My fiance' and I purchased this house last year. One stipulation was that no questions asked there needs to be room for a bar box. We loved the house ( actually the house @ the price I should say) but there was a pesky wall in the basement. Problem solved with a hammer and some work finishing up the unfinished room behind the wall once torn down. Now we both love it and she is actually starting to play a lot as well, a double bonus there.
We bought our first home just before last Christmas. I had the same stipulation with the purchase that you had. We passed on several places before I found one that would work. Owning my own table was at the top of my bucket list, and I finally got one last February for my 60th birthday.
I had a little more work to do than you had, though. I had to insulate and finish the entire basement, which included putting in a 300+ pound steel beam in order to get rid of a very pesky Lally column that was 2' from one side of the table. Plus, I had to build my woodworking shop down there as well, and build a 12' x 20' elevated deck in my spare time. Did it all by myself except for the electric. Pretty hard on my 60 year old body, but I toughed it out and it was well worth it.
I had a licensed electrician come in just this past Saturday, so I am finally set up the way I want. Now, I have to paint, build a bar, add some trim, and I'm ready to rock. How much space did I sacrifice? Well, my shop could have been twice as big without the table, but pleasure trumps work any day of the week IMO.