Garden gym guide: size, floor, height and cost
The short answer
A home garden gym usually needs 12 to 20 m², a solid, level base with rubber flooring, and good ventilation or cooling. Watch the height: with a flat roof the room can only be 3 m tall outside, which leaves around 2.4 to 2.6 m inside. For your own use it's normally exempt from planning.
On this page
What size you need
- 9 to 12 m²: a rower or bike, a bench, dumbbells and space for mat work.
- 16 m²: a treadmill plus a rack and bench.
- 20 m² and up: a full rack with room to load a bar, cardio, and floor space.
A 5 × 4 m gym, drawn to scale:
Ceiling height
The exemption limits height to 3 m, or 4 m with a tiled or slated pitched roof. After the floor and roof build-up, a flat-roofed room is usually around 2.4 to 2.6 m inside. If you want to press overhead, use a skipping rope or jump, measure your reach first and ask the supplier for the exact internal height.
Floor and base
- Tell the supplier it's a gym, so the floor is designed for heavy, dropped weights.
- A concrete slab or a well-specified ground screw base both work. See foundations.
- Use thick rubber gym flooring over the floor finish to protect it and reduce noise.
Heat, cooling and air
A small insulated room heats up fast when you're training. An air-to-air heat pump heats in winter and cools in summer. At the least, fit opening windows or doors on two sides for a cross-breeze and a vent to clear moisture.
Planning for a gym
A gym for you and your family is a use connected with enjoying your home, so it's covered by the garden room exemption if it meets the size, position and height rules. Training paying clients there turns it into a business, which needs planning permission. See the planning guide.
What it costs
| Size | Catalogue | Bespoke |
|---|---|---|
| 12 m² | €8,500 to €18,000 | €21,500 to €38,500 |
| 16 m² | €11,000 to €24,000 | €29,000 to €51,000 |
| 20 m² | €14,000 to €30,000 | €36,000 to €64,000 |
Add the base, electrics, cooling and flooring. Use the cost estimator to build up a total.
Common questions
Do I need planning permission for a garden gym?
Not for your own use, if the room meets the garden room exemption rules: up to 30 m², 25 m² of garden left, behind the house and within the height limits. Training paying clients there is a business use that needs planning permission.
Is a garden room tall enough for overhead presses?
Check before you buy. A flat-roofed garden room can be at most 3 m high outside, which usually leaves around 2.4 to 2.6 m inside. That's tight for overhead lifts if you're tall, or for a platform.
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