Tennis court construction cost

Your choice of surface affects both the upfront cost and how long the court lasts. Asphalt is usually the cheaper option at the start. Concrete asks for more money but holds up longer.

Here is what the sources report for each surface:

• An asphalt court runs $40,000 to $100,000 and should serve you for 20 to 25 years, according to HomeGuide. HybridClay quotes $40,000 to $65,000 for asphalt surfacing.
• A concrete court costs $60,000 to $115,000 and can last 25 to 40 years, per HomeGuide.
• HybridClay puts post-tension concrete at $60,000 to $90,000 and a clay court at $30,000 to $60,000.
• Going indoors costs the most: HomeGuide says $85,000 to $300,000.

HybridClay lists a specialized concrete option called post-tension concrete at $60,000 to $90,000.

A backyard court made from snap-together plastic tiles runs $22,000 to $30,500, based on figures from one tile company. That figure generally covers the painted lines on the tiles. Even so, the tiles must sit on a solid base. The company recommends pouring a concrete slab 4 inches thick, using 3000 PSI concrete reinforced with #4 rebar as that base. That means strong concrete with steel rods set inside. VersaCourt lists a national average of $4 to $10 per square foot for concrete slabs built to general specifications. Keep in mind that plastic tiles expand and contract by 2 to 3 inches, so the installer leaves space for that shift.

The ground has to be cleared and leveled before any surface is laid. Expect to pay $5,000 to $15,000 for this, with the final figure shaped by the slope, the amount of clearing and drainage needs. The base on its own starts around $1 to $3 per square foot when you use compacted gravel.

If puddles linger on your property, a French drain may be in order. This is a gravel-filled trench with a pipe inside that moves water clear of the court. French drains or trench systems generally run $3,000 to $7,000.

Here are the other extras people often add, with the ranges each source reports:

• For fencing, HomeGuide gives $4,300 to $10,800, while HybridClay quotes $7,000 to $12,000 for chain-link fencing at full height.
• For lighting a home court, HomeGuide puts the range at $1,500 to $6,000, while HybridClay quotes $8,000 to $15,000 for LED lights suited to night play.
• A net with posts costs $500 to $2,000, per HybridClay.
• For permits, HomeGuide gives $100 to $750, while HybridClay puts permits and inspections together at $500 to $2,500.

What you pay for LED lights depends on pole height and how much of the court gets lit. Net pricing shifts with build quality and whether you can raise or lower the height.

A doubles playing area measures 78 feet long and 36 feet wide. The singles version is slimmer: 27 feet wide by 78 feet long.

The lines are only part of the footprint. With fencing, lights and buffer zones factored in, the total area comes to roughly 120 feet by 60 feet. The buffer zone is the open ground past the lines where players chase down balls. One tile company sells complete kits in two sizes: 51 feet by 99 feet 11 inches and 59 feet 5 inches by 120 feet 2 inches.

Building a new court takes about 60 days on average. Concrete courts have to rest for roughly 30 days before the playing surface is applied, giving the slab time to cure all the way through.

A court needs looking after every year. Budget roughly $1,000 to $4,000 per year for cleaning, fresh line paint and minor fixes.

The playing layer also wears down over time and must be redone, a job known as resurfacing. One builder expects a surface to endure 8 to 10 years, dropping to 5 to 7 years when play is constant. A different source puts the resurfacing cycle at every 4 to 8 years. Expect the work itself to take roughly 1 week.

On price, HomeGuide puts resurfacing at $4,000 to $10,800, while HybridClay gives a range of $6,000 to $10,000.

A single tennis court can fit 4 pickleball courts. Using US averages, our figures put that conversion somewhere between $5,000 and $20,000 for a single tennis court. Converting 2 tennis courts into 8 pickleball courts runs $10,000 to $40,000.

Starting pickleball courts from scratch costs $60,000 to $90,000, per one court builder.