Perhaps the number one reason that people want to add a home theater has nothing to do with monetary value, but rather it’s because people want to add a touch of luxury that few other things can provide. Swimming pools and home gyms are certainly nice to have, but these aren’t nearly as useful when entertaining guests as a home theater can be. Unlike most of these other additions, however, putting in a home theater system can actually add value even when people don’t think about it.
Few additions ever actually let you take away more than you walk away with, which is why some people say that you’ll never get the amount of money back from your home that you put into it. Nevertheless, home theaters are usually a relatively good option for those thinking about dollars and cents since they return around 65% of your initial investment, which is among the best rates when talking about the kind of monetary value brought by most other improvements. Of course, to enjoy these benefits you need to use the right kind of technology.
High-quality equipment makes all of the difference when putting in a theater. As far as the actual screen goes, you’ll want a front-facing projector or an organic-type television. Either of these provide an experience that resembles that of what you’d get in an actual cinema complex without having to go out. Make sure that what you invest in features all of the latest advances in professional video entertainment technology. Aspect ratios have changed over time, so you want to be certain that you get a screen that’s wide enough to show movies shot even in the broadest anamorphic screen formats.
Picture quality is only half the battle, however. Quality stereo sound is equally important, especially if you’re going to be watching movies made in the last ten or twenty years. As physical cinemas have started to close up, people have sought to put in a number of innovations designed to make them feel like they’re going out to the movies even if they’re staying inside. To really sound like you’re at a film, you’ll need at least a pair of woofers and mid-range speakers positioned at opposite sides of the room. Surround sound systems will require at least an additional speaker placed behind your audience seating.
Wall-to-wall carpeting is a great idea for this kind of setup, as is some kind of soundproofing on the wall surfaces themselves. That being said, none of this will matter if you don’t lay your chairs out correctly. Make sure that they’re positioned at the end of an imaginary triangle from both your screen and speakers. This will provide the best quality picture and sound while simultaneously showing any future buyer of your home that you were serious about including a properly maintained theater.
That’s the best way to add value using this kind of project, since it lets potential shoppers know at first glance how good of a system they’d be buying.