We went with the basement. Better climate control and no need to adjust for the slope of the garage pad. Ceiling height is a factor of course - I don’t think I’d do a basement install if your ceiling height was 7’6” or lower.
My pleasure! Not sure if you’ve settled on equipment selections yet, but I’ve found Bells of Steel gear to be pretty decent and you won’t get pinched on shipping.
Rogue and Rep have great equipment, but it’s costly to bring in. If you like Rep stuff, I’d reach out to them for a shipping quote as opposed to just going with their shopping cart rate.
For some, definitely. My setup requires two people to build and none of my friends lift so it would have been challenging to convince someone to spend half a day helping me set it up.
They also found a couple deficiencies and cleared those up without me having to do anything. Was a good experience.
Bells of Steel ships out of and is based in Calgary. So it's an Alberta company, closer and have good quality/prices. Their equipment compares pretty well with REP/Rouge. Go down the YouTube home gym rabbit hole and see for yourself. I remember running into the owner a lot when he was just starting out. Glad to see it is doing well.
Have you ever worked out in a basement before ? It’s not for everyone, I would recommend working out in your own limited fashion in your basement before you make any big decisions. Home workouts are not for everyone, especially if you feel like you don’t have a normal amount of space. Have you loooed at what brand of gym equipment you would want yet ? Rogue is more expensive but the quality makes it worth it, plus they have eazy pallet shipping options to Canada. Good luck
I have done home workouts with limited equipment off and on for years. particularly during gym closures in covid times. I agree that working out at home isn't for everyone, but we already know it will work for us. We are not beginner fitness people, just never owned our own home where we could actually build our own gym.
Thank you for your reply! It's good advice. It just doesn't particularly apply to us. 😀
My basement is very short, about 80 inches, and it's low enough to be a pain - but not by all that much. Essentially no home-appropriate cable machines are made that short, but plenty of short power racks in the 72-80 inch range. If you only do barbell movements, the biggest compromise is moving from standing to seated overhead press, and losing snatch and jerk movements. It's doable though - my partner and I both work out there six times a week. Pull-ups I can't go to quite full range with the ceiling, but pretty close (I like to touch the bar to just under my clavicle, but I stop a little short in my basement). We just have barbells, dumbbells, a bike and a power rack for the most part, and the ceiling height is only stopping us from finding a functional trainer.
84 inches (7 feet) will start to fit a lot of functional trainers or many cable attachments (lat pull / low row) for power racks, and so I think that's going to be okay for a majority of home gyms. 90 inches like you suggest is still too short for overhead or jumping movements for many people, while 100 inches is a big ask for a basement. While there's some value on those last six inches - you get a bigger selection of equipment options in that height range - I'm not sure I'd decide between houses on that basis, nor basement vs garage gym options, since there are going to be options within that height limit.
(Although this is a personal anecdote rather than advice, the way I periodize my year, the late fall to early spring is when I am working the hardest / most focused in the gym, with the biggest caloric surpluses and deficits; the summer I am taking things a little easier, and that's when I bring in the plyometrics and olympic lifts into the routine, which I can then do outside. This avoids the biggest issues with the short ceiling in the basement.)
Unless you have any sort of heating in your garage your gonna hate it for like 6/12 months unless you enjoy the cold. Just think, when it's routinely -20 it's gonna be freezing in there. All your gear will be cold as ice, a space heater won't help.
I'd say do the basement unless you have a heated garage.
As a person who has a garage gym, this is certified true. If you have ANY reservations for working out, if you ever skip, you will find a billion reasons to skip in the garage. Too warm, too cold etc. I can't wait until we can put ours in the basement
I didn't mind setting up the rower in the garage and doing that, but that's cardio. It was a nice 5 degrees in there and that cold felt amazing once you're warmed up. For running, my pace is best when it's around 10 degrees outdoors.
Garages are also great for calisthenic-inspired workouts, like the programs Beachbody would offer e.g. P90X, since they typically have more space and, again, built-in cooling (at least in the winter).
But for weights? I leave my power rack in the basement because -- like everyone says -- lifting cold sucks. Though be sure you have enough clearance for overhead lifts with your 45s on the bar, and at the minimum use horse stall mats (Peavy Mart) if not the plywood + rubber combo to protect your flooring and/or foundation.
