As you grow older, your life revolves around those who are closer to you than about you. All men face that. A man cave is a great investment in oneself to wrest some control and time back to yourself. What better place for it than the most neglected space in your home, the attic.
To turn the attic into a man cave, its layout has to fulfill the local building code regulations. The structure will have to be worked upon, a new flooring system added, and amenities such as heating and electricity installed. Satisfying that, access to the attic is sorted to make it habitable.
Attics are usually not the most accessible places and are not made to be converted into anything remotely livable. If you have been stacking unused items there, it will be a disorganized mess. In this article, we will talk about how to put your attic in order and convert it into a serviceable man cave. How to measure the floor space so that it fits the building rules, assists in planning, constructing, and remodeling with the help of professionals to make it a reality. So, without further adieu, let’s get started on turning your attic into a man cave.
Calculating the Attic Floor Space
Everyone needs space for themselves, and the objection to turning the attic, the place that is 95% of the time goes unused, into a personal sanctuary. It is not an easy task, and most attics are kind of inaccessible. But it has the added advantage of increasing the floor space of your home. You do not have to build a new extension and the construction has already been done. For a fraction of the cost, men can have a dedicated space for themselves.
But before you start concocting ideas and bring out your tools, it is imperative that you know how much space you have. This will give you an idea about how to go make your plans. It assists in making informed decisions regarding the construction requirements and using the space efficiency.
But most importantly, it ensures that the redesign complies with building code requirements. While these rules vary on city and state rules, a good rule of thumb to go by is the Rule of 7s. For any attic conversion, space should be 7 feet high, 7 feet wide, and 70 square feet. It might be different depending on where you are but following this, you should be in clear and meet most requirements.
The Rule of 7s gives you a basic premise and you might have more space on offer. If it is, having it jotted down will help with your future plans. You might want to put in your golf simulation setup there, a billiards table, or even a home theatre; the possibilities are endless, but they are limited by the space you have on offer.
The two most important measurements to have are head height and roof angle. Head height is not the distance from the base to the tip but to the closest ceiling joist. The roof angle is perfect if it is 45 degrees or more. If the width is greater, a smaller angel might work as well, but at 45 degrees and more, one gets enough space for maneuverability.
In addition to floor space measurements, the type of roof structure in place will also guide your plans. The difference between modern and post-modern architecture is the presence of load-bearing structures. If you have one, you got your work cut out, and if not, getting your man cave will require some extra steps.
Calculate the Conversion Costs
The construction costs will depend on the existing roof structure in place, available space, and alterations to be made. These factors will be used to look into floor reinforcements, skylights, insulation work, fire doors, staircases, electricity, and heating requirements. These are just the basics but can set you back by $20,000 if a lot of work is required. Do it yourself and this number comes down drastically. Moreover, this is just a ballpark figure and not an absolute requirement.
Setup the Access
Whatever you have in your mind, it has to take a back seat to the most integral part of the makeover. Access to the attic. The days of using a step ladder are behind, one requires more space to easily get in and out of the glorious man cave. Your old means of using a stool or a staircase are no longer useful as it can be dangerous. Moreover, a sturdier channel is now required for moving the materials.
Therefore, before you start putting in the insulation materials and start working on the floor panels, sort out your access. It should be practical for the purposes intended and also last a long time. A flight of stairs is an easy choice but not necessary. Or you can go for a retractable option.
Get Started with the Basics
So, you are cleared from the building code and have a hold of the expenses. It is time to get off the dream factory and get going. Before you get close to making the attic habitable, it has to be ready to house you. The floor will need to be strengthened, insulation has to be set, lighting and electricity adjustments made, and the walls improved.
It is not going to be easy and it is a big project. It will take some time and require a hard slog from start to finish. One does not have to be a handyman to achieve all of this on your own but do not hesitate to ask for help. Having said all of this, do not strive for perfection. It is only going to hold you back and put unnecessary brakes. One can always return and redo some of the things.
Out of the tasks outlined above, start with the walls and its insulation. This is something that one can do by themselves. After this, follow it up with the flooring. You might require assistance and starting with the walls will give you a good idea about your abilities. The heating and electricity connections come last. Out of the three functions laid out before, it is suggested you seek professional help even if you believe you are competent enough. Just follow the old adage, better safe than sorry.
Bring it all together
The access has been sorted and the attic is ready to house the man cave. It is time to bring your creativity to life and have your very own man cave at your disposal. You might have some ideas and you might already have one foot in the door to follow up on them. Let us give some suggestions to add some pizzazz to your new loft that will make it livelier.
All man caves need wall art. It adds personality to it. Neon signs are the way to go. They scream a man cave like anything. The ADVPRO store offers the Game Room Arcade TV and we cannot recommend it enough. It is available in three sizes and thirteen different colors to give you a unique option that is personalized to your tastes.
In addition to the neon signs, a couple of posters will add identity to your reworked attic. You can have sports and movie posters, or motivational quotes, whatever you want to put it up there. If posters and quotes are not your thing, you can hang artwork or even photos of moments that are close to you. Images paint stories and they are a great conversation starter with anyone you want to bring aboard.
If you are strictly in the Rule of 7s, you might not have enough space for extra stuff. Given the structure of the attic, it might not be able to host too many bulky materials. In that case, it is probably a good idea to not crash your roof and stay within your means. But if it is not a cause of concern, you can add to your solitude cave arcade machines, billiards table, dart boards, bar, or a whiskey cabinet. The options are dependent on your budget.
These days a television screen is a must. You can watch sports, play video games, or even host movie nights. There is a workaround to not having a television screen, a projector. There are so many good options available now that it seems ridiculous not to think about them. Epson, Optoma, Lumix, BenQ, and Bose have some great offers out there that will be value for your money.
A coffee table and a comfortable sofa set are an absolute necessity if you are going to have people over regularly. From board games to have pizza nights, these two objects will make the man cave lively. The sofa can be a great place to crash on if you have had far too many on the night and going back to the regular quarters is not safe. Moreover, it caps off the complete man cave experience.
The suggestions shared here are by no means binding. They are just a guiding framework and your actual experience might be different. However, these will set you on your path and ensure you do not fall into unnecessary hurdles. Have fun and have a great time setting up your man cave.