Dad Spends Three Weeks And $2200 Turning Their Basement Into A Family Home Theater Despite His Wife's Initial Misgivings

All that's missing is a popcorn machine!

Chelsi

• Published in Interesting
• April 2, 2024

There was a time when clothes, make-up, and skincare products excited me. But at a certain age, I just woke up excited about furniture, kitchenware, and renovations.

I found myself frequenting social media sites and TV shows dedicated to home improvement, and I haven't gone back since. The one place that kicked my home improvement bug into high gear was the r/DIY community on Reddit.

It's the best place on Reddit for anyone who thinks they can be the next Bob the Builder. It's a community dedicated to exchanging and sharing successful do-it-yourself projects.

The posts range from doorknob replacement to complicated renovations. The main rule is to only talk about projects you would handle without professional assistance.

That alone makes this basement renovation impressive. The OP said his wife finally allowed him to turn their basement into a home theater.

He spent three weeks completing his masterpiece, which was well worth his hard work. For someone who aspires to undertake these kinds of massive renovations but doesn't have the skill to back them up, I can only imagine how daunting this construction was for OP.

Thanks to his dedication, OP and his family can enjoy their shows and movies on a larger screen with a surround sound system, unlike us pedestrians. Here are some work-in-progress photos that OP shared with the r/DIY community.

OP's wife was skeptical when she saw how much work he planned to accomplish in three weeks.

Soon enough, the structure was sturdy enough to support the TV.

On the second day, OP tried to do as much work as he could, but his daughter wanted to "help."

OP's vision is coming to life.

Even with his amateur photography, we could all see how the home theater was coming along.

OP prepared the area where the screen would be installed.

The subwoofers would soon be ready to go!

He would have placed DVDs instead of tower speakers, but OP isn't one for nostalgia.

The screen is in place! OP now has to hunt for the perfect speakers to go with his setup.

The speakers, screen, and subwoofers have been installed. It also looks like OP put cornices on the shelves to frame the equipment better.

OP also knows a thing or two about cable management because that projector was installed beautifully.

The bar behind needs a little more work, but it's getting there!

OP had to re-install and mount the projector onto a column to make it more stable.

Their basement is now an entertainment area for the whole family!

Dim the lights! The show is about to start!

OP's first movie pick on his brand-new home theater was Star Wars! Their first family movie was Step Brothers.

OP said they spent around $2200 to complete their basement home theater. How much would they have spent hiring a contractor to renovate their basement?

DIY projects are not for everyone, but it helps to have a community to lean on when you can no longer see the end of the renovation you started weeks ago. YouTube videos can only teach you so much, it's better to have the advice of someone who has gone the DIY route before.

Chelsi