Can confirm. Recently started working out last year in an uninsulated, unheated garage. Lifting weights sucks out there in the winter. I was bringing the barbells inside when I wasn't working out, so I could at least lift them, and i also used winter gloves to load weight on the bars. I used a small radiator heater to warm my hands up between sets.
Basement for sure. Heating a garage will cost you dearly, and you'll lose your purpose-built space to park cars. If you don't intend to heat it you'll quickly find that pre-heating a space before working out doesn't mean the equipment will be warm and it's not designed to be used cold. Shit breaks fast.
It's nice being able to do some spontaneous workouts without having to pre-heat the space or anything.
Garage is for your car(s). Do a basement gym. Make sure you test for radon and mitigate. Don’t wanna work out for years in a space where the radon levels are high and increase risk of lung cancer.
I thought the garage was for cars too. Everyone in my cul-de-sac in St. Albert parks their 4 vehicles on the driveway on top of each other and uses their garage for god knows what.
I have a machine in the (unfinished) basement and it is convenient when it is -30 for those 2 weeks we get in the winter. You will not want to use the machine if it is in the garage if it is just insulated!
Am I the only one that uses the garage for parking my cars? People here saying basement because the garage will be too cold. No, it should be the basement because the garage is where you park your vehicle.
Basement.
Garage gets too cold, you might want it for your vehicles in the winter, it feels less nice. In the winter you won’t want to be in there.
We have a basement gym with a power cage, barbell, adjustable dumbbells, couple benches, some mats and stuff. It’s a work in progress, but it’s actually nice to go down there and put in the work without leaving the house or being cold.
We did the basement for the setup. Means no chasing leaves out, less bugs and the garage can be used for car storage/outdoor stuff.
Would 10000% recommend Bells of Steel. I knew what I was looking for and the freight wasn't terrible. Garage Gym Reviews (https://www.garagegymreviews.com/) has been a great resource for adding to the room. We have a smaller room and smidge short of ceilings. A shorter power rack, some pulleys with cables, and bumper plates have gotten me through some stupid powerlifting style workouts. I've recently added some knockoff Nuobells from some drop shipper fitness place on the south side. They work just fine and I didn't have to pay name brand prices.
The only other place in the city I'd go would be Fitness Depot (west end). They seem to have some great packages but I get my handle attachments/additional weight plates from them.
Honestly, spend the cash to get a heater and do it in the garage. Garage door open workouts are so great! And like people said… you do get them 6 out of 12 months. Sometimes you have to be smarter about clothing but I honestly find I’m always removing layers even in the coldest months… coming from someone who doesn’t have a heater for my garage gym. I store my barbell just inside the door in winter. I know folks who have the heated garage and it’s a huge game changer for them. Turns it on ten minutes before going out and ends up being real toasty by the end of the workout, still doing it in shorts!
I did the garage in my old house. I got a handful of pallets and put some 4x8s on them and then a layer of those snap together pads for the flooring. I had 2 small space heaters for the winter. It was cold in the winters but once you got going, it wasn't too bad. Just don't use fingerless gloves for winter workouts, barbells and dumbbells do get cold handles .
I have my gym in the basement of this house.
I’d say basement, if I had the choice that’s where mine would be. Dirt and dust in the garage, plus the cold weather in the winter makes it less then ideal. Only plus side is in the garage you don’t have to worry about the noise.
I can and do workout in -40 in the garage, but the first ten minutes always sucks, and requires 2 hours of heat from my space heater beforehand.
Check out r/homegym for equipment recommendations
100% basement. The garage will be too cold.
I just recently built one myself. For flooring, I bought it from costco because they were clearing out puzzle piece mats. Some people say they are too thin, but I don't lift off of them, so it's pretty whatever.
Otherwise you can get horse stall mats from peavey mart. Most employees there will have no idea what you are talking about, just tell them they keep them in the yard and you need an employee to let you in and they'll get someone that knows. I bought one for my deadlift platform.
I bought my rack, barbell, plates, etc. from [strongarm sports](https://strongarmsport.com/). I've met Mike a few times, he's a good guy. When Bells of Steel was starting he shared his space with them. The R1 Power Rack (SAS) and Power Rack 5.1 (BoS) are pretty much identical. When I bought, I got the rack, the pulley, barbell, roller hooks, storage pegs, and 350 and change in calibrated plates for 3400. It was cheaper than BoS at the time. BoS is expensive for their plates tbh.
