The real estate agents around the country are weighing in with their insights: the market is definitely shifting away from the runaway seller’s market of the first two years of the pandemic. As it becomes less advantageous to sell your existing home, there are still ways to take advantage of the season and take on some renovation projects in your current home. For instance, build on the early-year momentum by opting to add a home gym to your current setup. Basements, garages, and other semi-finished spaces in the home are often a great place to add a home gym setup and see yourself get into better and better shape over time. It could also have a positive impact on your home’s appraised value. Here’s what you’ll need.
1. A budget
Like with any other renovation or remodeling project, it’s easy for costs to get out of hand when there’s no budget to refer back to. Even if you know you want this to be a top-notch, high-end home gym, you’ll still spend a more reasonable amount by deciding ahead of time on a budget and sticking to it. That being said, 10% or so of the budget should be devoted to wiggle room in case of price increases or other changes in the plan.
2. Contractors for any heavy renovations
If you want to add rooms, change walls, finish a basement or a part of the basement, or add things like electric and plumbing, definitely consult with professionals who know how to get it done. They may be able to do a basic estimate and chat with you about how easy certain elements would be to DIY, all while giving you guidance on which parts of the project will be best handled by someone with a lot of experience.
3. Lighting, mirrors, and flooring
Getting your home gym into fighting form will require a few different furnishings, but these three matter a lot. Adding a mirror wall if possible is one of the easiest ways to keep an eye on your form while working out, and it has the added bonus of making the space feel bigger even if you’re only devoting a small portion of basement space to your home gym. Lights make the space inviting and refreshing, and flooring helps you avoid slipping and can absorb shocks of occasional dropped weights.
4. Quality equipment that will last
Even if you’re only getting one or two pieces of equipment that you know you’ll be using over and over, do your homework on home gym equipment. Often, finding a secondhand, lightly used piece of equipment that is from the higher end, durable lines of workout gear may be the best way to economize while also having a home gym that serves you for years.
5. Personal touches and incentives
Don’t forget that you want to be motivated by this space: as you near the end of your project, add photos, a great AV system, or whatever else will make your space feel so right for you that you’ll stick with your workout routine and feel the results in your body that you’ve been wanting to achieve.
