There’s no getting around it; sometimes you just need a place to retreat and relax. Your home is supposed to be your fortress, and yet, so often, you can find yourself overwhelmed with other people’s needs and desires. If you’re a husband and a father, you may quickly discover even your own bedroom isn’t really yours. But fret not! Hope still abounds. With a little bit of clever planning, you can be the proud owner of your very own man cave.
What’s the Vibe?
The first thing you need to determine when planning out your man cave is the feeling you want to evoke. Just joking. But also, not joking. Are you looking for a more classical design? A study, perhaps? Such a look and feel can be constructed fairly easily, even on a modest budget. In no time at all you can have your comrades over, smoking cigars and discussing the problem with this or that brand of theology.
Alternatively, maybe you want the biggest tv you possibly can, so that come game-day you’ll feel like you’re there on the field with your team. Or, perhaps, a fully stocked cocktail bar in the basement? Maybe even a combination of ideas! Whatever the case, figure out your end goal, because it’s real tough to accomplish something if you don’t know what you’re trying to do.
Budget
Yeah, I know. No one wants to talk about spending money. The unfortunate reality is, though, that you need budget before going any further on your project. Too often, homeowners fail to properly budget on any sort of home-improvement project. They get halfway through an endeavor and end up running out of cash. Now you have a half-finished basement. Budgeting is a crucial step in the success of a renovation project like building a man cave.
And, as an aside, make sure to leave some room in your budget for any unexpected problems. Trust us, they’ll happen. It’s impossible to plan for everything, but having wiggle room is a good thing.
Honestly Assess Your Skills
This one might be hard, but you need to take an honest look at your capabilities. If you’re a professional in the area of home remodeling, you can probably ignore this part. For the rest of us, this is another critical step. A lot of simple things can be learned from a simple Youtube search, but other things are going to require the assistance of a qualified professional. Don’t let pride get in the way of a successful project!
Get to Work…One Step at a Time
You’ve completed the steps above. Now’s the fun part. The impulse may be to rush through everything in a vain attempt to speed up the process, but avoid this. Take it one step at a time, and complete each step as thoroughly as possible. Taking time to do a job properly in the moment will save headaches down the road, and ensures you will be happy with the finished product. And not only does that advice apply to building a man cave, but also life in general.
You’re welcome.
