take the plunge
How splashing out on a home gym, tennis court or pool could end up making financial sense
WITH family health club membership often resembling a mini-mortgage, it might make more sense to turn part of your home into a private fitness centre.
And with home gyms starting from as little as £1,000, you don’t need to spend the sort of cash some people throw at it.
Model Kate Moss is thought to have spent £850,000 on a home gym and steam room, while singer Madonna’s Manhattan townhouse gym reportedly cost £1.5 million.
Even when installing features such as a sauna, pool, climbing wall, squash or tennis court, the loan repayments can be less than many gym memberships for a family, which can cost as much as £350 a month.
A UK-wide survey by property advisers Colliers International found that 75 per cent of people would be willing to pay more in monthly rent or mortgage payments if there was a gym on site or in close proximity to home, while 70 per cent said that, when choosing where to live, it was important that the area had a good choice of gym or health clubs.
Not only that, but nearly half said they now go to the gym more than they did two years ago.
‘The growth of the health and wellbeing movement is likely to have a positive effect on the value of residential developments — if careful consideration is given to properly designing and incorporating these facilities,’
says Ross Kirton, of Colliers International. ‘ Consumer interest in maintaining a healthier lifestyle has never been stronger, suggesting that gym provisions will not only make residential developments more desirable, but will eventually become an expected amenity.’
SWIM TO STAY TRIM
OUTDOOR pools usually don’t require planning permission. However, there are exceptions, and indoor pools always require consent, so check first with your local authority.
It is also important to consider placement. In the wrong place, a pool can be an eyesore, while a pool that dominates a small garden is generally a mistake.
There are so many options, and costs vary widely. Basic, above-ground swimming pools are obtainable from about £1,500, while the cheapest in-ground outdoor designs start at around £5,000 for a selfbuild kit with a vinyl liner.
Having a pool installed will cost from £20,000. Annual running costs for a 24ft x 12ft outdoor pool average at about £2,000. London Swimming Pool Company designs and builds bespoke outdoor, indoor, basement and specialist pools, for residential and commercial projects.
‘In my experience, the value that fitness facilities add to a home is dependent upon their condition and proximity to the property,’ says Richard Jones, partner at estate agent Jackson-Stops in Northampton.
‘For example, indoor pools that are integral to a property, are well-presented and have up-to-date heating and humidity systems can add real value — as much as 5 per cent.
‘ Unrenovated outdoor pools some distance from the property don’t tend to have a significant impact, but, in some cases, they can actually make a house less “saleable” and decrease its value.
‘ Many buyers are deterred by the prospect of spending money on refurbishing a pool and so, upon purchase, will fill it in completely.’
The Swimming Pool and Allied Trades Association ( spata.co.uk) can suggest pool installers and suppliers near you.
PRIVATE WORKOUTS
‘HOME gyms are increasingly common and are making their way up buyers’ wish lists, even in the mid-range property sector,’ says Patrick McCutcheon, of estate agents dacre, Son & Hartley.
The equipment for a top- of-the-range gym can easily cost £40,000 or more, but it is possible to buy budget items starting at under £1,000 from retailers such as the Fitness Superstore ( fitness-superstore. co.uk) and Powerhouse Fitness ( power
house-fitness.co.uk). For that price, you could get a cross trainer and treadmill or multigym, weights, a Swiss ball, bench and resistance tubing, for example.
‘We’ve seen a huge rise in clients interested in at-home gyms, with demanding work schedules and overcrowded studios meaning many people would prefer to keep fit at their own convenience in the privacy of their own home,’ says John Pope, the director of housebuilder Octagon Bespoke ( octagonbespoke.com).
HOME, SET AND MATCH
TENNIS courts usually do not require planning permission if they are in the garden behind a private house. They do, however, if the house is listed, if the court takes up more than 50 per cent of the garden or significant engineering work is required, so check with your local authority planning and building control. The Planning Portal ( planning
portal.co.uk) has more information. Courts can take some time to build. The base is dug and laid before the surface can be added, which can stretch over several months. Having a court built typically costs somewhere between £20,000 and £50,000, depending on earthworks, surface and fencing types.
Specialist tennis court installers include Elliott Construction, Cambridge Courts and doe Sport.