remodeling . . . exercise room on the second floor?

bfit · 12-14-15, 04:52 PM

We're thinking about remodeling our house. The exercise area is currently in a basement room along with the laundry area. I like it - it gets me away from everything else that's going on in the house sort of like my own sanctuary. My husband is keen to turn the current exercise room into a workshop and move the exercise area to a bedroom on the second floor. I'm trying to come around to his point of view because I know a workshop is important to him, but exercising on the second floor just seems weird to me. The bedroom would be devoted to exercise, and it wouldn't even have a bed in it, but it still seems strange. I'm not sure I want me and all the exercise gear to be so visible and so "out there" in the house. What does anyone else think?

Jeanne Marie · 12-14-15, 04:57 PM

My first thought is that you don't want a room where you make that much noise to be on the second floor. Are there finished rooms below you? I'm not sure of your set up from your description.

My workout room is in the finished basement. Nobody is underneath me so I can jump to my heart's content, as well as run on the treadmill and everything else noise related, without anybody hearing my pounding.

If those are not factors for you, I don't see any problem with a second floor workout room!

(If you are remodeling, you might consider extra insulation in the walls of your workout room. I did that in mine, and it helps with noise blocking too!)

laurajhawk · 12-14-15, 05:03 PM

I moved my exercise room from the basement to a spare bedroom on the main floor of the house years ago. I love it! There is natural light, and I'm not sharing the space with laundry etc. (sounds like that's not an issue in your basement room though). Most of my workouts are in the early morning before DH is up, and we don't have kids, so nobody is underneath me when I exercise. DH sleeps in the room right next to my exercise room, so I keep the TV volume down, but other noises don't seem to be a problem. I agree that noise is the main consideration... I don't see how you're going to be visible to the rest of the house, in a bedroom, and I think it mostly just feels strange to you because it isn't what you're used to.

shoegoddess · 12-14-15, 05:05 PM

My workout room is on the second floor. It's just hubby and me in the house. I workout in the morning and he drinks coffee and watches FNC in his man cave/garage. When he comes in the house for more coffee he hears me bouncing around. But I still have my own sanctuary so it works for us.

cataddict · 12-14-15, 05:35 PM

My exercise room is on the second floor, in the room over the garage which is technically a bedroom but has been my office/exercise room since we bought the house. I'm very happy with it, but it's just my DH and me and the cats so not much traffic. I agree it may just seem strange to you since you aren't used to it, and maybe there are others in your house who might bother you in a bedroom? I also think that I would feel a little bit like it was MY space and I'm being shuffled off to a "bedroom" as if my needs were less important? (and then I would feel guilty about feeling that way

) I'm sure that's not the intention, and it's not as though your DH could put a workshop in a bedroom, so he sees it as a logical move.

Do you have a storage shed apart from the house? Maybe that's an option for his workshop?

cpcathy · 12-14-15, 05:41 PM

I too have a second floor workout room, in the spare bedroom. It was kind of my fantasy, personal gym in a house with two floors! Also have two cats and a husband, not a lot of traffic.

RoccoLuv · 12-14-15, 08:32 PM

For about 9 years I had my workout room on the second floor. It would shake some of the pictures on the wall below me. When my hubby would be up there working out (doing insanity) I would think the ceiling was about to cave in. It was just me & the hubby & 2 dogs & 2 cats though. Not a lot of other people to worry about.

Usia · 12-14-15, 09:03 PM

My dedicated workout room is on the ground floor (not basement) and away from the main living space. I don't have a basement in my home, and my workout room is bright and has windows. I usually work out at 5-6 AM and I don't disturb my DH when I do that. I think it depends on the basement, lighting, windows, and airflow. Few times I tried to work out (barre / non-impact) in my second floor office, and it just didn't feel right to me. I guess it's a matter of preference.

Vantreesta · 12-14-15, 11:27 PM

I think the natural lighting would be fabulous but we hate air conditioning so there's no way I could workout anywhere but the basement in the summer. Most people probably aren't weird about AC like we are though.

Tugger31 · 12-15-15, 07:32 AM

I'm with you on the AC! We have AC and the upstairs is still much warmer than the 1st floor and basement. I did not like having a 2nd floor workout room b/c it was just too hot and also the pictures on the shelves/wall below the room would shake with high impact cardio. The only thing I did like was the ability to open a window for a breeze in the cooler months and the natural light. We have no kids so that part wasn't a problem but I could see that being a problem with noise depending on kids' sleep schedules. If the room was a dedicated workout area only that would be nice to put a curtain over the closet area and install shelves in the closet for some great storage to keep things off the workout floor.

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12-14-15, 04:52 PM
bfit Join Date: Nov 2005	remodeling . . . exercise room on the second floor? We're thinking about remodeling our house. The exercise area is currently in a basement room along with the laundry area. I like it - it gets me away from everything else that's going on in the house sort of like my own sanctuary. My husband is keen to turn the current exercise room into a workshop and move the exercise area to a bedroom on the second floor. I'm trying to come around to his point of view because I know a workshop is important to him, but exercising on the second floor just seems weird to me. The bedroom would be devoted to exercise, and it wouldn't even have a bed in it, but it still seems strange. I'm not sure I want me and all the exercise gear to be so visible and so "out there" in the house. What does anyone else think?

