We're going through the blueprint process for a new build and just ended up cutting out the exercise room we had in our "like to have, but not a necessity" list.

We started talking about them pouring a small additional slab for a future shed. My idea would be to order/customize a pre-fab metal shell that is used for a barn/garage. It looks like it'd run me $4-6k on the shell for roughly 250 sq feet (12x20), including a small garage door on one side, a normal walk-in door and a window or two on the other.

My idea is to have 40% of the space dedicated to the garage door side for riding mower and other lawn equipment. Then frame a wall to separate and put in my exercise room on the side with the walk through door. I would intend to properly insulate and then have have A/C via small window unit for the exercise room.

Dumb idea? Any suggestions on something better? Any recommendations on companies that do these metal buildings, etc? Talk to me like I'm a 5th grader because I'm not at all handy but do like to brainstorm ideas like this.

Thanks!

A 'backyard man shed' that has lawn equipment and an exercise room?

That just sounds like a backyard shed with exercise equipment taking up half of the space.

When does the 'man' part come into play?

My vision is high end gym setup. Wall separating the lawn equipment.

The metal shell would be 12x20 for example. So a 8x12 shed for lawn misc with overhead door access and then 12x12 for my gym with walk through door and window. I would "finish" the gym room. Gym flooring, flat screen, etc. Plan is to go with a foldable rogue rack so I can fold it away and still have a "flex" space for whatever else.

I spend approx 4-5 hours a week at the gym, so for me this is somewhere I'd spend a fair amount of time. And I need somewhere to store a riding mower and other stuff to take care of the property. Not everyone's man cave needs to be a media room or bar - I dunno - I enjoy lifting weights and need somewhere to do it.

Maybe it is dumb, or maybe there's a better way. Thanks for the feedback.

If you are still in the design phase, it will be cheaper to build in a workout room to the plan than it will be to build a separate building and actually hvac it properly and make something you will use more than a few times.

Maybe you are the outlier. Maybe you live in a place where a cheap window unit is no big deal. Thats a lot of maybes.

Boy I filled up my 30x40 barn pretty quick. Our gym? In our house and we love it...12x22.

Just a warning. Anywhere you store your mower is going to smell like gasoline and lawn clippings.

I wouldn't want my gym to smell like my mower shed.

Nice thing about the separate structure is you can bang weights around and turn up your music without concern for the main house occupants.

8x12 isn't much space for the equipment necessary to maintain a property if you own many power tools and hand tools along with lawn equipment.

12x12 is on the small side too. Id opt for a larger slab and build the structure when you can afford.

Milwaukees Best Light said:

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If you are still in the design phase, it will be cheaper to build in a workout room to the plan than it will be to build a separate building and actually hvac it properly and make something you will use more than a few times.

Maybe you are the outlier. Maybe you live in a place where a cheap window unit is no big deal. Thats a lot of maybes.

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I would think it would be cheaper to add the gym in the house... except he seems to want an outbuilding for the equipment anyway...

Adding a mini-split would easily cover a larger amount of space and be a lot better than a window unit.

As others mentioned, 12x20 is probably pretty tight for everything you want to do. That is basically the minimum size for a 1 car garage as a comparison, not a lot of space especially when you start dividing it.

I would not build a dedicate outbuilding like that that is less that 20x20, maybe 20x24. That is moving to a standard 2 car garage. Decent space, allows you to divide up without being cramped and still maintain storage.

I'd plan your man cave to be a nice insulated structure with a TTW ac/heat unit, electrical and internet. If your gym doesn't grow, you'll at least have room for your next hobby or a decompress space.

Your lawn equipment needs little more than an 8x10 shed just to keep the elements out. I'd keep it a separate structure or find room in the garage.

Here is the coolest one I have ever seen.

https://imgur.com/gallery/gjOd8oz

My "home gym" is the living room. My "man" room is the garage which is overloaded with crap.

Milwaukees Best Light said:

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If you are still in the design phase, it will be cheaper to build in a workout room to the plan than it will be to build a separate building and actually hvac it properly and make something you will use more than a few times.

Maybe you are the outlier. Maybe you live in a place where a cheap window unit is no big deal. Thats a lot of maybes.

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That was definitely the plan - were just to the point we need to cut a little out and this is the easiest low hanging fruit from my perspective. What sent me down this path is the fact I'll need somewhere to store lawn equipment - riding mower and other typical gadgets. So might as well get a shed and make it multi purpose when we are comfortable spending the money. I started thinking about it as well and had concerns about how loud and potentially smelly a gym room in the house would be.

