The closure of gyms have impacted many people during the coronavirus lockdown, but would you go to the extreme of building your own?
Jodie Foulger and her partner Andy Fernandez would and they did. After getting quoted around £12,000 ($14,800) to do the work, the pair decided to save some cash and build it themselves for just £900 ($1,100).
Jodie, 34, who documented the build on her Instagram page @the.white.house.sparkles said she looked up pre-made designs for inspiration before purchasing wood and screws from their local wood-yard.
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Speaking to LatestDeals.co.uk, the mum-of-one who works in the scientific and medical research industry, said: "We decided to build the gym because my partner Andy is a huge gym fanatic.
"When lockdown hit and the gyms were closed he was not pleased. So I said 'let's build one'."
She went on: "I also wanted to use the gym for our pre-wedding build up. We were meant to be getting married in Greece on the 2nd July 2020 but unfortunately our wedding is postponed until next year now due to Covid-19.
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"We initially looked online at pre-built ones and they were ridiculous prices ranging from £5k up to £10k for the same sort of height and size. We designed the gym around the height of the gym equipment that Andy had purchased.
"There wasn't really a huge drawn out plan. We discussed it and came up with a shape and style. We measured as we worked.
"It took us approximately two to three weeks in total to complete as my partner works shifts. So we'd fit it in around both our jobs, me working from home and home-schooling our six-year-old daughter.
"It's cost us approximately £900 to build. I looked online and similar sized summer houses and outbuildings range from £5k up to £12k.
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"I have a really good idea eye for design and I deal with all of the details. Andy is most certainly the muscles behind everything we do."
"Together we agreed on the size and height and we made it fit specifically to our garden. Andy wanted to make sure he could fit all of the gym equipment he needed in there.
"We purchased all of the wood and screws from our local wood yard called Maplin. The UPVC windows and doors were only £80 from our local scrap yard.
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"They were originally brown and white but I painted them grey with Rustoleum universal slate grey paint. The external paint used was Cuprinol Dusky Gem and was from B&Q. The gym mats were £10 a pack from B&Q also. The huge mirrors were from IKEA for £100. I then added all of the added finishing touches outside too.
"The 4x2 wood cost around £300, the shiplap wood cost about £350 and the paint cost £60. The roof felt was £60 and the facias were free from a roofer friend."
Jodie added: "We already had the gym equipment - it was just in the garden with a rubbish tarpaulin over it. It certainly needed a home.
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"I absolutely love home interior and garden design - my Instagram account is my hobby really.
"After receiving extortionate quotes, we thought 'why not do it ourselves - what have we got to lose!?' To be able to do it for only £900 was crazy. The end result was beautiful and it was a great learning curve for us both."
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@the.white.house.sparklesTopics: UK Community, DIY, Gym, Community, UK