Do you work out regularly? If you answered yes, you are right to consider building a home gym. Your primary concern is where to build the gym in your house. The other major concern: how much does it cost to install a home gym?
The average home gym owner spends between $2,500 and $3,500. A high-end gym can cost you up to $58,000 or more depending on size, including all advanced training equipment. You can also spend as little as $100 for a yoga home gym measuring 50 sq. ft with yoga straps, blocks, a mat, and foam tile floors.
Home gyms are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to work out (thanks, Covid). You can spend as much (or as little) to transform your space. Because your fitness goals are constantly changing, we recommend building your home gym in stages, following these considerations:
Location
Is your home gym indoors or outdoors?
Indoor home gyms can cost between $3,500 and $25,000, while outdoor home gyms can cost $5,000-$80,000.
Why the significant cost difference?
Mainly because of the setup requirements regarding equipment.
For example, a treadmill might not work for an outdoor workout space unless you build a structure to accommodate it, increasing costs. However, some indoor gym equipment might work for an outdoor space like pull-up bars, squat racks, and other portable equipment.
Size of the Gym
We advise reusing a space you already have in your home, like:
- The attic
- Basement
- Garage
- Spare bedroom
The size of the room will determine how much work needs to be done, which affects the overall cost of building your home gym.
Adding or building an extra room for your home gym can cost up to $100,000 (exclusive of equipment costs). A new room is an expensive option (even before inflation) that you should only consider if there is no extra space for your home gym in the house and if it will double as a guest room or office.
A spare bedroom requires the least demolition work compared to the other conversions. It can cost you between $2,000-$10,000 to convert your spare bedroom into a gym. Most of them have proper subflooring and are big enough to accommodate multiple training workstations.
Installing your home gym in the basement or attic will cost you between $2,000-$5,000. The attic might end up costing more because you have to put in new subflooring and a finished floor on top. You might also have to rethink your staircase to make the room more accessible. If you have concrete floors in your basement, you can leave them as-is and only think about ventilation, lighting, and equipment to start with.
Equipment Needed
Your type of workout will determine the type of equipment in your home gym. You can do some exercises on different types of equipment, but some activities require using a specific type of equipment.
Depending on your preferred workout, home gym equipment can you between $25-$22,000, with yoga being at the lower end. Yoga does not need as much space or materials as other training. All you need are yoga straps, yoga blocks, and a yoga mat. The maximum amount you can spend to get all three items is $200, and maybe an additional $50 to design the space.
A Pilates home gym can cost you up to $400 because you need more equipment than a Yoga gym. The most common items in a Pilates gym are an exercise mat, stability ball, dumbbells, and a TRX kit. Dumbbells are the most expensive item priced between $25-$400.
A weight lifting setup will cost you more, as much as $2,000. This is because you might need different weight-lifting equipment like barbells, plates, dumbbells, squat rack, bench, and others, depending on your fitness goals.
All this equipment helps you target different areas of your body, but you might not need all of them at once.
A cardio home gym will cost you a lot more again because you might need more equipment. The setup can cost you up to $8,000. Note that cardio workout equipment comes in many forms. It can be something as simple as a skipping rope or a massive item like a treadmill which is also the most expensive.
Your home gym can also be a cross-fit training station where you have different workstations for different parts of your body. For example, you can have a weight-lifting section and a cardio and resistance training station in the same space. A cross-training setup and cardio setup cost almost the same.
Additional "equipment" costs for your home gym might include:
- TV and Sound system - $750 - $6000
- Flooring – $62-$2000
- Air conditioning - $2000-$9000
- Decorations (paint, mirrors, wall art) - $50 - $400
Besides these, you also have some personal things to consider, like:
How Often Will You Use Your Home Gym? (Realistically)
Most people are committed to using their home gym regularly in the beginning. They don’t know that working out from home can be difficult...
There is a comfortable couch or bed calling your name.
Kids that want to be with you all the time.
And other daily responsibilities.
It’s easy to find yourself using your home gym for only three months. In this case, it might be cheaper to pay for a gym membership at your local gym. It’s essential to be honest with yourself and your home before you decide to invest in a home gym.
What Type of Consumer Are You?
As you know, there are many brands of workout gear produced by different manufacturers. Some brands are more expensive than others because of their quality.
If you are on a tight budget, it makes sense to go for cheaper brands or even second-hand gear from Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or eBay.
However, if you like to buy nicer equipment in terms of design and functionality, the more expensive brands are the best to go with. Both options have their pros and cons. Some brands are just too expensive and not worth the money in the long run so take your time exploring your options.
Most importantly: start small and build your way up! Don’t rush into spending all your savings or risk getting into debt for a new home gym.