smaller ceiling fans spaced apart so it doesn't interfere with the projector. I would like to paint the ceiling black and install a star lighting kit. The walls color I want to go with is a dark red/rust color. The new lighting will most likely be recessed lights, but I haven't ruled out doing track lighting either. The lighting shouldn't hurt the resale, but my wife is really worried that painting the room so dark will. Repainting the ceiling after putting in a star light kit sounds like a nightmare if/when we put the house on the market. Odds are my wife will get a transfer by the end of next year. Will turning a room into dedicated HT room hurt us with resale? Would it be better to just install the projector/screen and live with the light beige walls?

 

[JerryLove]

It's one of those "novelty upgrades" (in most segments) that will make the house more appealing only to a buyer looking for a home theater similar to what you've setup.

In other words: it might be a huge selling feature, but if I were a betting man, I wouldn't make difficult-to-reverse changes (paint is OK, tearing out the closet is not) if moving were likely soon and I was keeping an eye on resale.

 

[jinjuku]

It's one of those "novelty upgrades" (in most segments) that will make the house more appealing only to a buyer looking for a home theater similar to what you've setup.

In other words: it might be a huge selling feature, but if I were a betting man, I wouldn't make difficult-to-reverse changes (paint is OK, tearing out the closet is not) if moving were likely soon and I was keeping an eye on resale.

Agreed. I would try to set the room up in a way to me multi-use.

 

[m_vanmeter]

when my son recently sold his house, the buyers were much more interested in a multi-use room and were far more interested in the fact we had wired the room for 5.1 and used outlet plates with the 5-way connectors (from Monoprice.com) for whatever speakers THEY decided to install. Even a theater setup only several years old may seem outdated to a future buyer, or one who already has his own equipment and your "stuff" means nothing to him.

Set the room up like you want it equipment wise, but do the installation so everything can be removed and the new buyer can pick/install his own stuff easily, using your in-wall wiring and properly placed AC outlets....it's kind of like a major kitchen update just prior to a sale...the buyers want their own kitchen.....not yours.

If you have to try to darken the room colors, do not go to the extreme dark colors like black, stay within the grays and mid-deep earth colors. They can be over-painted if a good sealing primer is used. Blacks and darker reds, etc. will take many applications of a lighter paint to cover and hurt the resale value.

 

[lancer360]

How important is it to paint the ceiling a dark color? I could probably do the walls a dark color and with a light ceiling not have the room feel totally like a cave. The room is 16x17.

 

[lancer360]

I have set up all the wiring (7.1) with face plates on the walls. The screen will be hung on the wall so it is easily reversible and the projector will be hung from the ceiling with an electrical outlet installed in the ceiling. I plan on pulling a single HDMI cable through the wall and attic and have that drop down out of the ceiling also. The HDMI cable will not have a connector at the celing, but it will come through a proper box and through a hole in the face plate. That way the cable can be fed back up into the ceiling and a blank face plate installed if someone did not have a projector.

 

[3db]

I'm getting ready to make the next big step for my home theater. The next step is to install a projector and screen. Before I do this though I really want to paint the room, install some lighting, and replace the crappy builder ceiling fan with two smaller ceiling fans spaced apart so it doesn't interfere with the projector. I would like to paint the ceiling black and install a star lighting kit. The walls color I want to go with is a dark red/rust color. The new lighting will most likely be recessed lights, but I haven't ruled out doing track lighting either. The lighting shouldn't hurt the resale, but my wife is really worried that painting the room so dark will. Repainting the ceiling after putting in a star light kit sounds like a nightmare if/when we put the house on the market. Odds are my wife will get a transfer by the end of next year. Will turning a room into dedicated HT room hurt us with resale? Would it be better to just install the projector/screen and live with the light beige walls?

difficult to say. If this room is taking away a bedroom, then it maybe more difficult to sell. If its a spare room and you alreardy have 3 or more bedrooms not counting the room you want to make over, then I can't dsee it being a big problem. Dark colours are harder to paint over ...just need more coats of primer and the new color but its doable. It won't add much value to your home. Kitchen and bathrooms are the biggest selling factors of homes.

 

[lsiberian]

I suggest you take a step back and reconsider this. If your moving in a year you may not want put a bunch into it. I suggest you do a shelf mounted projector and a fixed frame carada screen.

Don't paint the room black, but something that looks neat. Put up some treatments from GIK acoustics and be done with it. It's a dedicated room so wiring through the ceiling I see as unnecessary labor.

I personally like a red color for the walls.

 

[Audioholics]

Go multi-use. Painting the ceiling is a bad idea and you will only decrease the value of your home. Sucks, but it's the truth.

 

[gmichael]

My projectors work fine with our white celing. The walls are a maroon color.

 

[Nemo128]

Woman architect says this:

Home theaters built right always increase market value, but not at the cost of livable space. If you're cutting into potential rental income for it, it's not worth it. For selling in a suburban area, it's always a better investment than extra empty space for crates and crap, since in today's market the typical buyer doesn't have the time or desire to invest in building a room. Wiring built in and open space is best for resale.

