Barely will the women in a man’s life (may it be your wife, mother, or sister) will want your hands on the interior designing of a home. For some women, that’s their turf. And don’t even think about trying to get an opinion about the design of the kitchen. That’s theirs, too. So, where does that leave you? The living room and bedroom are off-limits, too. And who are you to comment about the scented candles in the bathroom? Or even the lavender twig hanging from the shower?
That leaves you with the basement, garage, and attic. Oh, but the attic is for another room for your kids or a stock room. The basement’s too dark, cold, and dingy. Who would ever want to stay there? That leaves you with one room to play with — the garage. And yes, women don’t care what you put in there, though you need to leave a corner for their garden tools.
Are You Going to Do the Construction Yourself?
First things first. Are you going to do the remodeling yourself or are you going to hire an experienced home repair specialist for it? Your garage isn’t exactly made for a living space. The walls are bare most probably, and you’ll have to deal with the exposed plumbing and unfinished flooring. If you want to do the construction yourself, you’ll have to be ready to spend a significant amount of time on it.
Will You Keep the Car in the Garage?
If you are planning to convert the garage into a man cave, the next question is whether you’re still planning to keep the car there? Or, do you have another space or room for that? It helps to know if you’ll have to work around the car or motorcycle. If there’s street parking available in your neighborhood, make sure you have the necessary permits for that. Think about the options for your car before you plan your man cave.
Think About Insulation
Your garage isn’t made for people to stay there. It’s mostly bare walls with little to no insulation at all. Focus on insulating the floor, ceiling, and walls. You wouldn’t want to stand in the cold when you’re hanging out with your friends in your just-constructed man cave. While bare cement is okay for a man cave, it doesn’t have great insulating properties. Choose materials that will fit the theme you want without sacrificing comfort.
Raise the Roof
The best thing about a man cave is the vertical space. Think about all the cool fixtures or things you can hang on the rafters. Your old basketball uniform will look cool hanging from the ceiling. But for it to have that feel of an arena, your roof has to be high enough. Raising the roof, of course, is no small matter so you may have to ask a specialist to do this.
Let There Be Light
There is nothing worse than having to stay in a dark cold place. That’s why you choose not to convert the basement into your man cave. The garage has better access to natural light. You can let sunlight stream from a sunroof or an overhead window. You can also install more artificial lights instead of the one bulb hanging near the door. You’d want this to be a livable space; a place where even your kids can hang out. Lights will transform it beautifully.
The garage has always been man’s turf, anyway, so why don’t you own it 100%? Instead of using it just to store your car or motorbike, turn it into a space where you can hang your recreational sports achievements, photos of your frat buddies, and all the little trinkets that you want to surround yourself but can’t inside the main house. This is one of the best reasons why you should have your own little space in the house.
