The making of a man cave

When my husband, Brad, and I moved into our three-bedroom, semi-detached home, we thought it was a palace. Having come from small condos in the city, we felt we would never be able to fill two floors and an unfinished basement. But people are like goldfish: put them in a larger space and they will grow, grow, grow. Not only did our belongings grow (that basement filled up with “stuff” pretty quickly), but so did our family with the addition of a newborn son.

[caption id="attachment_8513" align="alignright" width="240"] A fireplace adds warmth[/caption]

Brad and I soon realized the layout of our home—and how we were using the space—just didn’t fit in with our new family. The sunken great room on the second floor was filled with guitars, a drum kit and a computer, among other things. We called it “man land.” I saw this room as the perfect playroom for our family: bright, close to the bedrooms and spacious. The drum kit didn’t suit being so close to the bedrooms anymore.

So, we decided to turn man land into playland, and our basement of “stuff” into what is now known as the “man cave.” We had a tight budget. And what do homeowners on a tight budget do? They do it themselves. The problem was that Brad isn’t the handiest man. He didn’t mind doing the work, but he needed some guidance. With the help of his very handy father, a few good (and handy) friends and some pro help when needed, Brad finished the 600-sq.-ft. space in six weeks, all the while having a newborn son at home. (Caring for him was my contribution!)

[caption id="attachment_8499" align="alignright" width="240"] Carve out some extra space for an office or even a spare bedroom. This office area is functional for both work and play.[/caption]

The plan

Brad and his dad drew up the perfect space for our needs on a scrap piece of paper: a decent-size home office, a large space for entertaining and relaxing, plus the laundry and furnace area already in the basement. Another issue was maximizing the space to provide as much storage as possible. (We still had lots of that “stuff” lying around.)

After the plan was drawn up, the handy pair gathered some 2x4s (which had to be fed into the basement through the ground-level windows) and began to map out the space. This process really helped us see what would work best for our needs. The hallway seemed too wide, so we were able to steal some space for the laundry room and for the office. We also discovered that a support beam would need to be moved—an easy project but one that still needed to be

budgeted for, both in time and money. Storage was added under the stairs in a closet we could access from the office.

Finally, and most important to my media-loving husband, we could see where the entertainment system would go. He wanted 
to install a projector instead of a conventional, flat-screen TV, so darkness was key. The office would be completely walled in, so if anyone was hard at work, light wouldn’t interfere with the TV’s projection. And during this map-out 
phase, Brad was able to decide where he needed electrical outlets, media cables and other wiring.

How to save on a big reno

All homeowners want to save money during a home reno. And all want to do it without sacrificing the look and function of their new space. There were a few areas we cut down on, cut around or simply cut out to save some cash. (Diapers for the newborn are expensive!)

No bathroom

Our main-floor powder room is located directly at the top of the basement staircase. We saved about $3,000 and around 30 sq. ft. of space by deciding we could climb a few stairs when nature called.

[caption id="attachment_8514" align="alignright" width="240"] Seating area with HD projector[/caption]

Go screenless

The HD projector mounted to the ceiling behind the couch beams its 130" image directly onto the wall. A flat, light grey paint works well as a screen and still gives us excellent brightness and picture quality. We saved $500 by forgoing a screen.

Materials

We bought laminate flooring, not only for its durability and ease of installation but also because of a big sale that our nearby home-improvement store was having. It wasn’t exactly my first choice in finish or colour, but it still fit in well with our plan. We saved about $1,000 by avoiding hardwood (not to mention the sale).

Unfinished area

The space that houses the laundry room, furnace, hot-water tank and cold storage didn’t need to be pretty. While we use these areas a lot, we don’t spend quality time there. We closed them off from the rest of the basement and left them unfinished, simply adding some carpet remnants to make the floors more comfy on our feet. In total, we saved about $1,000 in materials.

[caption id="attachment_8500" align="alignleft" width="240"] Make the hallway wide enough to be comfortable, but not so wide that it takes up valuable space[/caption]

Fireplace

Because the man cave is in the basement, it can get cold down there. We did have access to our natural-gas line, but adding a gas fireplace was going to cost us about $5,000 in materials and labour. So, we opted for an electric unit from a home-improvement store. (Again, we lucked out with a sale because of the time of year—near the end of winter. The newer units on the market are inexpensive and well designed for this type of use. They also look better than the clunky or flimsy units you may have seen in the past.

Stairs

We have four steps leading from the main-floor landing down to the laminate-wood basement floor. These steps started simply as treads with no risers. Since we use the area under the stairs for storage, we didn’t want to see our luggage and Christmas tree box every time we went up the stairs, so we added risers. If we wanted to clad these steps in a wood (or a woodlike) finish to match the flooring, it would have cost us another $800, not to mention the time. But since the stairs aren’t very visible within the basement, we decide they could be finished as simply as possible. We painted the stairs the same colour as the wall to blend in.

