How To Turn Your Garage Into A Home Gym

By Tony Hall

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is paramount in today’s health-conscious world. Studies indicate not only do you need to manage intake but also maintain or increase energy. Getting to a gym can be challenging and if you like outdoor activities, the weather may not always cooperate. You may want to consider converting your garage into a gym or exercise area for you and your family.

3 Things to Consider When Converting Your Garage into an Exercise Room

When you are thinking about turning your garage into a gym, consider the following:

1. Space: Space is the final frontier, especially when it comes to garage space.  How are you currently using your garage?

Cars: Are you storing one car, two cars, three or none? If you are storing cars, what are your plans for caring for your cars against environmental elements? Do you have a boat in your garage? Does your homeowners association have any restrictions regarding cars on the street?  

Lawn equipment or workshop area: Even if even a small part of the garage is being used for storing these items, you do need to consider where these items will go and where you will do even your most basic of tinkering or repair work. Losing a small work area is fine until you really need it and you find yourself staining a chair in the kitchen or the patio.

General catch-all: Studies show that less than 25% of US homeowners can store a car in the garage because of storage. If you are in the general catch-all category, you may need to consider how you are going to sort, sift, and move on your belongings. You may want to consider including a storage nook as part of your new exercise area.

2. Health: Once you decide you are ready to transform your garage space, think about why you      need to exercise and how that need links to a home gym. 

Are you already a certified instructor and you want to open your own studio? Do you want to save time going to a gym? Are you a cyclist and you need to train during extreme hot or cold seasons? Do you want a circuit type training method to use at home? Do you want to create a “family fit” center so you can enjoy exercising together or do you just despise going to the gym and working out in front of people? Consider your need for exercise and then the types of equipment you want to include in your new exercise area.

3. Cost: There are many components to transitioning a garage to a workout space. Depending on your location, you may need to add air conditioning, heat, insulation, fans, a new garage door and other structural elements to create a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing workout space. 

Will adding a gym affect my home's value?

In addition, how much value will be added to your home with this add-on? How easily can the space be converted back to a garage should you need to move and resell the house? How will the expense of a home exercise space offset any current expenses you currently incur such as gym memberships? What will improve in you or your family's life if you did convert your garage to an exercise room?

As you can see, there are many questions you should ask before knocking down any walls. If you want an expert opinion about your garage space, contact Willow Creek Overhead Door, an Amarillo garage and overhead door company. Owner Tony Hall has seen it all, and he can make sure you choose the right garage door, opener and operator for your new home gym. Contact him today for a free quote.

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