My Home Reno Showcase

This site documents our Home Reno - my vision, planning, the dig and build of a basement under our rancher.It includes detailed plans, experiences and products behind the new basement (with a media / family room & game room). I also have detailed descriptions and pictures of the structured low voltage wiring for the 11.2 surround system, video distribution, media closet and rack, gigabit Ethernet, Insteon home control as well as soundproofing. I did all the planning and installation of the structured low voltage wiring myself (DIY). You can too.I am wiring my house for the future.

The Journey

This project is a long journey that started with a dream of what I wanted in our house. I have had some of the parts of this vision working in my house for some time, but not in a structured and integrated way. With an ongoing house renovation that is adding a full basement to our existing rancher, now is the time.

Come-along and see how I reached my vision. See my plans, systems, the equipment, house construction and how I tied it all together .

I hope you get some value and information for your project.

Tom

Vision

A fully automated house that is wired for easy and full access to audio, video and network with a centrally located control room for:

    • Family TV/media room with THX/Dolby Surround (Dolby Pro Logic IIz)/Audyssey 11.2 surround,
    • multi-zone audio in specific rooms,
    • Hi-definition video in specific rooms,
    • multi-room video distribution in specific rooms for
      • over-the-air signal
      • satellite/cable tv
      • BlueRay/DVD disk,
      • CCTV security cameras
    • Extensive soundproofing
    • Gigabit and wireless Ethernet everywhere,
    • security system everywhere,
    • home lighting / power control to control anything anywhere,
    • 12 Volt and 24 Volt distribution to key locations in my house,
    • centrally located uninterruptable power supply (UPS) with dedicated circuits for specific loads.

The systems must be future proofed to allow for flexibility to add and change where and how components are used in the future. We even have our Roomba robot vacuum living in the new basement on dirt patrol!

See how I "got it all" in the

Planning,

Construction,

Wiring and

Systems pages.