Tips for Building a Man Cave

So you have finally decided to take that next step-up in the world of home remodeling and want to design (and build) your very own man cave – and why not, you deserve it right? In this quick home design blog post, we will share some tips for creating the perfect man cave.

Designing a Man Cave

While man caves vary in size, scope and budget, we always recommend consulting a professional home remodeler before tackling any remodeling project. A licensed home designer will help you properly plan your space and prepare a plan that fits within your budget.

Budgeting Your Man Cave

Before you can begin the planning and design process for your man cave, you have to first create two budgets. The first is your main budget, which should take into consideration everything from the remodeling process, including labor, materials and so forth, as well as costs for any electronics or furniture – after all, what is a man cave without toys?

Your second budget is going to be your contingency fund. Like with any remodeling project, unforeseen issues can arise, and the last thing you want to do is run out of funds halfway through a project or be forced into altering your original design because you had to dip into your main budget to fix an issue.

If you are working with a professional, licensed home remodeler (such as Tracy Tesmer), a 10 percent contingency fund is a great place to start – to calculate this, simply take your main budget and set aside an additional 10 percent. So, for instance, if you anticipate your man cave will cost $10,000, your contingency budget should be at least $1,000.

Planning Your Man Cave

Planning your man cave is about more than just picking out which size television you want – the 72 inch or the 100 inch? While that is certainly a factor, you also need to consider the size of your space, make measurements, think about design elements (such as flooring and paint), and decide where furniture will go. In addition, you will want to consider the theme of the room, its overall function and purpose – the list goes on and on.

If you are creating your man cave yourself (we advise against this!) as a DIY project, you will also want to make a list of tools, and if you do not own these already, be sure to add them into your budget.

Set Realistic Goals

Another important aspect to a successful man cave project is to be realistic about your end-goals. Unless you are a pro athlete or stock market guru, odds are you won’t be able to incorporate every dream element into your man cave design. And that is okay. Being forced to focus on the key features you deem “must-have” will let you appreciate them that much more.

Aside from setting realistic expectations, we also recommend setting a time-frame for your home improvement projects – and stick to this deadline. Otherwise, you may find yourself stuck in a situation where your man cave truly resembles a cave – unfinished, cold and some place you would rather not visit!

If you are considering a man cave or home remodeling project, why not contact North Georgia’s own home design and construction expert, Tracy Tesmer? He can help you achieve the space of your dreams and turn your house into a home!