Ready to Indulge Your Love of Wine? How Much Those Cellars Actually Cost

With the number of oenophiles, or wine connoisseurs, on the rise in the United States, there has been an accompanying increase in the demand for home wine cellars.

With wine cellar designs ranging from the simple to the sophisticated, there are as many possible configurations as there are varieties of wine.

Wine Cellar Average Costs #

Estimating wine cellar cost is complicated due to the huge number of available options. A good rule of thumb, however, is that installing a wine cellar is similar in price to remodeling a kitchen.

The cost to build a wine cellar typically ranges from $10,000 to $30,000 on average, with luxury custom wine cellars running as high as $100,000 or more.

For most homeowners, expect to budget $15,000 to $45,000+ to add a properly enclosed, temperature controlled 150-300 sq ft wine storage cellar with custom wine rack storage, cooling system, doors, lighting, ventilation, drainage, flooring, and security system.

As a cheaper alternative, consider a temperature-controlled wine cabinet, capable of holding a few dozen to a few hundred bottles. That will cost around $2,500 to $10,000. Similarly, a simple wine cooler that holds roughly 20 to 120 bottles and might cost approximately $200 to $2,000.

Real Life Wine Cellar Construction Cost Examples #

• "I converted an unused corner of my basement into a small 100 sq ft temperature controlled wine cellar with custom redwood racks. Along with a mini-split AC unit and stone flooring, I paid $12,500 to have it professionally built." - Amanda S.

• "I had a wine cellar addition put on our home. The 200 sq ft cellar was dug out and constructed under our back patio with a glass cellar door entrance. With custom wood racks, cooling system and lighting, our total cost was $35,000." - Michael L.

• "We converted a basement bedroom into a luxurious 300 sq ft wine tasting room and storage cellar. Along with the construction, we had custom cabinetry, racks, lighting, ventilation and a stone bar top installed which in total cost $85,000." - Melissa D.

• "I hired a wine cellar builder to convert half my garage into a 150 sq ft temperature/humidity controlled wine storage room. It has custom redwood racks and stone tile flooring. My total pro build cost $22,000." - Steve W.

As you can see, costs ranged widely from $10,000s for smaller DIY basements conversions up to $80,000+ for luxury custom cellars.

Cost to Stock a Wine Cellar #

• Small Cellar (100 bottles) - $1,500 to $5,000+
• Medium Cellar (500 bottles) - $5,000 to $20,000+
• Large Cellar (1,000+ bottles) - $10,000 to $50,000+

Factors impacting wine collection cost:

• Type of wines - Rare vintages and fine wines are more expensive than table wines
• Bottle prices - From $10 cheap table wines to $1,000+ fine wines
• Cellar size - More storage capacity enables larger collections
• Quantity of bottles - Building inventory takes time and budget

With the average price of a good quality bottle of wine around $20-50, expect wine cellar stocking to cost about $15+ per bottle on average factoring in some pricier bottles.

Cellars often take years to fully stock to desired capacity.

What You Should Know About Wine Cellar Construction #

Whether you're looking to build a bare bones space to house a few bottles of your favorite wines or a room to entertain friends and show off your collection, there are a few basic things to keep in mind when building wine cellars, including:

• Temperature and humidity: In order for wine to age properly, it must be protected from light and heat. This means storing it in a cool, dark space with humidity around 60-7¬0 percent and a temperature of around 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit.
• A basement is not a premade wine cellar: Although a few basements have the conditions necessary to create what's known as a passive (unrefrigerated) wine cellar, most will get too warm in the summer or are subject to temperature fluctuations from furnaces and other heat sources. A basement is a good starting point, but you'll still need to install insulation, a moisture barrier, and an airtight seal to create an isolation chamber for your wine.
• Function vs. statement cellars: Before you build a wine cellar, ask yourself what its primary function will be. From basic units meant for merely storing wines to wine caves that replicate a French chateau and everything in between, a wine cellar is a reflection of its owner.
• A pleasure and an investment: A wine cellar not only provides pleasure for you and your guests, but can also be a strong selling point, especially in the high-end real estate market. Plus, if you have a valuable wine collection, a cellar is an absolute necessity for protecting your investment.

Use Our Free Service and Find Wine Cellar Companies Near You #