Imagine immersing yourself in a cinematic escape within your home — a dream made possible by the wonders of a home cinema. In this guide, Charlie Hibbins, the Director of Symbiotic Smart Homes, unveils the secrets of home cinema projects, explores their benefits, and shares invaluable tips to help you create the perfect cinematic haven.
How much does a home cinema really cost?
Dispelling the myth that a home cinema is a luxury afforded only to the super rich, Charlie clarifies, “For a small cinema room, costs can start from around £17,000. This would be for a full installation of hardware, software, furniture, acoustics and lighting.”
Of course, the bigger the room, the larger the screen or projector you will need, with more speakers required to provide the optimum experience. Larger cinema rooms can cost upwards of £150,000, with the top-end projects easily exceeding £250,000, but Charlie explains that you can still enjoy fantastic results at the smaller end of the scale:
“When you have a large room – 12 seats or more – the cost increase is exponential and, of course, we love working on projects such as these. However, we take great satisfaction in the smaller jobs; working within spatial limitations and budget constraints is a challenge, but we love delighting our clients with the results.”
How much space do I need for a home cinema?
Contrary to common belief, you don’t need a vast room for your home cinema. A space as small as a single garage can serve as an excellent starting point. Charlie says, “The key to maximising budgets and performance for our clients is keeping our finger on the pulse of emerging technology, enabling us to provide alternatives and expertise — resulting in a cinema space that fulfils its potential.”
With updated guidelines from industry experts, the Symbiotic Smart Homes team can easily standardise the levels of performance to ensure we deliver an immersive, cinema-standard experience even in these smaller spaces.
How long does a home cinema take to install?
While an ultimate home cinema with over 12 seats may take up to six months to install, smaller setups of four to six seats can be designed, built, and fully functional within a week or two. We work hard to manage each cinema room project carefully and efficiently for our clients, bringing in teams and tech that you can trust to deliver an outstanding result. Symbiotic Smart Homes can handle any home cinema project, large or small from start to finish; including building work, design expertise, tech installation and optimisation, so all you need to think about is what film you want to watch first.
Designing your perfect home cinema
To screen or not to screen? The fundamental decision: TV screen or projector system with a screen? Choosing a projector transforms the space into a fully cinematic experience, influencing subsequent design decisions.
Storage hunters: Consider where to store the equipment. To keep your home cinema a clutter-free space having a dedicated place to store cables, hardware, etc is key. A space equivalent to a standard airing cupboard suffices, and it can be built inside the cinema room or housed in a separate area of the house – an under-stairs cupboard for example.
Let there be no light: Light control is paramount. Electric blackout blinds can eliminate external light sources and create an optimal cinematic environment.
Hearing is believing: Acoustic quality matters. Symbiotic Smart Homes employs expert installers to work on dimensions, materials, insulation, and hardware, ensuring premium sound quality.
Charlie highlights: “When creating a cinema space, the way we use acoustic materials to affect the sound both inside and outside of the room and keeping light out is key. Eliminating any external light coming in and installing well-thought-out interior lighting can elevate the aesthetic of the finished room and the overall experience.”
He continues, “We work hard to create an extraordinary surround-sound experience, while limiting noise outside of the designated room. The aim is for our clients to enjoy uninhibited acoustics whilst not affecting the rest of the home.”
Adding a cinema room to your home is an investment in your recreation, offering a dedicated space for family and friends to come together and share experiences in comfort and style. Beyond the personal satisfaction that a home cinema might bring, it can also enhance your home’s value and set it apart in the competitive property market. So, why not give our experts a call and embark on the journey to transform your living space into a cinematic haven with Symbiotic Smart Homes. Let the magic unfold within the comfort of your home, where every film, sporting event, or binge-watching session becomes an extraordinary experience.