Making improvements to your home can add value to the property, as well as add value to your own lifestyle. It’s an amazing feeling to finally finish a project at home and then to be able to enjoy the benefits. Sports fans often dream about creating their own home cinema or garden football pitch, but what are the realities? Here we delve into home improvement ideas for sports fans and fitness enthusiasts.
Considerations When Making Home Improvements
Before I explore the top renovation ideas for sports fans, it’s important to understand a few factors that will influence, and indeed limit, your options.
When it comes to making home improvements, budget is the number one consideration. Though it is true that many of the improvements you make will add value to your home, it’s always better to set a realistic budget that you can afford—and stick to it. For example, it’s often better to work with a small, existing space within your home than it is to build a new exterior extension to accommodate your sports theatre.
The other major consideration is space. You can only really work with what you’ve got, and it’s actually possible to accomplish a lot in a small space. So, don’t worry about it, but be aware of the limitations that this creates. You will see this in action when I discuss the ideas soon.
Finally, consider whether or not you want to take on the home renovations yourself. Can you complete the work on your own? This can save a lot of money, but it’s also a lot of time and effort, and stuff can go wrong. You will have to gain permits and source your own materials, as well as have the technical skills to perfect your home improvements. Sometimes it’s better to contact the professionals.
Home Theatre
According to research from 2017, Australians collectively spend 60 million hours per week watching sports, with many sports fans preferring to watch the games from the comfort of their own homes than to go out to a pub or even to the stadium. It goes without saying that a home theatre is the first home improvement dream for most sports fans.
The home theatre can either be a room of its own or an enclave within your home. Its sole purpose is for watching sports (and maybe the occasional movie), and it should make you feel close to being in a cinema. You can settle in with snacks, relax and watch your favourite games. For many Australians, this means following the AFL right down to its Grand Final. This year, it is Geelong and close-second Collingwood who are stealing the show.
Your home theatre should include a large TV or projector system, surround-sound speakers with a subwoofer, and a comfortable sofa for lounging around. This can be expensive, but the outcome is too beautiful to ignore—the perfect room for watching sports.
Getting Active
Next up its the home gym, which is the ideal home improvement for fitness freaks and the perfect balance to the home theatre. After sitting down watching too many games in a row, you will need to work out.
You could go the full distance and purchase a 12-piece gym equipment set for around $20,000. Most people opt to build their collection of equipment slowly and save money by buying smart and second-hand. It’s also highly recommended to get commercial-grade foam flooring to protect your home and equipment.
Another option is a games room, complete with either a pool table, snooker table or football table. Again, space is a major consideration here, as you need to be able to shoot from all around the table. This means that the room should be able to not only fit the table, but also around two times the length of the cue from the table edge.
There are several different sizes of pool table available. Regulation size is 4 ½ ft. by 9 ft., but you can get a 3½ by 7 ft. version and still have a decent game. You would need a lot of room for a full-size snooker table, which is closer to 6 ft. by 12 ft. The costs differ dramatically, too, depending on size and quality. A decent snooker table will cost upwards of $5,000, whereas a decent pool table can be under $1,000.
A football table is an awesome option for size, especially if you are a football fan who would get more excitement out of the game than out of pool. You can get a decent football table for under $1,000, and the size is typically 2 ft. by 4 ft.
Transforming Your Garden
Next, it’s time to transform your outside space into a sports and fitness haven. Many Australians who have the space and the budget opt for a swimming pool, with the costs of an in-ground pool being around $20,000. This is an excellent choice in a hot country like Aus, and it’s great for relaxing in the garden and hosting friends, as well as for fitness and health.
Choose the right decking for your pool so you can host pool parties and get-togethers in the summer months. Building a pool also adds value to your home. Sounds good, right? But how about a mini-football pitch instead? That sounds like too much joy.
If you already have a lawn, you can keep it simple and just put a single goal in your garden for having a kick-about. If you have a bigger lawn, you could put a goal at each end. If you are really serious about all this, you could consider having Astro Turf laid down to make your own 5-a-side pitch in your garden, complete with kickboards, fencing and lighting. This would set you back around $30,000.
The final home improvement idea for sports lovers is a simple one, but it should not be overlooked, especially if you have a ton of hobbies and lots of gear to go with them. Outside storage for your sports gear can free up a lot more space in your home, making it a nicer place to relax. It’s an easy touch, not too expensive and very effective.