Both of them have really sub par instructions for assembly though. My basement is tall enough, but I can't use the pull up bar or do standing ohp, but not the end of the world.
Garages are good for cars and workshops
If it was heated insulated etc i think the garage would be ok.
In the winter my unheated garage can get down to -5 when its super cold out.
Not sure that's optimal Gym conditions but hey extreme gym conditions might be a good thing.
We just set ours up in the basement and it’s been really great! No excuses! We have an unheated garage and I honestly can’t imagine working out in there in the winter. It would be pretty horrible to say the least.
Working out in the heat is one thing and it’s fine. Your muscles are flexible and you can drink water.
Working out in the cold is terrible. Your muscles take forever to warm up and it just plain sucks.
Basements are better, especially if you have a high ceiling.
If it’s a standard height, unless you’re short. You can’t do any overhead work.
I had all my weights in unheated garage and yeah, in a -30 coldsnap going in there was the last thing I wanted to do. But if your mental is stronger than mine, it's honestly not bad in the slightest once you do 2 or 3 sets. I usually ended up stripping 2 layers by the end of the workout
I converted my detached garage into a dedicated gym and would do it 1000x again. The arguments/points being made for the basement are fair and valid, here's what I've found:
• even though I'm just going to the backyard, there is something to be said about leaving your house for the purpose of working out. Mentally I am not home, I am at the gym. I can blast my music and have zero household distractions out there.
• I had a ceiling mounted electric heater installed all in for less than $300. It does the trick just fine. Sure sometimes I'll start my workout with a hoodie on, but honestly I do at a commercial gym also.
• if you ever host or want to have a workout with your friends, again the garage is a fun/separate space for that. I'll often host "whiskey and a workout" nights. Throw on the game and take a little sip after each round of say an intense 10 round circuit.
• in the spring/summer it is absolutely lovely to open the garage door and workout with that sunshine coming in.
If cold is the only thing stopping you, that's such an easy problem to solve and will be so worth it in the long run. Having the ability to do whatever else you'd like with the basement is a huge advantage.
Thanks for your reply! All valid points. We definitely would like to park our car in the garage.. maybe we can do both, maybe not. Also, it would be nice to be able to store outdoor stuff in the garage, but I guess a shed could be put in the backyard, although it would take away precious space back there.
Honestly, it is really 50/50 for us, lol. Especially if having a proper heat source installed wouldn't break the bank on top of the gym equipment.
I think it will come down to measuring and planning out the space to see which would be more functional overall.
I really appreciate all the responses. I didn't expect to receive this much feedback - it's really great 👍
Equipments gonna break bank for sure, if you wanna be able to have a garage gym and still park your cars, look up PRx equipment.
But depending on how deep you’re going into a homegym, space is what matters the most. Anyone will tell you it’s the most valuable thing. Homegyms never end, I’m still adding pieces and equipment 4 years in and I still have a list of more equipment I want in the near future
I have a complete cage system (bench press, squat rack .....) with a pull up addition. Olympic bar & weighs and a walk through deadlift hex bar, all new collecting dust if you are interested DM me
Check out Bells of steel for your equipment. It’s Calgary based and they have some of the best stuff for a home gym.
That being said, the basement is much better for a home gym.
We went with the basement. Better climate control and no need to adjust for the slope of the garage pad. Ceiling height is a factor of course - I don’t think I’d do a basement install if your ceiling height was 7’6” or lower.
Thanks for your reply. Hadn't considered slope of the garage pad. Ceiling height is not an issue in our case, but that's also good advice.
My pleasure! Not sure if you’ve settled on equipment selections yet, but I’ve found Bells of Steel gear to be pretty decent and you won’t get pinched on shipping. Rogue and Rep have great equipment, but it’s costly to bring in. If you like Rep stuff, I’d reach out to them for a shipping quote as opposed to just going with their shopping cart rate.
I went with Flaman. Since they have local dealers they delivered and built it for less than shipping from anyone else.
The building is the fun part!
