YMC ConstructionBasement finishing · Chicago
Home gyms
A basement is the right floor for a gym: a concrete slab under you, nobody below you, and room for a rack. The planning is in the floor, the height over the bar, and the circuits for the machines.
What is involved
Most basement gyms fail on height. A finished ceiling that is fine for a sofa can be too low for an overhead press or a pull up. We measure the finished height where the rack will stand, and where the joists allow, a section of open painted ceiling can buy back inches.
The floor is the easy part. Rubber tiles or rolls go straight on the slab, protect it from dropped weight, and keep the noise down. Machines with motors usually want their own circuits.
Basement ideas
Design examples for Chicago area basements. Open any photo for a closer look.
Planning notes
Measure the finished height at the spot where the rack will stand, not the room average. Ducts and beams often cross exactly where you want to lift. If they cannot move, the rack can.
Where the joists allow it, leaving that part of the ceiling open and painted gives you the depth of the joists back. Whether a ceiling can stay open depends on what the joists are made of and on your town’s code, and we check both.
Most treadmill makers ask for a dedicated circuit, and rowers and bikes with screens want outlets where they stand. We place them before the drywall, not with extension cords after.
A gym makes heat and moisture. A supply and return to the room, and a spot for a dehumidifier, keep it from feeling like a basement. Insulation in the ceiling keeps the dropped weights from becoming the family alarm clock.
Common questions
A concrete slab on the ground is the best floor in the house for it. Rubber flooring on top protects the slab and the plates, and keeps the noise down.
Most manufacturers ask for one. We check the model you plan to buy and run the circuit before the walls close. Electrical work is permitted and inspected.
It depends on you and what you lift. Stand where the rack will go and press an empty bar overhead, then measure. We measure finished height, which is lower than bare joists once the ceiling goes up.
Free estimate
Fill out the form and we will call to set a time to look at your basement. The estimate is free and there is nothing to sign.
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