Home cinema FAQ

I take design far more seriously than most - which means better performance and better-looking rooms. It's not a trade-off if you know what you're doing.

I hold all three higher-level CEDIA certifications - the only installer in the Southwest to do so - along with over 25 years in residential AV.

I have the only dedicated home cinema experience centre in the region. Retail demo rooms can be good for two-channel hi-fi, but they can't show a cinema system to its true potential. Ours does. You can read about it here - or better still, come and see us.

My close working partnership with Fraser Besant Lighting gives me access to professional lighting design expertise and fantastic lighting products for your cinema and your whole home. Joined-up thinking, from a team that works together regularly.

Cinemaworks was the world's first company to achieve CEDIA Member of Excellence* and has won prestigious international CEDIA awards for Best Home Cinema and Best Media Room. I've also been honoured to serve on the CEDIA Awards judging panel.
*there are just 15 MoE companies in the world, from several thousand eligible firms

I serve on the R10 global working group writing the next generation of standards for home cinema and entertainment spaces - meaning my designs follow the most current recommended practices, often before other installers have seen them. Just three other UK install firms contribute to R10.

Home cinema systems - it depends on the room size, system quality, and a few other variables. For a fuller answer please read this article. For media rooms, this one too.

Home cinema design Level 1 - £1,200 including a professional lighting design treatment by Fraser Besant Lighting. Higher-level systems need more engineering, which costs more.

3D visualisation - I do this for most projects, from design-level layouts to photo-realistic renders, depending what the project needs. POA depending on complexity.

Installation and programming - £600/day or £95/hr

Bespoke elements such as joinery and custom cabinetry - POA subject to design detail.
All prices include UK VAT

Most of my work is in Bristol, the South West, and South Wales. For projects in London and the South East I work with dedicated fit-out partners - typically higher-specification builds where that level of resource makes sense.

For smaller systems, an hour to ninety minutes' travel is the practical limit for doing the job properly.

Regardless of your location, a well-implemented cinema system is inherently reliable; our strong recommendation is for professional-grade networking hardware, for much improved reliability and visibility for this crucial element.

My trade body CEDIA offers a range of certifications for home technology integrators. I hold all three higher-level certifications - the only installer in the Southwest to do so:

ESC-D Certified Designer
RNS Residential Networking Specialist
IST Smart Home Technician - ISO accredited

Brand-agnostic education matters to me - it means I can design a system architecture that's future-friendly and adaptable as technologies evolve, rather than one built around a single manufacturer who may not be around in ten years.

I also have over 25 years in residential AV.

Sound system - Klipsch THX speakers and Anthem amplifiers in 9.2.4 configuration - nine main speakers, two subs, four Atmos overhead. We can also demonstrate in 7.2.2 and 5.2.2 - even in 3.2.2 which is remarkably effective, if there’s a cost constraint, or you’re building in stages, or any other reason you can’t have speakers behind.

Video system - JVC laser projector and Cinema Build Systems 'Halo' screen

Lighting - Fraser Besant Lighting

AV control - Savant

Lighting control - Rako

Seating - GFC 'Norah' with electric recline and chaise

Fabric walls - Cinema Build Systems

Come and see us or get in touch.

For build projects it depends on your builder. Once first fix is done I can handle the constructional elements, but electronics and fabric shouldn't go in until after the builders' clean - dust and new equipment don't mix well. The key phrase is dust-free.

In a finished home, a few weeks is typical - time to order everything, complete any construction elements, cable, install, and calibrate properly. The fastest I could turn around an installation with no other trades involved and everything in stock is around two weeks. I wouldn't want to go faster than that - the design phase needs proper time, and a room like this should last you a long time.

You can have whatever you like.

From a design point of view though, even larger standard TV sizes - up to around 85" diagonal - aren't really big enough to deliver the immersive experience a cinema is built around. Modern OLEDs have a fabulous picture and are a great choice for a media room used in daylight.

The large modular 'TV wall' systems are big enough, but cost more than most complete cinema rooms - and because you can't place speakers behind them, the sound-to-picture cohesion isn't yet where it needs to be. For a genuinely immersive experience at sensible cost, front projection is still the best answer.

I hope we've answered your question, but of course you will have specific circumstances, needs and wants. We'd love to help - please get in touch so we can advise further.

Start your project