 

[highfigh]

I'm getting ready to make the next big step for my home theater. The next step is to install a projector and screen. Before I do this though I really want to paint the room, install some lighting, and replace the crappy builder ceiling fan with two smaller ceiling fans spaced apart so it doesn't interfere with the projector. I would like to paint the ceiling black and install a star lighting kit. The walls color I want to go with is a dark red/rust color. The new lighting will most likely be recessed lights, but I haven't ruled out doing track lighting either. The lighting shouldn't hurt the resale, but my wife is really worried that painting the room so dark will. Repainting the ceiling after putting in a star light kit sounds like a nightmare if/when we put the house on the market. Odds are my wife will get a transfer by the end of next year. Will turning a room into dedicated HT room hurt us with resale? Would it be better to just install the projector/screen and live with the light beige walls?

Paint can be covered but darker needs more coats and great primer. Re: the starlight ceiling- if you think it'll be too hard to deal with it when you need to sell, I would pass on that until you know you'll be in one place for a longer time period.

Wallpaper isn't a bad alternative when you want dark colors. Just don't ask me to put it up- I come from a long line of guys who hate hanging wallpaper.

 

[mtrycrafts]

..... Odds are my wife will get a transfer by the end of next year. Will turning a room into dedicated HT room hurt us with resale? Would it be better to just install the projector/screen and live with the light beige walls?

In that case, yes, your latter Just install and not paint anything until you are going to retire in a home or live there for a good many years. Especially that starfield which I bet isn't cheap.
The more specialized the room becomes, the smaller your buying market will be, unless it is a sewing room

 

[manofsteel2397]

In that case, yes, your latter Just install and not paint anything until you are going to retire in a home or live there for a good many years. Especially that starfield which I bet isn't cheap.
The more specialized the room becomes, the smaller your buying market will be, unless it is a sewing room

i totaly agree there is only a few months at left to the year anyway so it will make antisapation for moving to the new house more exciting to make your room the way you realy want to.

 

[lancer360]

Thanks for all the input! The house is a 4 bedroom with a downstairs master. This room is not one of the bedrooms, although it does have a full bath so it technically could be a large 5th bedroom. I was planning on doing a Carada fixed screen, but I want to wait until I get the projector and play with image size on the wall before I finalize my screen size. I need to call a projector company that sells the Panasonic AE3000 and get some advice on projector height. If I'm reading the manual right the projector has to be mounted pretty low anyway so a wall mount would work well. I think I may just leave the walls and ceiling alone based on the advice here. I think I still have to do something with the ceiling fan though. I'll wait until I get the projector and try it out first. Depending on the angle from the projector to the screen, I might be able to make a flush mount fan work instead of having to remove it completely. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[lsiberian]

Thanks for all the input! The house is a 4 bedroom with a downstairs master. This room is not one of the bedrooms, although it does have a full bath so it technically could be a large 5th bedroom. I was planning on doing a Carada fixed screen, but I want to wait until I get the projector and play with image size on the wall before I finalize my screen size. I need to call a projector company that sells the Panasonic AE3000 and get some advice on projector height. If I'm reading the manual right the projector has to be mounted pretty low anyway so a wall mount would work well. I think I may just leave the walls and ceiling alone based on the advice here. I think I still have to do something with the ceiling fan though. I'll wait until I get the projector and try it out first. Depending on the angle from the projector to the screen, I might be able to make a flush mount fan work instead of having to remove it completely. Thanks for all the advice!

I believe the AE3000 works fine in shelf mount. For a screen I personally suggest you at least try out a blackout cloth and frame. You just need some glue and a nice staple gun. Get home depot to make the cut's for the frame.

 

[Phil Taylor]

On one of my first ever installs years ago the homeowner told me his realtor told him (I know "hearsay" evidence ) that wiring his room for surround sound (with wall plates) added $1300 to the resale value of his home ... take that with a grain of salt.

 

[mtrycrafts]

On one of my first ever installs years ago the homeowner told me his realtor told him (I know "hearsay" evidence ) that wiring his room for surround sound (with wall plates) added $1300 to the resale value of his home ... take that with a grain of salt.

Yes, having it prewired is one thing and beneficial as even a smallish install can benefit from it, that is a TV and some speakers, nothing fancy. It can be ignored, not used and would not detract from the room.
But, when you apply such paint colors that have very limited appeal to most home buyers, that can be a turn off, even if they just want a TV and some surround speakers. So, wiring is a yes, dark special colors would not be my suggestion

 

[Phil Taylor]

Yes, having it prewired is one thing and beneficial as even a smallish install can benefit from it, that is a TV and some speakers, nothing fancy. It can be ignored, not used and would not detract from the room.
But, when you apply such paint colors that have very limited appeal to most home buyers, that can be a turn off, even if they just want a TV and some surround speakers. So, wiring is a yes, dark special colors would not be my suggestion

I agree about the paint ... If I painted it I'd prolly go with a royal blue - dark enough to help but not so much as to possibly offend a potential homebuyer ... just MHO.

 

[tonedeaf]

Whats the reason for having dark colors in a dedicated HT room?Science or asthetics?