Table of Content
However, some homeowners may want to purchase a DVD or Blu-ray player for their home theater. Installing an outlet or new wiring for your home theater adds $150 to $2,000 to your project. Newer systems replace cords with full Wi-Fi functionality. These systems are pretty straightforward to set up, as the process mostly involves laying out each device and then connecting it to the internet.
Now it’s time to get down to the nuts and bolts of your first question, How much does a home theater cost exactly? The price will ultimately depend on the size of your room, the costs to build out any new features, labor costs if a renovation is needed, and more. One factor that could affect the cost of your project is the current state of the electrical and cable wiring within your space.
Home Theater Wiring Cost
For all electrical installations, find an electrician near you. Adding a Dolby Atmos surround sound system costs $250 to $2,300. If you have an average-sized room and want the best audio experience, this setup provides the best performance. Additionally, it allows for object-based mixing so that sounds can be placed anywhere in the three-dimensional soundscape. Surround sound systems are made up of various components to make it feel like the sound is playing all around you.
With options of hybrid sound systems, with wired front speakers and wireless rear speakers, it’s easy to do this yourself. But if you’re designing a fully immersive experience with wired components, you’re better off with a local home audio installer. For rooms where you’ll need new outlets, don’t try that yourself.
Component
Bi-wire is compatible when the speaker and amplifier have two separate connections; 1 for bass and the other for all other frequencies. Copper and silver are both prone to oxidization, whereas gold isn't. A room 300ft² requires at least double the amount of cable that a 150ft² needs. S-Video is an analog video connection standard that splits into two.
Cost data is based on actual project costs as reported by 1,991 HomeAdvisor members. Acoustic treatments are the most overlooked aspect of a home theater. If the speaker budget is $5,000, Young recommends allocating 20-25% of that budget for acoustic treatments. This equation makes for better sound quality rather than spending the entire audio budget on higher-quality speakers. Receivers, amplifiers, and speakers are the primary components that make up the audio portion of a home theater. Properly planning the types, quantities, and locations for the speakers is the key to great sound.
Dolby Surround 7.1 Theater: $6,500
For a simple home theater, a soundbar can offer excellent sound, has fewer cables, and does not take up room with additional speakers. A speaker system takes more work to install and involves more speakers, but many people find the sound better than a soundbar. If you want to create a full movie experience in your house for your family, you probably want to know how much a home theater typically costs.
We'd love to know how our cost guide helped you with your project! Our team of experts make every effort to create instructive content that helps homeowners make the best decisions about their homes. Cost to install and set up a home theater varies greatly by region . To get free estimates from local contractors, please indicate yours. A complete home theater room is seen as a luxury, while home theater setups in a living room can be removed when you move out. A room dedicated to a home theater can boost resale value for buyers who enjoy indoor activities.
HomeServe's Blog is your source for home maintenance and repair tips, information and news for educational and entertainment purposes only. The Blog should not be used as a substitute for a competent advice from a licensed professional in your state, reviewing your issue. Some movies are also set up for Dolby Atmos, but this is on a case-by-case basis. Netflix is made for a 5.1 setup but works fine with a 7.1 configuration. They require at least one full wall of the room, and the furnishings must compensate.
It’s hard to pin down the cost of components with technological innovation making price a moving target. With innovation comes lower prices and affordable home theater systems. Millions of people ask Thumbtack for help with their projects every year. We track the estimates they get from local professionals, then we share those prices with you. If you're ready to up-level your in-home movie, TV, and sports watching experiences,find a professional near youto get consult on what home theater system works best for your budget.
Acoustic conditioning deals with the way sound moves around the room. Treatments ensure the best possible audio is achieved by reducing echo, reverberation, and crosstalk. Additional mass and density, decoupling, damping, and absorption are the main soundproofing methods to eliminate both airborne and structure-borne noise. For those of you with bigger ideas, the national average spend is between $5000 and $50,000. This infographic highlights decisions and site issues that can cause large cost variances in the typical Home Theater Installation budget.
Most people spend $25,000 to install a fixed frame screen LED projector with 7.1 speakers and amplifier, professional wiring, and furniture. This project’s low cost is $1,000 for professionally installing an LCD TV with 5.1 speakers and blackout curtains. Home theater add-ons range from $65 for a popcorn machine to $20,000 to add several sets of furniture pieces to a home theater. While there are necessary items for a home theater to make movie watching possible, many homeowners also enjoy add-on components. Some popular add-ons for a home theater include blackout curtains or blinds, accent lighting, popcorn machines, furniture, soundproofing, and carpet installation.
Large 4K TVs might suffice in a living room environment, but for a home theater, we recommend a projector and projection screen. The bigger dimensions of the screen will closer assimilate a true cinema experience. Unlike other websites that publish pricing from unrelated jobs in the past, Homewyse creates up-to-date estimates from current Unit Costs. The Unit Cost method delivers high accuracy by using location, details and options for the unique requirements of each job. Contracting, trade, design and maintenance businesses rely on the Unit Cost method for transparency, accuracy and fair profits. Home theater setups are best for viewing movies and not the news.
The laser has excellent black levels, a great contrast ratio, and a bright image with good color for $1,000 or more. Aside from the type of screen, the main factor affecting the price of the unit is the supported streaming resolution. There are several resolutions available, most commonly XGA , WXGA , HD , 4K , 8K , and some can have 16K . Thumbtack provides a hypothetical setup to demonstrate installation costs. This theoretical theater includes a projector screen, projector, wiring for audio, speakers with volume controls and some smart home systems. The total comes to about $13,000 , including labor costs.
Deciding on a projector screen requires choosing between mounted and freestanding. One benefit of a freestanding projector is that it can move locations. However, mounted projectors can also be nice if used in one space. Some are mounted on the wall, while others may hang from the ceiling.
Movie posters are another design element that many enjoy using. These can be on the walls or the hallway leading to it as a grand entrance that makes the room more eye-catching. For those who have a room with windows, consider blackout curtains to ensure the space is dark for films during the day. Paint stars, use textured tiled, or insert cove lighting.
