I just put together my own home gym...a lot of research, and $1300 later, here I am.
Powertec Power Rack-$350
Lat attachment-$150 (I got a deal on this attachment-color mismatch)
Powertec FID Utility Bench-$200 (not recommended, the gap in between the seat and the back pad is annoying-but if you want a budget bench that's real sturdy and high-quality and has a leg attachment, go for it, you can stuff a towel in there)
300lb Olympic set by Cap Barbell-$170
Olympic Dumbell handles-$70
5lb, 8lb, and 10lb hex DBs-$30
Mirror-$60 (I'd recommend a mirror in the front of your PR)
Foam flooring-$65 (allergic to latex, gotta protect my carpet)
Multi-purpose bar-$30 (tri pushdown, bi curl, seated row)
Plate Tree-$60
Along with assorted junk and taxes and such it comes out to a hefty $1300
I plan on buying a freestanding punching bag (a wavemaster), and perhaps a stationary bike.
I have a shitty Pro-form treadmill from a few years back that I'll probably sell for $50 to someone.
In any case, if you're looking for a quality power rack for a reasonable price, I'd go with Powertec or Bodycraft. Both sport lifetime warranties on EVERYTHING, cables, pulleys, etc.
I haven't been lucky enough to see a Bodycraft power rack in a shop, but I would do some serious searching on google and froogle and you'll find a bodycraft rack for $399 w/shipping included. and if you buy the lat attachment for $220 you've got yourself an ab machine for cable crunches. However, I'd suggest hanging hip raises with a dumbbell between your legs.
The powertec rack is awesome, and runs for $300-$350, totally solid and stylish black color, but it's lat attachment and the power rack together run as the Powertec Power Rack System for $699. It has dip bars included as well, which would run you $40 on the bodycraft, but the powertec ones hook on to the rack and are totally customizable and are v-shaped for many grips and hold 400lbs.
they're about the same price and are both great i think.
TDS over at
www.newyorkbarbells.tv sells great stuff with lifetime warranties and free shipping too. a power rack can run you only $260 from TDS.
as for benches, buy one from a fitness shop. sit on it. power racks are usually as good as they look and as durable as their warranty, but benches can be put in decieving picture angles and you have to sit on them. Just make sure you look at the dimensions on the power rack, and try to see to load capacity, depth between posts, and steel size.
forget an ab machine, just do weighted crunches or hip raises.
a seated calf raise can be easily improvised in a power rack with a barbell with a squat pad and a calf block (a 2x4 or somesthing). Sit on the edge of a bench. put the calf block under the balls of your feet, roll a barbell with a squat pad on it to the tops of your thighs and raise.
dumbbell handles are a lot more economical than hex, but are more inconvenient. but in reality, in HST, how often are you using dumbbells when you have a power rack? basically just some shoulder excercises and maybe a bi curl.
Standard plates and threaded handles would be another option, as they are very quick to change and are less bulky as the plates are usually flat and smaller in diameter. But they have less load capacity, and you'd have to buy a different set of plates. Even if you got olympic dumbbell handles, you'd still have to buy extra 2.5's, 5's and 10's as a dumbbell needs 4 of each, and maybe more depending on how much you use. If you're not doing any bench presses, you don't need more than 4 of each.
Power blocks and such are costly but compact.
If i could go back in time, I'd buy a 100lb standard plates and two standard threaded DBs for about the same price as the two bulky 20" long olympic DBs.
Olympic DB handles + 2 extra 2.5's,5's,10's=~$90
Standard threaded DB handles+ 100lb of weights=~$65
Hex 5-50lb=~$400