Drywall

While we hired a team to do the taping and mudding, our DIY team put up all the gypsum boards. This step saved a lot on labour, especially since our stairway into the basement is tight—so tight that every sheet of drywall had to be cut in half before we could bring it downstairs.

The added touches

Even if you are working on a tight budget, you can still wiggle in some details to make the renovation feel higher end than it really is.

Insulation

The basement walls were insulated when we moved in. However, since the space was going to be used to enjoy movies, music and sporting events (and there was a wee one living upstairs), we wanted to insulate more for sound than temperature. Using Safe and Sound from Roxul in the ceiling before drywalling, we were able to add a great deal of soundproofing. The sound system can be blasting and you barely hear a rumble while on the floors above.

Wiring

When the rooms were framed and the electrical work was done, Brad took out his plan for the entertainment system and ran wires all over the room, which then made installing a surround-sound system a breeze. Having the wires hidden also looks great—nothing running along a wall or floor.

Pot lights

The easiest (and cheapest) time to install pot lights is before there is a ceiling in your way. You can buy the lights yourself and have your electrician install them when the rest of the wiring is done. You might still want to add a table or floor lamp, but the fill lighting provided by pot lights can’t be beat.

Projector

With the receiver on one side of the room and the projector mounted on the ceiling, having media cables and a power outlet in just the right places makes everything blend in without wires criss-crossing the room. Run all the wires before the drywall is installed. (You’ll probably need your electrician and even satellite dish or cable installer to do their work pre-drywall too.)

[caption id="attachment_8501" align="alignleft" width="240"] Elevate a simple slide-in, electrical fireplace by installing trim around it.[/caption]

Trim around the fireplace

The fireplace is a simple electric unit. Normally, it would sit slightly off the wall because the baseboards would get in the way. But you can have the unit in place when you (or a pro) install the trim. Cutting it around the fireplace gives it a more built-in look.

Trim

Speaking of trim, you can spend a few extra dollars on larger quarter round to build up regular trim and make it look higher and mightier than it would on its own. Simply install the base moulding a little higher above the flooring. The larger quarter round will cover 
the gap between the floor and the base moulding.

When to enlist friends and when to call in the pros

If you have friends willing and able to help with a home-renovation project, it can be a life (and budget) saver. Just be sure you treat them well and don’t expect too much from your slave labour.

Don’t ask them to do something you know they can’t do

If your buddy isn’t very experienced, have him or her wield a drill to drive those extra screws to secure a piece of drywall fully. Don’t ask for a plumbing or tile job.

Be a foreman but don’t 
go too far

Someone needs to be in charge and able to say what needs to be done, but don’t be a tyrant. You aren’t paying them and you want them still to be your friends later.

Feed them

A glass of water or cup of coffee can go a long way. For the long haul, the carb jolt of a pizza after (or during) a long day of renovating is just the thing.

Be ready to return the favour

Friendship shouldn’t be one-sided. If your helpers get inspired to take on their own reno (or need movers, babysitters, anything reasonable), say yes.

Celebrate

A newly renovated basement is the perfect place to host a little thank-you party for your jobsite crew. Food, drinks and sports on the big screen are all you need to make them feel appreciated.

 

When to call the pros

While we had a lot of help from our handy friends and family, we also knew there were some jobs that just needed a pro touch. We found many of our pros using homestars.ca, but we still took the time to get quotes and call references before signing any contracts.

Electrical

In some areas of the country, DIY electrical work is prohibited. When it comes to this kind of job (a lot more than just putting a dimmer switch on a light), who wouldn’t want a pro to make sure everything is done right? In the end, we had a neat (and safe) highway of wires and power throughout our space.

Drywall

With the gypsum boards up, we needed to find someone to make it all look pretty. A proper taping and mudding job can mean the difference between a pro look and a sloppy one. The drywallers covered those extra seams that came from having to cut the boards in half, and the sometimes not so neat edges and corners made by our DIY crew.

[caption id="attachment_8503" align="alignleft" width="240"] Bulky trim is the best way to finish a DIY renovation. Make sure to brush up on your mitre cuts beforehand or be ready to call in a pro.[/caption]

Baseboards and paint

By the end of the job, we had run out of favours and we were getting close to the timeline we had set. So, we passed the two major finishing jobs to the pros. We wanted a neat baseboard job to finish all the hard work that had gone into the rest of the basement. When you’re tired and out of steam, good, clean mitres can be tough. When it came to painting, Brad and I knew our skills and limits. We both hated the idea of painting the walls and ceiling, so we turned to the pros for that final finishing touch. 

Brad and his crew finished 
the job on budget and, more important to them, on time. 
Just in time, in fact, to watch the Stanley Cup finals: the perfect way to christen a man cave. 
(But don’t worry, the womenfolk were invited too).