For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted my own snooker table.
As a kid, I remember trying my best on a six-foot table in the garage at home and while I enjoy playing at a club when time allows, there’s nothing that excites me more than being able to do it in my own home – or at least somewhere that’s exclusive to me.
Snooker and Covid-19 — When Can I Play Snooker Again?
So, now I’m getting serious about it. This blog will document the journey to hopefully achieving the dream – a snooker room – however long that takes!
I’d love to hear from you too – so if you’ve got any tips, advice or want to share your own journey, please leave a comment or drop me an email at 155club@snookerspot.com
Snooker room dimensions
First task, figure out what space you need.
Fortunately, the guys at the Snooker and Pool Table Company have got this nailed.
I’m only really interested in full size, so here’s what we’re looking at – though I have included 10ft table as an option too.
- Absolute minimum (based on 48” cue): 20’ x 14’ (or 18’ x 13’ for 10ft table)
- Next best thing (52” cue): 21’ x 15’ (19’ x 14’)
- Ideal minimum (58” cue): 22’ x 16’ (20’ x 15’)
My Snooker Spot colleague argues that if you’re going to do it, you have to do it properly. No shortened cues. Full size cue, and full size table. So looking at 22’ x 16’ solution.
Though I would be interested to hear from people who’ve managed to do something smaller.
What are my options for a snooker room?
You won’t be shocked to know that my house isn’t immediately ready for a snooker table. I live in a new-build property, which are notorious for their small rooms.
My living room is approx 17′ x 11′, and that’s the biggest room in the house.
Here is what’s under consideration:
- Extension
- Outbuilding (ie. garden house)
- External site options
For the extension, 22′ won’t be an issue, but 16′ width takes you beyond the building regs without planning permission.
The most likely solution is an outbuilding at the bottom of my garden. There are challenges here regarding the installation of the table and also the temperature, and ensuring that doesn’t negatively impact the whole environment, not least the table itself.
Plan C would be to try and find something away from my house – perhaps by renting a small unit nearby, where I can set up a table.
Maybe something like this beauty – the Empress Snooker Lounge.
This could potentially be combined with my business, which currently operates an office, and so some cost sharing there could work.
Very rough estimates are an extension would come in at around £35k, a suitable garden house at around £20k and the third option would be a rental type option, probably at around £12k a year.
Unfortunately, my DIY skills are limited to building IKEA flat packs and putting up the odd thing on the wall; so getting help is key.
For now, exploratory research continues.
Snooker Jim
Gone from a 6ft table in my dad's garage as a kid to a 9ft table at the office, with the full-size snooker club visits in between. Hoping one day to get the playing technique right.
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