12-14-15, 04:57 PM
Jeanne Marie Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Atlanta, Ga.	My first thought is that you don't want a room where you make that much noise to be on the second floor. Are there finished rooms below you? I'm not sure of your set up from your description. My workout room is in the finished basement. Nobody is underneath me so I can jump to my heart's content, as well as run on the treadmill and everything else noise related, without anybody hearing my pounding. If those are not factors for you, I don't see any problem with a second floor workout room! (If you are remodeling, you might consider extra insulation in the walls of your workout room. I did that in mine, and it helps with noise blocking too!) __________________ *Jeanne*

12-14-15, 05:03 PM
laurajhawk Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Colorado	I moved my exercise room from the basement to a spare bedroom on the main floor of the house years ago. I love it! There is natural light, and I'm not sharing the space with laundry etc. (sounds like that's not an issue in your basement room though). Most of my workouts are in the early morning before DH is up, and we don't have kids, so nobody is underneath me when I exercise. DH sleeps in the room right next to my exercise room, so I keep the TV volume down, but other noises don't seem to be a problem. I agree that noise is the main consideration... I don't see how you're going to be visible to the rest of the house, in a bedroom, and I think it mostly just feels strange to you because it isn't what you're used to. __________________ - Laura "Don't say 'I can't' ... say 'I presently suck at this thing.'" - Matt Meese, BYU Divine Comedy

12-14-15, 05:05 PM
shoegoddess Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: So. California	My workout room is on the second floor. It's just hubby and me in the house. I workout in the morning and he drinks coffee and watches FNC in his man cave/garage. When he comes in the house for more coffee he hears me bouncing around. But I still have my own sanctuary so it works for us. __________________ CINDY I'm not a typical grandma! Body by Cathe, Chalene and Dr. Niccole -Me A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water -Eleanor Roosevelt Well-behaved women seldom make history -Laurel Thatcher Ulrich Women are Angels And when someone breaks our wings, we simply continue to fly....on a broomstick...we are flexible like that -White Witch Gotta love Maxine: http://forum.videofitness.com/pictur...&pictureid=230

12-14-15, 05:35 PM
cataddict VF Supporter Join Date: Oct 2006	My exercise room is on the second floor, in the room over the garage which is technically a bedroom but has been my office/exercise room since we bought the house. I'm very happy with it, but it's just my DH and me and the cats so not much traffic. I agree it may just seem strange to you since you aren't used to it, and maybe there are others in your house who might bother you in a bedroom? I also think that I would feel a little bit like it was MY space and I'm being shuffled off to a "bedroom" as if my needs were less important? (and then I would feel guilty about feeling that way ) I'm sure that's not the intention, and it's not as though your DH could put a workshop in a bedroom, so he sees it as a logical move. Do you have a storage shed apart from the house? Maybe that's an option for his workshop?

12-14-15, 05:41 PM
cpcathy Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Southern California	I too have a second floor workout room, in the spare bedroom. It was kind of my fantasy, personal gym in a house with two floors! Also have two cats and a husband, not a lot of traffic. __________________ Cathy Nobody Said It was Easy.... --The Scientist

12-14-15, 08:32 PM
RoccoLuv Join Date: Aug 2010	For about 9 years I had my workout room on the second floor. It would shake some of the pictures on the wall below me. When my hubby would be up there working out (doing insanity) I would think the ceiling was about to cave in. It was just me & the hubby & 2 dogs & 2 cats though. Not a lot of other people to worry about. __________________ Graduate of p90x (2x), Insanity (2x), P90X+, CLX, STS, Turbo Fire, Asylum 1 & 2, JNL Fusion, Body Beast, Xtrain, Fitness is Function Kbell, Cathe Ripped with Hiit. Currently doing Edge Booty Extreme 2.

12-14-15, 09:03 PM
Usia VF Supporter Join Date: Feb 2008	My dedicated workout room is on the ground floor (not basement) and away from the main living space. I don't have a basement in my home, and my workout room is bright and has windows. I usually work out at 5-6 AM and I don't disturb my DH when I do that. I think it depends on the basement, lighting, windows, and airflow. Few times I tried to work out (barre / non-impact) in my second floor office, and it just didn't feel right to me. I guess it's a matter of preference. __________________ Dana Avatar: Oliver!

12-14-15, 11:27 PM
Vantreesta Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Snowman Land :)	I think the natural lighting would be fabulous but we hate air conditioning so there's no way I could workout anywhere but the basement in the summer. Most people probably aren't weird about AC like we are though. __________________ "No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch." "God, please help me to be the person my dog thinks I am." "You can't run from your problems. But you'll both feel a little lighter when you get back." ~New Balance shoe ad You don't have to be fast, just keep moving forward. Note to self: You don't get to complain about things you won't work to change! Word for 2024: Accomplished; Word for 2023: Grounded; Word for 2022: Consistency; Word for 2021: Mindfulness

12-15-15, 07:32 AM
Tugger31 Join Date: Feb 2002	I'm with you on the AC! We have AC and the upstairs is still much warmer than the 1st floor and basement. I did not like having a 2nd floor workout room b/c it was just too hot and also the pictures on the shelves/wall below the room would shake with high impact cardio. The only thing I did like was the ability to open a window for a breeze in the cooler months and the natural light. We have no kids so that part wasn't a problem but I could see that being a problem with noise depending on kids' sleep schedules. If the room was a dedicated workout area only that would be nice to put a curtain over the closet area and install shelves in the closet for some great storage to keep things off the workout floor.