Planning your man cave is almost as exciting as getting to actually use it. While it’s easy to get carried away with dreaming about the potential of your new space, it’s also important to consider your budget.
If you are thinking about setting up your own man cave, you may be wondering how much it is going to cost. In fact, “How much does it cost to build a man cave?” is a question we get a lot.
Unfortunately, it is a difficult question to answer because there are so many variables. When some people ask the question, they really want to know how much it will cost to furnish a room to turn it into a man cave. Others want to know how much it will cost to literally build the room itself.
It’s easy to see that the answer can vary wildly based on the individual. If you already have a spare room, an extra TV, and an old recliner, you could start your man cave for free. If you plan on having a bar, hot tub, home theatre, and basketball court, it could cost over a million dollars.
In this article, I’ll first look at some of the more common costs associated with building a man cave to come up with the average cost to build a man cave. Next, I will take a look at the typical costs associated with equipping a man cave to come up with the average cost to furnish a man cave.
Construction Costs to Literally Build a Man Cave
If you don’t have any space in your house to put a man cave, you may consider building the space yourself. The easiest way to do this is by building a shed and turning it into your man cave.
There are plenty of options when it comes to sheds, but a shed with around 200 – 250 square feet should be enough space for a small man cave. The Arlington 12 ft. x 20 ft. Wood Storage Shed Kit is a higher end option within this square footage range. The Best Barns Brookfield 12′ X 16′ Wood Shed Kit is a little smaller but more affordable.
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The great thing about sheds is you can easily add a small deck to the outside like in the photo above.
If you go this route, there will also be other costs like electrical, insulation, drywall, flooring, and heating and cooling, if you want those ammenities. To calculate costs, I will assume that you will be doing all the work yourself to save money, except for the electrical work which I recommend getting done professionally.
Don’t forget if you go too big, you may need to talk to your municipality.
The price ranges listed below are meant to be median ranges. Actual costs will depend on your wants and needs. For example, heating and cooling costs very much depend on the climate you live in. You may be able to get away with using an inexpensive 2 in 1 heating and cooling unit, or you may need a more robust air conditioner and heat pump. You can always find less expensive or more expensive options, but this is a good starting point.
If you are looking to build a brand new space for your man cave, here is an example of the basic costs you can expect:
| Item | Low End Cost | High End Cost |
| Shed Kit (DIY) | $4,000 | $10,000 |
| Electrical (hire a professional) | $1,500 | $2,500 |
| Insulation (DIY) | $400 | $800 |
| Drywall (DIY) | $500 | $800 |
| Paint (DIY) | $100 | $300 |
| Vinyl Plank Flooring (DIY) | $576 | $1,000 |
| Heating and Cooling (DIY) | $383 | $1,350 |
| Total | $7,500 | $16,750 |
The average cost to build a man cave shed is $12,125. Total costs range from a low of $7,500 to a high of $16,750.
If you already have the shed or plan on using your garage, some of the listed costs may not apply to your situation.
Costs to Furnish a Man Cave
This section will look at the average cost to furnish a man cave if you already have an empty room that you want to use.
While costs can obviously vary wildly, I will attempt to calculate the costs based on a typical man cave. Specifically, I will look at the costs of the basics including seating, TV, and basic furniture like a coffee table and media center. I will also include one big ticket item such as a pool table. Finally, I will price out basic accessories like a dartboard and decorations.
If you want to furnish a room in your house to turn it into a man cave, here is an example of some of the typical costs you can expect:
| Item | Low End Cost | High End Cost |
| Seating (e.g. couch, recliner) | $300 | $2,000 |
| Other Furniture (e.g. coffee table, media center) | $200 | $800 |
| Flat Screen TV with mount | $300 | $750 |
| Pool Table | $1,000 | $4,000 |
| Dartboard | $30 | $140 |
| Decorations (e.g. posters, wall art, memorabilia) | $50 | $500 |
| Total | $1,880 | $8,190 |
The average cost to furnish a typical man cave is $5,035. Total costs range from a low of $1,880 to a high of $8,190.
Again, your costs will vary if you already have some of these items or want to add additional pieces.
Final Thoughts
Building your ideal man cave takes more than just a great idea; it takes planning. It also takes money, but with some hard work and creativity it doesn’t have to cost a lot.
You don’t have to have the perfect man cave right off the bat. Remember, this is a space that you will being using for years to come. Make it a fun long-term project. Start with what you can afford and add to it until you have the space of your dreams.
Update: We tried our best to come up with the cost to build a man cave, but the truth is that every man cave is different. That’s why we created the Man Cave Cost Calculator. Read the article below to get an idea of costs, and then head over to the calculator to get a more personalized estimate.