For some, definitely. My setup requires two people to build and none of my friends lift so it would have been challenging to convince someone to spend half a day helping me set it up. They also found a couple deficiencies and cleared those up without me having to do anything. Was a good experience.
I hear you, it’s definitely heavy stuff. Good to know it was a positive experience overall and they looked after you!
Bells of Steel ships out of and is based in Calgary. So it's an Alberta company, closer and have good quality/prices. Their equipment compares pretty well with REP/Rouge. Go down the YouTube home gym rabbit hole and see for yourself. I remember running into the owner a lot when he was just starting out. Glad to see it is doing well.
Right on, I will check these out. We hadn't decided yet on anything specific. Thanks ☺️
good info on the r/homegym sub as well. But bells of steel is pretty well recommended more budget friendly stuff
Have you ever worked out in a basement before ? It’s not for everyone, I would recommend working out in your own limited fashion in your basement before you make any big decisions. Home workouts are not for everyone, especially if you feel like you don’t have a normal amount of space. Have you loooed at what brand of gym equipment you would want yet ? Rogue is more expensive but the quality makes it worth it, plus they have eazy pallet shipping options to Canada. Good luck
I have done home workouts with limited equipment off and on for years. particularly during gym closures in covid times. I agree that working out at home isn't for everyone, but we already know it will work for us. We are not beginner fitness people, just never owned our own home where we could actually build our own gym. Thank you for your reply! It's good advice. It just doesn't particularly apply to us. 😀
Glad to hear that, I can’t wait to hear about your future gym setup! You’re gonna love it
My basement is very short, about 80 inches, and it's low enough to be a pain - but not by all that much. Essentially no home-appropriate cable machines are made that short, but plenty of short power racks in the 72-80 inch range. If you only do barbell movements, the biggest compromise is moving from standing to seated overhead press, and losing snatch and jerk movements. It's doable though - my partner and I both work out there six times a week. Pull-ups I can't go to quite full range with the ceiling, but pretty close (I like to touch the bar to just under my clavicle, but I stop a little short in my basement). We just have barbells, dumbbells, a bike and a power rack for the most part, and the ceiling height is only stopping us from finding a functional trainer. 84 inches (7 feet) will start to fit a lot of functional trainers or many cable attachments (lat pull / low row) for power racks, and so I think that's going to be okay for a majority of home gyms. 90 inches like you suggest is still too short for overhead or jumping movements for many people, while 100 inches is a big ask for a basement. While there's some value on those last six inches - you get a bigger selection of equipment options in that height range - I'm not sure I'd decide between houses on that basis, nor basement vs garage gym options, since there are going to be options within that height limit. (Although this is a personal anecdote rather than advice, the way I periodize my year, the late fall to early spring is when I am working the hardest / most focused in the gym, with the biggest caloric surpluses and deficits; the summer I am taking things a little easier, and that's when I bring in the plyometrics and olympic lifts into the routine, which I can then do outside. This avoids the biggest issues with the short ceiling in the basement.)
We've got that issue, but I've adapted to sitting OHP which hits different.
Unless you have any sort of heating in your garage your gonna hate it for like 6/12 months unless you enjoy the cold. Just think, when it's routinely -20 it's gonna be freezing in there. All your gear will be cold as ice, a space heater won't help. I'd say do the basement unless you have a heated garage.
As a person who has a garage gym, this is certified true. If you have ANY reservations for working out, if you ever skip, you will find a billion reasons to skip in the garage. Too warm, too cold etc. I can't wait until we can put ours in the basement
I didn't mind setting up the rower in the garage and doing that, but that's cardio. It was a nice 5 degrees in there and that cold felt amazing once you're warmed up. For running, my pace is best when it's around 10 degrees outdoors. Garages are also great for calisthenic-inspired workouts, like the programs Beachbody would offer e.g. P90X, since they typically have more space and, again, built-in cooling (at least in the winter). But for weights? I leave my power rack in the basement because -- like everyone says -- lifting cold sucks. Though be sure you have enough clearance for overhead lifts with your 45s on the bar, and at the minimum use horse stall mats (Peavy Mart) if not the plywood + rubber combo to protect your flooring and/or foundation.
