# of ducts for a basement?

[DJCooleo]

Have a basement that is being finished, 1500sq feet, 2 BR, 1 large rec room and bathroom. walkout basement.

I'm getting conflicting # of ducts and returns from HVAC contractors.
1. Is there a downside if have too many ducts? Some say would only put in 5 as if you put too many your putting holes in your ducts and going to make it really cold in the winter upstairs (also uncomfortable in summer, etc). the other camp is telling me no, put in 8 b/c want to make it warm enough to be livable in the winter.

2. Returns? some say 1 is only that is needed, some say one for each room (3) and some say 2?

3. 2 rooms upstairs (long takeoffs) are a lot colder in winter/hotter in summer and are off the same trunk that a bathroom is (that has a shorter takeoff). One group of people are saying they'd do boosters, another is saying "balancing' (but don't know what that mean), and a third is saying they'd put in a "scoop" to move air shunted to the bathroom to the 2 bedrooms.

They all are saying they are using duct calculators, heat load calcs, etc, so I don't know who to trust?!?

Thanks!

[dandyme]

is this the same basement?

http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=386222



Are you trying to see if you get diff?

[DJCooleo]

yes 2 new questions:
1) if i had them put in ducts in such a way that you could add zone at a later time, any drawback? (other than cost)
2) is it true that if you put in too many ducts/returns that a drawback could be making the upstairs too cold in the winter for example b/c drawing heat away?

[sktn77a]

2) is it true that if you put in too many ducts/returns that a drawback could be making the upstairs too cold in the winter for example b/c drawing heat away?

Only if it wasn't sized/zoned correctly in the first place.