The cost of a home gym is often cited as a deterrent to starting a gym. However, starting a home gym can be a long-term cost-effective process. A home gym obviously cuts out the cost of a commercial gym membership, but is also off-set by decreased time commitments for training (driving to/from the gym), decreased wear and tear on your vehicle and increased flexibility in training opportunities. The general consensus is that you can start a very-functional and long lasting gym with an initial investment of between $1000 and $2000.
The key is to remember that this price tag is an investment – in yourself and your health, and in the physical goods that you are buying. Increased strength and aerobic capacity have strong relationships with quality of life and life expectancy. Further, the equipment that you purchase can be sold in the future, either when you are done with having a home gym, or to cover the cost of equipment upgrades.
Home Gym Budgeting Guide
How Much Does a Home Gym Cost
Like most things, the price of home gym equipment has been increasing in the past few years. Unfortunately, the days of investing a few hundred dollars to equip a full home gym are mostly gone. However, a small gym in the corner of a living room or stored in a closet could be started for a figure under $300. Even large home gyms can still be budget friendly and prove to be a solid investment.
A price range of $1000-$2000 is considered a great starting point for most home gyms. This will get you a solid base of equipment to hit your training needs, regardless of your training style. The $1000-$2000 figure assumes that you don’t need to do any structural work to your house (like putting up drywall or insulating a garage). However, you may be missing some ‘extras’ that would be nice to have in your gym.
Home Advisor breaks down the cost of home gyms by training type. The figures provided are a wide range, but provides good insight into national values (in the USA).
We ran an Instagram poll for our followers to find out how much they initially spent on their home gym. The results of the poll showed that 70% of respondents spent more than $1000 when they set up their home gym. These results are a bit biased though because people that follow our account are likely home gym hobbyist/enthusiasts that are likely to spend more.
What Equipment to Buy First For Your Home Gym
Your number one priority should be getting solid flooring for your space. The floor sets the foundation for your gym (quite literally). Skimping out on flooring will lead to frustration down the road when you have to replace it – and therefore move all of your equipment. You can start with a small flooring footprint, but it should be a major priority.
Secondly, you’ll want to invest in your tier 1 equipment. We consider tier 1 equipment to be the most important equipment for your training needs. This is the equipment that is essential for your training and equipment you will use in nearly all your workouts. Tier 1 equipment is the base that you will build your gym around.
You should have a fully functional home gym once you have your flooring and tier 1 equipment sorted. This could be as far as you venture into the home gym equipment world. You may also begin looking for accessories or supplemental equipment after this depending on how much of your budget is left over.
How Much Should You Budget For a Home Gym
We have established that you should budget at least $1000 for your home gym. However, we would recommend setting aside $1500-$2000 for initial costs so that you are able to get what you want/need without going over your predetermined budget.
We understand that $1500-$2000 is not a trivial sum of money. The investment in your health, well-being and in the equipment itself is well worth the price tag. Plus, many people reading this post will be doing so on a $1000 phone or laptop that is upgraded every couple of years. The nice thing about home gym equipment is that can last for years (or decades) before needing upgrades, plus it retains its value for resale.
We suggest an initial investment of a one to two thousand dollars to get yourself a functional home gym, and then building out from there with additional equipment or equipment upgrades as needed.
Budget Considerations When Starting a Home Gym
Although we can make recommendations about how much it costs to start a home gym, the truth is that the answer is more nuanced than it initially appears. There are a few extra considerations as you plan, and execute, your home gym build.
What You Can Reasonably Afford
For some, a $1000-$2000 price tag for a home gym is completely out of the question, while it could be a drop in the bucket for others. The range we have presented is based on our research, community outreach and experience. At the end of the day, you should be budgeting an amount that allows you to build a home gym that meets your training goals without creating a financial burden.
This amount will depend on your individual/household financial situation.
Buying New or Used Gym Equipment
Whether you buy new or used gym equipment will have a significant impact on your initial home gym budget.
We advocate for buying new home gym equipment as often as you can because you know what you’re getting, you can utilize warranties, customer service is better when you’re the original buyer and you know the product is legit.
Used marketplaces can be a great place to find insane deals on equipment. We haven’t had any luck with this locally, but we’ve seen equipment being sold for pennies on the dollar in Facebook groups and on second-hand websites.
Government sales, universities and high schools, and commercial gyms that are closing are also great places to find used equipment at low prices.
Generally, a mix of new and used equipment will be best for most home gyms. Buying new for big ticket items (e.g., power rack, barbell, treadmill) is advised unless there’s a deal on used equipment that is too good to pass up. Accessory or secondary equipment is much easier to find on the used market, and this equipment is often heavily discounted.
Your Investment Timeline
A key piece that people often overlook is the timeline for buying home gym equipment, and the subsequent timeline of how long the equipment will be in use.
Some readers will want to start small with their home gyms and build over time (which is what we recommend). Others will want to dive in and buy all their equipment from the get-go. There is nothing wrong with either approach, but they will differ in the initial budgetary requirements.
Further, some people will want their home gym for the next 5-10 years, while others are looking at a life-long investment in the equipment. The length that you expect to use your equipment should alter the quality of equipment that you purchase, and therefore the cost of it.
If you plan to use your gym for decades, then a higher initial budget for the equipment makes sense. After all, the home gym community is built off the saying “buy once, cry once”.
Final Thoughts on The Initial Cost of a Home Gym
The initial budget that you set for your home gym is (hopefully) just a starting point for your home gym lifestyle. The key is to start with an initial investment that allows you to get the equipment you need for your preferred workout style, and that will help you accomplish your fitness goals without being a financial burden. For most people, this is around $1000-$2000.
Importantly though, we hope this initial investment in your home gym and health develops into a deeper love for fitness. With that will likely come a hobbyist approach to your home gym – where you get excited for new equipment releases, you try DIY projects and you take pride in your home gym.
Home gyms truly are a game changer, and we hope that you start one – regardless of your budget.
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