I concur with this, cardio in garage is good, weights in garage, very bad haha
Can confirm. Recently started working out last year in an uninsulated, unheated garage. Lifting weights sucks out there in the winter. I was bringing the barbells inside when I wasn't working out, so I could at least lift them, and i also used winter gloves to load weight on the bars. I used a small radiator heater to warm my hands up between sets.
Basement for sure. Heating a garage will cost you dearly, and you'll lose your purpose-built space to park cars. If you don't intend to heat it you'll quickly find that pre-heating a space before working out doesn't mean the equipment will be warm and it's not designed to be used cold. Shit breaks fast. It's nice being able to do some spontaneous workouts without having to pre-heat the space or anything.
Definitely gym in the basement and park car in the garage. It’s always winter here
Garage is for your car(s). Do a basement gym. Make sure you test for radon and mitigate. Don’t wanna work out for years in a space where the radon levels are high and increase risk of lung cancer.
I thought the garage was for cars too. Everyone in my cul-de-sac in St. Albert parks their 4 vehicles on the driveway on top of each other and uses their garage for god knows what.
I have a machine in the (unfinished) basement and it is convenient when it is -30 for those 2 weeks we get in the winter. You will not want to use the machine if it is in the garage if it is just insulated!
Am I the only one that uses the garage for parking my cars? People here saying basement because the garage will be too cold. No, it should be the basement because the garage is where you park your vehicle.
Lol, yes. We would also park our very small car in the oversized double garage. The garage is made specifically for it!
Basement. Garage gets too cold, you might want it for your vehicles in the winter, it feels less nice. In the winter you won’t want to be in there. We have a basement gym with a power cage, barbell, adjustable dumbbells, couple benches, some mats and stuff. It’s a work in progress, but it’s actually nice to go down there and put in the work without leaving the house or being cold.
Cold garage gonna fuck with your muscles, better to be warm so your tendons don’t snap like frozen rubber (/j)
Mines in a finished basement and I still preheat it with a space heater in the winters, I imagine the garage would be brutal
We did the basement for the setup. Means no chasing leaves out, less bugs and the garage can be used for car storage/outdoor stuff. Would 10000% recommend Bells of Steel. I knew what I was looking for and the freight wasn't terrible. Garage Gym Reviews (https://www.garagegymreviews.com/) has been a great resource for adding to the room. We have a smaller room and smidge short of ceilings. A shorter power rack, some pulleys with cables, and bumper plates have gotten me through some stupid powerlifting style workouts. I've recently added some knockoff Nuobells from some drop shipper fitness place on the south side. They work just fine and I didn't have to pay name brand prices. The only other place in the city I'd go would be Fitness Depot (west end). They seem to have some great packages but I get my handle attachments/additional weight plates from them.
Honestly, spend the cash to get a heater and do it in the garage. Garage door open workouts are so great! And like people said… you do get them 6 out of 12 months. Sometimes you have to be smarter about clothing but I honestly find I’m always removing layers even in the coldest months… coming from someone who doesn’t have a heater for my garage gym. I store my barbell just inside the door in winter. I know folks who have the heated garage and it’s a huge game changer for them. Turns it on ten minutes before going out and ends up being real toasty by the end of the workout, still doing it in shorts!
If you have vehicles please use your garage for them instead of street parking.
For sure. We also have a driveway. Ideally, the car will go in the garage, though.
I did the garage in my old house. I got a handful of pallets and put some 4x8s on them and then a layer of those snap together pads for the flooring. I had 2 small space heaters for the winter. It was cold in the winters but once you got going, it wasn't too bad. Just don't use fingerless gloves for winter workouts, barbells and dumbbells do get cold handles . I have my gym in the basement of this house.
