I'd start with projectorcentral.com.
Read, read, and read some more. But the site is like arfcom technical forums for projectors. They even have a calculator for just about every projector ever made. You simply add in your screen size, your throw distance (how far the projector is from the screen), screen gain, etc and it will say whether it's going to work or not.
Their reviews have always been spot on and fair, too. Im on my fourth projector (projectors are like guns--they just happen to multiply lol) and every projector Ive had, their review was pretty much spot on.
Epson, Optoma, Sony and JVC are all highly regarded PJs. I personally have had two Epsons (a 1080UB and now the 5040UB) and an Optoma. I have zero complaints with either brand.
Price differences usually come down to brightness (does the image 'pop'), black levels, rainbow (DLP) or screendoor (LCD) effects, etc. Fan noise also comes into play here. Cheaper units are usually presentation projectors with home theater inputs so the fan noise is an after thought.
The contrast number used to be the king of PJ stats but manufacturers have so inflated the numbers that it's almost a joke. But reviewers won't lie about the picture/black levels and will let you know if the contrast number matches up with the picture quality. My point is pay attention more to what the reviewers are saying than a manufacture stating they have 2 billion:1 contrast ratio. (And while I love the Epson PJs, they are probably the worst offender of contrast number inflating lol.)
Personally, I wouldn't worry about a projector being too bright even if you have a 100% light-controlled environment. You can always dim a bulb by throwing it in ECO mode. But you can never crank more lumens out of a bulb. Plus, on occasions like Super Bowls, etc you'll want a little more brightness as the ambient light will be increased for your guests.
Also pay attention to bulb replacement costs and life. You don't want to buy a 500 dollar PJ and find out the bulb is 400 bucks and only last 1000 hours (on the brightest setting.)
If there is any way that you can double your budget of 1K, I'd highly recommend the Epson 5030UB. It just dropped 1000.00 when the 5040UB came out. It is a fantastic 1080p projector.