Don’t want to drive all the way across town to a fitness center to work out? No problem. By building a home gym within your house, your work out will only be a few steps away. That means no more putting off a treadmill run or avoiding the gym — the ability to exercise will be too convenient to pass up.
When you think about your home gym remodel, what should you consider? How do you know which elements are must-haves and which are nice-to-haves? And what’s the remodel process like?
We’re here to help answer some of these questions in this guide to designing a home gym. Let’s get started.
Location, Location, Location
Where do you plan to put your home gym? This is one of the first decisions you need to make, as location impacts the renovation budget, scope, and timeline. Do you have an existing small space, such as a sunroom or an extra bedroom, that just needs a few finishing touches to turn it into a proper home gym? Or maybe you’d like to finish your unfinished basement and add an exercise room. On the other end of the spectrum, maybe you’d like to build a full addition to use as your workout area.
Where you plan to put the home gym impacts how much it will cost and how long it will take to build. You should also consider ceiling height when thinking about the location, especially if you’re putting the home gym in the basement. Some basement ceilings were built at normal living height, and some have exceptionally low ceilings. If you plan to have workout equipment like a treadmill and/or elliptical, you’ll need at least a normal ceiling height for a functional fitness room.
Lighting
Make sure your home gym has plenty of lighting — you’ll want to be able to see what you’re doing. Low lighting can also be relaxing and make you feel tired when you actually need a burst of energy to get your workout done. Recessed lighting is a great solution, as it sits in the ceiling and doesn’t get in the way, yet it spreads plenty of light across the room. It’s perfect for basements or just about any other room in the house.
Flooring
What kind of flooring should you put in your new home gym? To find the answer, narrow down what types of exercises you plan to do in the space. Will you use it for floor work like HIIT workouts, yoga, or Pilates? Or will you primarily use fitness equipment like treadmills, spin bikes, weight benches, rowing machines, and/or ellipticals?
For the former, you’ll probably want flooring that’s soft yet durable and easy to maintain. Rubber gym flooring or luxury vinyl planks are good options. Go for something that’s easy to wipe clean (you’ll probably sweat a lot.) For a home gym filled with large equipment, you could consider carpet (with mats underneath the equipment to help protect the carpet). Engineered hardwood or luxury vinyl planks work well too because they’re typically moisture-proof.
Amenities
To make your home gym the best it can be, consider add-ons that will make your life more convenient. For example, wouldn’t it be great to have an attached half bathroom you can quickly use in the middle of a workout if needed? Or what about a kitchenette with a mini-fridge to keep your water or sports drink cold? A third idea is having extra built-in storage to hide away clutter like hand weights, exercise balls, yoga mats, and other equipment. Make your home gym something to be proud of. If you’re spending the time, money, and energy on a home gym remodel, you might as well make it an enjoyable, convenient space.
No matter what you plan to do with your fitness room remodel, remember that the renovation process will vary depending on the size and function of the room. It can also vary depending on the time of year you decide to remodel or the part of the country you live in.
If you have any other questions, talk to us about past home gyms we’ve worked on. We’re happy to brainstorm design ideas, talk through logistics, and gameplan with you to make your home gym all you want it to be.
Want to learn more about our renovation process? Read our blog on Home Remodeling Steps: A Checklist to Help Plan and Organize Your Renovation.
Remodels, Renovations, and Additions in Columbus, Ohio
Dave Fox is an employee-owned company that makes our clients our number one priority. We design and build remodeling, renovation, and addition projects for our clients in Central Ohio and deliver the best value through exceptional craftsmanship, excellent materials, and ethical business practices. Contact us today to learn more and sign up for our newsletter here!