How to Build a Home Gym? (Step-By-Step Guide)

You make a home gym by first evaluating what kind of training you’ll be doing and finding the right equipment to do this.

You then align your equipment needs with your budget to determine whether you use the cheap and cheerful approach with yoga mats and bands or have money to invest in power racks, bumper plates, and cardio machines.

The other thing to consider before building a home gym space is where you will set things up.

You’ll have very different options and flexibility when you set up a gym in the basement or a large double garage.

But setting up a gym in a spare room could have many more limitations.

That shouldn’t make you reconsider doing this in the first place, but you have to consider those things first.

Building a Home Gym - Ceiling Height

First, measure the ceiling height to ensure it accommodates your training gear and helps design the gym layout and choosing equipment.

Estimating the ceiling height helps determine the maximum height for gym equipment and the range of motion for exercises.

This will assist you in picking the best squat rack, benches, and so forth.

Then, you must consider acquiring a low-power rack. Obtaining one that fits is critical because you'll use it for various activities.

There are two variables to keep in mind when determining the height of the power rack:

• Is the rack large enough to fit beneath your ceiling?
• Do you fit underneath the rack?

Consider acquiring cardio equipment for warm-ups, occasional workouts, or as a central piece in your home gym.

Add appropriate lighting, such as recessed lighting, for low-ceiling rooms to save ceiling space.

Setting up a home gym can start at $100, but advanced training may require additional equipment like cardio machines, squat racks, barbells, and free weights.

That kind of setup will likely require an investment of at least $1,000.

Keep costs down with used equipment, but ensure its quality, especially if it's being sold unused on platforms like Facebook Marketplace.

You don’t want a budget home gym turning into a health and safety trap because of cheap home gym equipment.

Now, let's go over the most important home gym cost factors.

1. Basement or Garage Remodel

For a total basement or garage remodel, you should expect to spend between $5,500 and $33,500.

This will include installing plumbing and heat, refinishing, and adding electricity.

The average basement remodeling cost is $12,000–$33,000, and garage remodeling costs $5,500 to $24,000 [1].

2. Home Gym Flooring Installation

To replace your flooring, you should expect to pay anywhere from $750 to $3,900. To know the exact price, you must know the type of home gym flooring.

Here are the costs of different flooring types:

• Carpet: $800–$2,800

• Rubber: $800–$2,300

• Polished concrete: $1,500–$3,800

3. Subflooring

If you want to repair or replace your subflooring, it will cost anywhere from $400 to $3,000.

Subflooring is essential if you are using heavy gym equipment. Consult a structural engineer to know if your space can bear heavy weights.

4. Lighting Products and Installation

Always aim to choose the location for your home gym where natural light can enter during the day.

If that is not possible, buy light fixtures, which will cost anywhere from $100 to $1,000 to install.

The best option for artificially lighting your gym is recessed LED light fixtures because they are the closest to recreating sunlight.

In addition, they heat up less than standard lighting.

5. Electric Wiring

Electrical wiring, costing $3 to $5 per square foot, should be installed to ensure enough outlets are near your workout equipment.

You should have enough amperage to support the machines.

If you need more power, you can replace or upgrade an electrical panel, raising the costs from $500 to $2,300.

I recommend that most of my readers consider doing high-intensity interval training for a full-body workout on a regular basis [3].

You’ll need a bit more space to get every station set up, and this is where garage gyms become very practical.

You can do HIIT with limited equipment, but if you want to take it to another level, then you might want a squat stand or power rack and even a multi-gym with a pulley system.

Then I would suggest that you get some recommended cardio machines to give you more flexibility for weight loss and cutting phases in your workout plans.

Related: Best Pulley System for Home Gym for Flexible Workout

Equipment for Yoga And Pilates

And then there’s always the home gym for yoga and pilates.

These can be quite cheap and practical to set up, but I would recommend buying several mats and yoga blocks.

Having a bit more space to do your yoga routine can be very helpful.

And you’ll always have the advantage of clearing the mats and other small equipment out of the way when you’re finished.

Here’s another piece of budget home gym equipment that will work great for your warm-up routines.

However, don’t buy the cheapest one you can find at the toy store.

Instead, get a proper jump rope or speed rope at your local sporting goods store, as the quality will be more suitable for proper exercises.

Resistance Bands

Another must-have for a budget home gym is a set of exercise bands.

These cost a fraction of the amount you’d pay for adjustable dumbbells. And you can still do everything from a bicep curl to an overhead press.

You should only buy gym equipment at trusted online stores.

The reason I recommend shopping online is that you can save a lot of money. But you want to make sure that it’s a legitimate store that won’t send you a counterfeit product.

Amazon is one choice I often recommend, but another great option is the LifeSpan fitness store, and you can find some of the products we personally reviewed on our website.

It has great prices that you’ll find are tough to beat elsewhere, and its customer service is excellent as well.

Make sure to properly dispose of your broken exercise equipment first before you go around buying a new one.