Josepi said:

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Just a warning. Anywhere you store your mower is going to smell like gasoline and lawn clippings.

I wouldn't want my gym to smell like my mower shed.

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Well that would be why I would frame and wall off the area for lawn equipment from the gym.

Aggietaco said:

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Nice thing about the separate structure is you can bang weights around and turn up your music without concern for the main house occupants.

8x12 isn't much space for the equipment necessary to maintain a property if you own many power tools and hand tools along with lawn equipment.

12x12 is on the small side too. Id opt for a larger slab and build the structure when you can afford.

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Thanks for the feedback. The main piece I need to cover will be a riding mower. The rest are typical lawn tools. I have a small work bench but that's nominal. Still probably better to leave myself a little more room anyways.

10andBOUNCE said:

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Aggietaco said:

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Nice thing about the separate structure is you can bang weights around and turn up your music without concern for the main house occupants.

8x12 isn't much space for the equipment necessary to maintain a property if you own many power tools and hand tools along with lawn equipment.

12x12 is on the small side too. Id opt for a larger slab and build the structure when you can afford.

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Thanks for the feedback. The main piece I need to cover will be a riding mower. The rest are typical lawn tools. I have a small work bench but that's nominal. Still probably better to leave myself a little more room anyways.

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There are a lot of good home gym layout plans on the web. I would start there and find the space you are looking for, add your 8x12 (at least) storage space and go from there. Don't forget that wall build out, insulation, MEP, etc will take up floor space.

Rogue has a Gym Builder that you could use to lay out the equipment to see how everything fits.

https://www.roguefitness.com/zeus

FWIW: I would design the gym and build that. Then go to a box store or the like and find a prefab shed that would work. Then get the square footage and pour slab for the both. I'd keep the man cave separate. I know you plan on building a wall but I'd personally do it separately. Then do a mini-split for the man cave. Future you or the next buyer may want it to be something other than a gym and it would be nice to not have it attached to a shed with Equipment. I think the fumes would get through somehow over time.

Thanks for the input!

For everyone talking about fumes...

You people ever heard of barndos? I never seem to hear that when people are discussing those and many of those are going to have a lot more than just a lawn tractor.

Also what about attached garages. Lots of people have lawn equipment, gas storage (in addition to their cars).

I would definitely do the combo building... just make sure you build it big enough. Lots of people build offices, whole house, etc into metal buildings otherwise designated for equipment storage.

Based on the riding mower, I'm assuming this is on a larger lot/acreage anyway. You can design your metal building to look pretty nice as well.

Thanks. It is on 2 acres, so I'll probably have a 54" zero turn mower parked in there. I wouldn't plan on storing anything else out there with fumes. I'd leave any gas cans in the garage where it's more climate controlled.

KorbinDallas said:

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Here is the coolest one I have ever seen.

https://imgur.com/gallery/gjOd8oz

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I think most aspects of my life would head downhill pretty quick if I had such a place. But what a ride it would be!

Beautiful

Brad06ag said:

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For everyone talking about fumes...

You people ever heard of barndos? I never seem to hear that when people are discussing those and many of those are going to have a lot more than just a lawn tractor.

Also what about attached garages. Lots of people have lawn equipment, gas storage (in addition to their cars).

I would definitely do the combo building... just make sure you build it big enough. Lots of people build offices, whole house, etc into metal buildings otherwise designated for equipment storage.

Based on the riding mower, I'm assuming this is on a larger lot/acreage anyway. You can design your metal building to look pretty nice as well.

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That's because professional builders following building code know how to properly vapor barrier and insulate in those situations. That's not what is being discussed here.

AgLA06 said:

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Brad06ag said:

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For everyone talking about fumes...

You people ever heard of barndos? I never seem to hear that when people are discussing those and many of those are going to have a lot more than just a lawn tractor.

Also what about attached garages. Lots of people have lawn equipment, gas storage (in addition to their cars).

I would definitely do the combo building... just make sure you build it big enough. Lots of people build offices, whole house, etc into metal buildings otherwise designated for equipment storage.

Based on the riding mower, I'm assuming this is on a larger lot/acreage anyway. You can design your metal building to look pretty nice as well.

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That's because professional builders following building code know how to properly vapor barrier and insulate in those situations. That's not what is being discussed here.

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Correct, best practice is to air seal attached garage from living space all the way to roof deck. In barndo, same thing should happen with air barrier to deck if you care about air quality at all.