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Friday, December 05, 2008
Game room provides convenient entertainment
By Jerry Herrmann
The Daily Courier
Friday, December 05, 2008
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This game room was created for a Prescott homeowner from an existing 23’ by 17’ room to house a pool table, pinball machine, game table and large flat-screen television set. |
Despite the weak economy, the addition of a game room in or to one's house is popular in the area, according to Deborah Lesnefska, an associate architect with Renovations.
"The mini-home theaters are popular with people in their 30s, while game rooms are popular with soccer-mom families," she said.
Why are game rooms gaining in popularity? According to several websites, they are more entertainment-focused than a family room.
A game room is said to offer the following benefits:
• Adds new dimensions to family fun.
• Enhanced in-home recreation available 24/7.
• After initial investment, at-home entertainment saves money.
• Offers a safe, stimulating environment for children and teens.
• Provides space for parties and entertaining.
• Stay-at-home fun reduces the need for a babysitter.
• The perfect place to escape daily stresses, hang out and relax.
Lesnefska said once people decide on a game room, they need to decide what its function is going to serve. That will help decide what lighting is required in the room, she said.
Also, if a pool table is going in it, one needs to decide what size it will be because they need a set clearance between it and the walls of the room.
Rick Ubry, owner of Games People Play, said there are three set sizes of pool tables - 3 1/2 feet by 7 feet, 4 feet by 8 feet and 5 feet by 9 feet. He said players need five feet of space on each side of the pool table.
The most popular size of pool table is 4'x8', Ubry said, so the minimum-size game room needed is 14'x18'. A homeowner would need a larger game room if he wants additional items in it like a pinball machine, jukebox, game table or large-screen television set.
And some game rooms are really mini-home theaters, she said. "Movie theaters are fun because many of them have step up floors, sound baffling, floor lighting and surround sound."
Lesnefska said they have designed game rooms for homes ranging from 8'x10' to 18'x20'.
Homeowners are looking at from $50 a square foot to make a game room out of an existing room, and up to $200 a square foot for an addition to a house, she said. Those costs do not include any game equipment.
Lesnefska said while most homeowners don't want a lot of soundproofing in their game rooms, they definitely want it in their mini-home theaters.
A basic remodel project takes about two months, she said, while a new addition with high tech equipment will take up to five months.
While most people are building game rooms in existing homes, Lesnefska recommends a homeowner only build a game room if his house has more than 2,500 square feet of floor space. Some of the more popular places to build a game room, according to Lesnefska, are basements, garages or rooms above garages.
Equipping the game rooms isn't cheap.
Ubry said pool tables range from $2,000 to $12,000. He also sells a package that includes the basic equipment like cue sticks, balls, chalk, etc., needed to go with it for $300.
Ubry said the average cost for other items for game rooms are $2,500 for a pinball machine; $2,500 for a jukebox, $1,000 for a slot machine, and $700-$800 for table games like blackjack, roulette and craps.
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