One of the most important steps in planning your Home electronics system is setting a budget as this will very much determine the type of system you will end up with.


Value is not measured on initial cost but on long-term use and enjoyment. Many people will happily splash out $50,000 or $60,000 on a swimming pool- something they will in all likely hood use a couple of dozen times per year but allocate only a small budget to entertainment through out the home or an energy saving, peace of mind control system- something they will use every day! The return on investment of a good sound system, home theatre or control system is immense.

A general rule of thumb for determining a realistic budget figure is to allocate 3% - 7% of the house value towards your homes electronics systems.

Approximatley one third of your total system budget should be allocated to your Home Theatre

Now that we have determined the size of your Home Theatre budget lets take a closer look at how the dollars are allocated and the various environmental factors that can effect the budget.

Your theatre could be a simple setup consisting of a modest size TV and a few basic components, or it could be an elaborate arrangement filled with every bell and whistle imaginable.

For some people video is where the biggest part of the equipment budget is spent while others dedicate the bulk of the equipment budget to the sound system. Depending on your concept of what you want, you could prefer to focus your budget on a high-end remote control or media server. Budgeting for a Home Theatre boils down to deciding whats right for you.

Is your priority a no-compromise high performance dedicated theatre, or is your room to be a multipurpose ‘Media’ room. Is it a new build or renovation.

These factors will determine the budgetary allocations


Dedicated or Multipurpose

Take into consideration the costs of design, construction and finish work. This includes the building of seating risers, soundproofing for walls and ceilings, furnishings, custom cabinetry and lighting.

If your room is to be multipurpose then you will be able to save money by foregoing expensive design features like acoustical wall treatments and tiered seating.


New Build or Renovation

Building your Theatre/Media room during the construction of a new home will save money spent on the room itself. Projectors, speakers , subwoofers and equipment racks can all be concealed within the walls at minimum extra cost. On the other hand, building a theatre/media room during a renovation can be more difficult and hence more expensive to blend speakers,screen and electronics into the room design.



A general rule of thumb is to allocate 50% to electronics and 50% to the room (décor, furnishings, acoustic treatments, cabinetry etc)

We can further break down the electronics and services into a 70/30 mix

Electronics Breakdown

·35% Video, including projection systems and screens, or monitors
·20% Audio, including processor, equalisers, amplifiers or receivers
·10% Source equipment, including DVD player, DVR, Foxtel etc.
·20% Speakers, including front, surround and subwoofers
·10% Control components, including items such as a system control, touchscreen, hand-held remote and emmitters.
·5% Miscellaneous, including items such as power protection, cabling, equipment racks and other assorted supplies.

Services Breakdown

·60% Installation
·10% Design
·10% Programming
·20% Project Management