How Much Does It Cost To Build a Pickleball Court?

Pickleball is a sport that has been gaining traction since the late 1970s and is now one of the fastest-growing sports. Now more people are interested in building their own dedicated pickleball courts. The cost of a pickleball court can range from several hundred to tens of thousands of dollars depending on many factors. 

Building your own pickleball court is quite a doable project, but the cost is always a factor. You may be wondering, how much does it cost to build a pickleball court given your space and what you’re working with. Let’s dive into that topic and also see if we can find some ways to cut costs. 

Before building a pickleball court, you’ll need to consider the components you’ll need, including space requirements, materials, and equipment. 

Space Requirements

Pickleball court dimensions are an important thing to keep in mind. After all, the amount of space you need affects cost. 

For instance, if you go for the total recommended size of 30 feet wide by 60 feet long, it will cost more than if you go on the smaller side. The playing space for a pickleball court is only 44×20 feet, but the extra space with the recommended size allows for room outside of the baselines and sidelines. 

Smaller pickleball courts are best suited for outside since you don’t want to run into walls when chasing the balls. With an outdoor pickleball court, even if it is smaller, you will still have room to run after the pickleball safely. 

The size will also affect the cost, depending on whether you hire a contractor to clear out extra space and if any structures or fencing need to be removed or added to build the court at a larger scale. 

Materials

The three most common materials for pickleball court construction are concrete, asphalt, and snap-together plastic sub-floor. 

Of course, the snap-together plastic flooring is the most common material for an indoor pickleball court surface, but concrete can be laid indoors as well. 

Outdoor courts typically either use asphalt or concrete, though, for multi-use courts, the snap-together plastic flooring can also be put over concrete or asphalt. 

Concerning costs, asphalt tends to be less expensive than concrete, but the prices of concrete and asphalt fluctuate in price. The snap-together plastic flooring has more stable pricing and is a moderate option.  

In addition to the main court surface, you’ll also need to ensure proper drainage and moisture control. 

Usually, this is done by angling the pickleball court ever so slightly and using vapor barriers and liquid applied coatings. You can also add rubber granules to some court materials in order to have cushioned surfaces. This is an ideal option for more mature pickleball players who can benefit from a little shock absorption the cushioning provides. 

For the court lines, you’ll need a tape measure, acrylic paint, or court tape, and all of the official pickleball court dimensions, which can be found on the USA Pickleball Association website.

Equipment

If you want to build your own pickleball court, equipment is another thing to keep in mind. In addition to building the court surface, you’ll need a net system or portable net, paddles, and a pickleball or perforated plastic ball. 

When it comes to a pickleball net system, you can either opt for a portable net so that the space can be used for other sports, or you can go with permanent nets that have permanent net posts embedded in the court.

If you are building multiple courts or a multi-court complex, you’ll also need to install perimeter fencing so that any rouge balls don’t affect any other games during tournament play. Just ensure that you leave room between the perimeter fencing and the court lines.

Lighting is also another thing to think about. If you are building an outdoor pickleball court and want to play pickleball at night, you need to equip your court with overhead lighting. 

Though there are a lot of factors that go into the total cost of a new pickleball court, the typical court cost is between $10-$25 per square foot. This means that if you go with the total recommended size, it costs between $18,000 on the low end and $45,000 on the higher end. 

Factors that can change the cost include which court surface you go with, whether you are building a brand new court or have an existing court if you are hiring a professional contractor or qualified installer or doing it yourself, and whether you are building a basic court or something more advanced with other amenities like lighting. 

The cost can also vary depending on your location, as the cost of materials and labor differ depending on location.

There are a lot of ways to save money when building a new pickleball court. 

For instance, if you already have an existing court like a tennis court, you can use that as your court surface, and all you’ll need is a pickleball net and something to lay down court lines like court tape, which can save the majority of the cost of a pickleball court. 

Other cost-saving options when building pickleball courts include choosing a cost-effective pickleball surface, going with a single court instead of four pickleball courts, doing some of the court construction yourself, and only hiring professionals for specific tasks like a concrete contractor.

Of course, overall, the best way to save the most money is to use an existing tennis court or another surface as much of the cost to build a pickleball court comes from building the court and surface itself. 

Here are the two most frequently asked questions about how much a pickleball court costs to build. 

Building a Pickleball court not only will give you a new sports facility locally or maybe even right in your backyard, but it also can increase property value. We have answered the question of “how much does it cost to build a pickleball court” and some ways to save money so you can get started on building a simple court or two. 

Whether you already have tennis courts, you want to makeover for pickleball, or you want to build a few new outdoor pickleball courts, keep in mind how much it costs to build and get to planning!