Garden gym advice

[AF11]

I have a 4x4m decking area which I never use so I’ve decided to build a gym on it (timber frame).

I’ve been quoted around £1k to fill the 22cm deep void with concrete and rebar.

I can’t help feeling that it’s totally overkill. Do I really need a slab of concrete almost 1ft thick for a simple home gym?

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Currently failing on all of those points!!

My garden is rectangle and the decking is in the corner, so it borders 2 neighbours fences. It’s not possible to locate it anywhere else, certainly not 1m away from both fences.

I already have a metal gazebo that’s been there for years without any issues. The area doesn’t block any sunlight or views apart from into my own garden.

Edited by AF11 on Thursday 20th June 21:11

Edited by AF11 on Thursday 20th June 21:30

[AF11]

Thanks, to be honest I would have made sure it complied with regs before I built it.

I can’t situate it away from the boundary so I have no option but to comply with whatever the rules happen to be.

For now however I just need to know about the foundations. Once that is done I can build the structure in line with the regulations (with or without planning depending on size).

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Apologies I should have been clearer.

The £1k is just for the concrete and rebar, although it does include pumping.

Everything else such as waste, waiting around etc is covered by a seperate labour charge. So the £1k is purely for the actual concrete itself.

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Thanks, I will get all of that checked out.

Ultimately I don’t mind paying for the concrete if it’s necessary but my first thoughts were that it’s overkill.

I should add that I’m not planning on building some elaborate solid structure. It will essentially be a couple of steps up from a shed.

Edited by AF11 on Thursday 20th June 23:43

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NumBMW said:

sherman said:

Your neighbours will hate you everytime you drop your weights in your shed on to a concrete floor.
The noise willbe something you need to consider.

I’d guess the floor will be covered!
Gym matting is excellent at reducing such noise.

That’s correct, concrete will be fully covered with insulation and matting, and sealed around the edges where the frame meets.

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LooneyTunes said:

If there’s some MOT1 sub base going down you’re not going to end up with 220mm of concrete. But you probably don’t need it anyway, especially if there’s rebar going in.

16m2 @150mm = 2.6 cubic metres. Based on last week’s invoice that’s cost me £330+ vat on a volumetric delivery for c40.

Pumping that amount (even if it was 4 cube) is a bit of a mickey take unless the land is really awkward. Wouldn’t take long to barrow.

Two sheets of A193 mesh is probably £60-70 + vat?

You’d probably pay a bit more if you don’t have accounts with builders merchants but it looks like there’s a bit of margin being added to the materials you’ve been quoted.

He’s filling only with concrete as far as I’m away, it works out just under 4m3. It was his suggestion to pump it if possible to speed things up.

He’s also using rebar rather than mesh, which I think is different and more expensive.

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Boom78 said:

Question: why do you need an expensive and very permanent reinforced concrete slab put down for an outdoor gym? Sounds like overkill.

Couldn’t you just level and patio the area? That way it’s multi use and if you get bored of the gym it can be used for sipping cold summer drinks instead. A patio could easily handle 100kg+ bench set up, machines and free weights.

My decking has rotted so I want to remove and fill the area in anyway, might as well make it solid so I can use it for anything in future. It has to be covered as well due to uk weather, so some type of wood building makes sense.

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bennno said:

This has some shocking similarities with the classic runeveryinch of the world's home gym thread.

He ended up in all kinds of mess with planning and buildings reg - being served an enforcement notice once it was largely complete.

OP' you've been told it must be >15m2, it must be under 2.5m high, it must be either 1m from each boundary or made of non combustable materials.

Beyond that £1k for a reinforced slab were the materials cost is at least £600 is fair, it allows for a days work for 2 labourers which is about right for preparing the ground, removing spoils, shuttering, levelling it, removing shuttering etc.

Thanks, I would always ensure it meets regulations before I actually build it, regardless of the grand plans I have in my head beforehand.

As mentioned £1k is just for the actual cost of the concrete and rebar (and pump).

It does not include any labour which is being charged separately.

[AF11]

Around £700. That’s for everything inc removing old decking etc.

Someone else mentioned that a pump isn’t really necessary for such a small amount of concrete, so that could save a bit of money.

[AF11]

Thanks for all the replies, most of you were spot on with the planning/building regs (not that I doubted it, but as mentioned I would always check it for myself to be sure).

In case anyone reading in future, this is what I was told:

If within 1m of boundary then max height of 2.5m allowed and 15sqm if timber. Can go over 15sqm but have to use non combustable material.

An interesting point is the sqm only applies to the inside space, so you can make the actual structure much bigger in order to insulate walls etc.

Due to the height restriction I am planning on a flat roof rather than sloping. Good or bad idea? How do people cope with water run off?

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Ended up getting the base sorted for around £1200, mostly concrete.

Now trying to figure out the rough cost of building an approx 15sqm insulated timber room vs buying a ready made one.

Does anyone have a very rough ballpark idea of cost? I'm finding it difficult to work out exactly how much wood/plasterboard/other materials I will need.

In short I need to weigh up the price difference, if it isn't huge then it would be easier just to buy a ready built one.

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guitarcarfanatic said:

Definitely build one - check out Oakwood Garden Rooms on Youtube (there is a Facebook Group too). Loads of advice on constructing like an American timber framed house with a hybrid roof design as well.

Buying something and trying to insulate = almost impossible to do a good job.

Thanks I'll check out those videos. My preference is to build so I can get the exact size/shape i want (within regs obviously).

If I buy one then it would be an insulated one anyway so that wouldn't be an issue, it's mainly about the cost difference. I am capable of building it and have the tools but it's difficult to work out how much cheaper it would be vs buying a ready one, when you don't know how much it would cost in materials.