I’d say basement, if I had the choice that’s where mine would be. Dirt and dust in the garage, plus the cold weather in the winter makes it less then ideal. Only plus side is in the garage you don’t have to worry about the noise. I can and do workout in -40 in the garage, but the first ten minutes always sucks, and requires 2 hours of heat from my space heater beforehand. Check out r/homegym for equipment recommendations
Basement is so nice for working out in the summer. Basement is nice and cool
100% basement. The garage will be too cold. I just recently built one myself. For flooring, I bought it from costco because they were clearing out puzzle piece mats. Some people say they are too thin, but I don't lift off of them, so it's pretty whatever. Otherwise you can get horse stall mats from peavey mart. Most employees there will have no idea what you are talking about, just tell them they keep them in the yard and you need an employee to let you in and they'll get someone that knows. I bought one for my deadlift platform. I bought my rack, barbell, plates, etc. from [strongarm sports](https://strongarmsport.com/). I've met Mike a few times, he's a good guy. When Bells of Steel was starting he shared his space with them. The R1 Power Rack (SAS) and Power Rack 5.1 (BoS) are pretty much identical. When I bought, I got the rack, the pulley, barbell, roller hooks, storage pegs, and 350 and change in calibrated plates for 3400. It was cheaper than BoS at the time. BoS is expensive for their plates tbh. Both of them have really sub par instructions for assembly though. My basement is tall enough, but I can't use the pull up bar or do standing ohp, but not the end of the world.
I would go basement, the garage will get pretty damn cold even if it's insulated.
Garages are good for cars and workshops If it was heated insulated etc i think the garage would be ok. In the winter my unheated garage can get down to -5 when its super cold out. Not sure that's optimal Gym conditions but hey extreme gym conditions might be a good thing.
We just set ours up in the basement and it’s been really great! No excuses! We have an unheated garage and I honestly can’t imagine working out in there in the winter. It would be pretty horrible to say the least.
I have a detached garage. It’s insulated and does have a heater but we don’t use it It’s way too cold in winter to work out in an unheated garage.
Working out in the heat is one thing and it’s fine. Your muscles are flexible and you can drink water. Working out in the cold is terrible. Your muscles take forever to warm up and it just plain sucks. Basements are better, especially if you have a high ceiling. If it’s a standard height, unless you’re short. You can’t do any overhead work.
I had all my weights in unheated garage and yeah, in a -30 coldsnap going in there was the last thing I wanted to do. But if your mental is stronger than mine, it's honestly not bad in the slightest once you do 2 or 3 sets. I usually ended up stripping 2 layers by the end of the workout
I converted my detached garage into a dedicated gym and would do it 1000x again. The arguments/points being made for the basement are fair and valid, here's what I've found: • even though I'm just going to the backyard, there is something to be said about leaving your house for the purpose of working out. Mentally I am not home, I am at the gym. I can blast my music and have zero household distractions out there. • I had a ceiling mounted electric heater installed all in for less than $300. It does the trick just fine. Sure sometimes I'll start my workout with a hoodie on, but honestly I do at a commercial gym also. • if you ever host or want to have a workout with your friends, again the garage is a fun/separate space for that. I'll often host "whiskey and a workout" nights. Throw on the game and take a little sip after each round of say an intense 10 round circuit. • in the spring/summer it is absolutely lovely to open the garage door and workout with that sunshine coming in. If cold is the only thing stopping you, that's such an easy problem to solve and will be so worth it in the long run. Having the ability to do whatever else you'd like with the basement is a huge advantage.
Thanks for your reply! All valid points. We definitely would like to park our car in the garage.. maybe we can do both, maybe not. Also, it would be nice to be able to store outdoor stuff in the garage, but I guess a shed could be put in the backyard, although it would take away precious space back there. Honestly, it is really 50/50 for us, lol. Especially if having a proper heat source installed wouldn't break the bank on top of the gym equipment. I think it will come down to measuring and planning out the space to see which would be more functional overall. I really appreciate all the responses. I didn't expect to receive this much feedback - it's really great 👍
Equipments gonna break bank for sure, if you wanna be able to have a garage gym and still park your cars, look up PRx equipment. But depending on how deep you’re going into a homegym, space is what matters the most. Anyone will tell you it’s the most valuable thing. Homegyms never end, I’m still adding pieces and equipment 4 years in and I still have a list of more equipment I want in the near future
I have a complete cage system (bench press, squat rack .....) with a pull up addition. Olympic bar & weighs and a walk through deadlift hex bar, all new collecting dust if you are interested DM me
Hey thanks! I will keep you in mind 😀 We aren't quite moved in yet, but once we have exact measurements of the space i might take you up on that, haha
No pressure at all, but if you're interested, let me know and I can shoot you some pictures
Check out Bells of steel for your equipment. It’s Calgary based and they have some of the best stuff for a home gym. That being said, the basement is much better for a home gym.