Most men might settle for a nice shed or garage as their male retreat. But one man from Ipswich went the whole hog and built a five star luxury bolthole in his back yard.

Callum McGinn’s man cave is more like a scene from the MTV show Cribs than a typical manly hovel.

It boasts a hot tub, pool table, dart board, bar with an inbuilt fish tank and a poker table, among many other cool features.

The 22 year old building service engineer not only uses his man cave as a place to relax, socialise and entertain, but it’s also where he gets creative inspiration for designs for his upcycling crafts business, Callum McGinn Designs. “It’s strange how I live near town and the university, but in my man cave, it’s really quiet and peaceful with lots of trees and wildlife around,” he says.

MORE: The Ipswich man who makes it his business to see treasure in your trashThe idea to build his dream man cave came to Callum in the summer of 2015, when he was 18.

East Anglian Daily Times: Most of the furniture inside the man cave has been built by Callum himself. Picture: Victoria PertusaMost of the furniture inside the man cave has been built by Callum himself. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

“Watching some television programmes about garden building and also videos on social media, made me think ‘I could do that’ and I want to have a go - although I had no formal qualifications in carpentry or construction,” he recalls.

“Luckily my parents agreed with the project, but thinking back they did have a worried look on their face.

“I then just got on with it and started constructing with no real design or planning - the design changed throughout.”

Callum was offered a pub pool table for a cheap price, but it was too big for the inside, where he wanted to put a bar and sofa. So he decided to build a decking section outside for his pool table and darts board, for summer night pub game sessions.

East Anglian Daily Times: The man cave comes with a pool table. Picture: Victoria PertusaThe man cave comes with a pool table. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

Then he was offered a hot tub, and extended to build a second decking area for that.

Callum toiled away in the evenings and at weekends for nine long months, building everything himself apart from the electrical installation,

“One of the hardest parts was the plaster boarding, which I hated - and also trying to get the building level as my garden is on a hill, so I raised it on stilts to take into account the different ground levels,” he says.

The windows, door, flooring and some timber were purchased second hand to keep costs to a minimum.

East Anglian Daily Times: The man cave comes with a pool table. Picture: Victoria PertusaThe man cave comes with a pool table. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

Inside the cave, Callum now only has a sofa, TV, bar with an inbuilt fish tank and poker table, but also a projector and screen with games consoles installed.

“I’ve had friends over and everyone is always surprised that I built my man cave from nothing,” says Callum.

“I think man caves have become more popular because people also want their own space for hobbies and home office space, and garden buildings offer this.

“Young people can’t get on the housing market at the minute because of house prices and mortgages, so a garden room can offer them an alternative way to get a little bit of independence.”

East Anglian Daily Times: Most of the furniture inside the man cave has been built by Callum himself. Picture: Victoria PertusaMost of the furniture inside the man cave has been built by Callum himself. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

Callum admits he’s proud of his creation, and the success of the project motivated him to build more structures in his garden - including a workshop, a shed, and even a hobbit hole for his nephews to play in.

“One of the things I enjoy most is the fact that I handcrafted my man cave, but also that it’s a one-off and bespoke to what I wanted,” he says. “As a matter of fact I think it’s better than everyone expected but also better than I expected overall.”

East Anglian Daily Times: Most of the furniture inside the man cave has been built by Callum himself. Picture: Victoria PertusaMost of the furniture inside the man cave has been built by Callum himself. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

East Anglian Daily Times: Callum McGinn, proud owner of the Mangler Man Cave. Picture: Victoria PertusaCallum McGinn, proud owner of the Mangler Man Cave. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

East Anglian Daily Times: Most of the furniture inside the man cave has been built by Callum himself. Picture: Victoria PertusaMost of the furniture inside the man cave has been built by Callum himself. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

East Anglian Daily Times: Callum McGinn built the man cave all by himself in 2015 and it comes with a pool table, jacuzzi and a movie projector. Picture: Victoria PertusaCallum McGinn built the man cave all by himself in 2015 and it comes with a pool table, jacuzzi and a movie projector. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

East Anglian Daily Times: Callum McGinn, owner. Picture: Victoria PertusaCallum McGinn, owner. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

East Anglian Daily Times: Callum's man cave, workshop and hobbit hole that he has built in his back gardenCallum's man cave, workshop and hobbit hole that he has built in his back garden (Image: Archant)

East Anglian Daily Times: Callum's hobbit hole being builtCallum's hobbit hole being built (Image: Archant)