I am so jealous of people who have homes with basements (1 Viewer)

[MickeS]

After looking at pictures of some of the forum members' home theaters, I get SO jealous of those who have homes with nice big basements, I almost want to start crying (I think I've ratned about this here before, but it's time again).

Here in Tucson (and the rest of southern AZ I think) only some of the most expensive homes have basements, because they can build them in the hills. No homes in the city have them, I'm told because it's because the ground is too hard. I hate it, it's almost enough to make me want to move somewhere else (we went on vacation to Milwaukee and Chicago earlier this summer, and saw some nice affordable homes with basements that would make great home theaters!).

Well, I just wanted to rant because I'm right now so frustrated that there's no way I'll be getting a real HT for a long, long time.

Anyone else frustrated over the lack of basements where they live?

 

[Matt Pasant]

After living in Michigan for 7 years, I learned one thing that discouraged me from putting the HT in the basement while I lived there, its that I have seen more than my fair share of flooded basements and ruined collections.


-- Matt

 

[NickSo]

Yeah, we have no basements in the community i live in, coz its an island thats below sea level. If you go too far down, its just water, so no basmeenets anywhere :frowning:

 

[NickSo]

bonus rooms above the Garage

My HT is one of those. Its right above the garage, but there are like 4 windows, so light control is a problem. It doubles as my dads office.
Some pics of my HT:
http://www3.telus.net/sonick/ht/ht1.jpg
http://www3.telus.net/sonick/ht/ht2.jpg
http://www3.telus.net/sonick/ht/ht3.jpg
http://www3.telus.net/sonick/ht/ht4.jpg
http://www3.telus.net/sonick/ht/ht5.jpg
http://www3.telus.net/sonick/ht/sub.jpg

 

[MikePeroni]

I LOVE my basement. It took about 6 months for me to finish it. Nice drop ceiling, recessed can lighting, drywall and berber carpet. The main area is about 900 sq. ft., and we also have a full bath down there (I was lucky the rough plumbing was in the ground for a bath).
Basically I have my HT on one side and a huge play area for my baby boy on the other. I must say, we use it more than we thought we would, plus its great for partys and having friends/family movie night. Its nice that you can shut the door and pretty loud without waking the kids...
Mike
P.S. To my wifes dismay its also my Red Wing shrine!!

 

[Steve Christou]

Basements? I thought basements were for old boxes, crates, spiderwebs and skeletons chained to a wall.
The last time I explored my basement I needed scuba gear, I panicked when some tentacled thingy started groping me and barely got out in time.

 

[Steve Enemark]

What's a basement? I've never seen one on this side of the country.

 

[NickSo]

No, i've seen some basements in vancouver that are bigger than an apartment (really expensive, but super nice), with like a bedroom, a living room, and a HT room.

 

[Peter-PP]

Basements are creepy. Mine is like a dungeon, dark and cold.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Basements are very common in Michigan. In fact, not having a basement will really hurt the resale value of your house, since most people expect a basement when they are house shopping.

Our basement is finished, but our home theater is upstairs in the family room. The basement was finished by the previous owners, and was not done with HT in mind. We do have room for our pool table and ping pong table, and there is a beautiful wet bar, though, so the room is great for entertaining. The laundry room was also relocated down there.

 

[Paul_D]

Basements? I thought basements were for old boxes, crates, spiderwebs and skeletons chained to a wall.

I always thought that the only purpose of basements/attics was to provide entry into different dimensions. They're far too dark, dank, filled with beasts to feel comfortable in. The very idea of putting an HT in a basement seems barbaric to me. Unless you're gonna use it exclusively for horror.

 

[Jeff Hoak]

One of the biggest mistakes I've ever made was NOT putting in a basement. Here in central FL basements are all but unheard of. I built my house on what passes for a hill here and at the time even discussed putting one in. It would have cost me about $5000 more to build the house with the basement.

Well... being young, stupid and most importantly financially challenged (can you say broke) with my wife carrying our first child I chose to not spend the extra money.

Eighteen years later... The wife is now the ex-wife. The house is very nearly paid for. The child is out of high school and living with me. AND I don't have the home theater that I really want because I didn't have the foresight to spend what is now not a lot of money.

The cost to add a second story addition on my house in order to get my HT room is WAY more than the $5000 I saved 18 years ago.

GRRRRRR.... I HATE stupid people... Especially when its ME!

 

[Michael*K]

I have a basement and I'm grateful for it, but it isn't much use to me other than for storage. :frowning: With the furnace/air conditioner and washer/dryer down there, it's noisy. And the fact that it's damp and I occasionally get seepage would preclude me from keeping any sort of electronics down there. Sigh.

 

[Mark Romero]

Basements are great, especially if they are the walk-out variety. My last home had a basement and my next one must as well. I need the HT room, bar, pool table, etc.

 

[Neil Joseph]

What if you add a seond level on top of your house, then get a few hundred cubic metres of soild and dump it around the ground level? Hmmm, then again...

 

[Mark C Sherman]

The One thing that I am Looking for when I Buy my House(next 8-12 months) is that it HAS TO HAVE A BASEMENT. I am a Drummer as well as a HOME THEATER NUT so I need the space.

 

[Scott Dautel]

Basements are creepy. Mine is like a dungeon, dark and cold

not necessarily ....
Link Removed
Link Removed

 

[Scott Bourden]

I never realized some area's just plain old don't have basements.... I could not live without mine... Hell, I have full HT and computer rooms, full bedroom with a small walk-in closet, full bathroom, and then a large storage room all in my basement, fully furnished and finished.... It's just an extension of the house, never realized people "shun" them in some area's... I suppose I am quite nieve :b

 

[Philip_G]

my basement would be full of sumps and lighting for my saltwater fish tank, no room for a HT

 

[Chris Rosene]

I don't have a large house by any means (about 2000 sq ft ranch), but a fully finished basement adds another 1400 sq ft of living space!! That leaves 600 sq ft for a workshop and storage. I would NEVER be able to live in a house without a basement.