For the average tennis player, tennis court installation on a personal level may well be a dream that will remain just that…part of a wishlist. But if you’re a true tennis lover you know that’s a different matter. If you have plans for someone you love (family) to be the next great, then you may want to get a tennis court installed. This way you can work on your game whenever you want

Now, installing a private court sounds all good and fun but the cost involved may not be for everyone. Yet, depending on the type of material, center net, preparation, labour and of course, the actual company you hire, you may be able to save costs. Let’s look at each component/stage of a tennis court installation.

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Tennis Court Types

Tennis courts can be classified according to the type of material used. The three main types are grass, clay, and hard courts. Each has an effect on your body and how you play.

Grass Tennis Court Installation Cost

For one, grass courts may not allow the ball to bounce off very high so you will need to bend lower to the ground as balls bounce lower on the grass. These were the first types of courts used for tennis but they tend to be very expensive to build. In total, you can spend up to $200,000 on a grass court.

Clay Tennis Court Installation Cost

Clay courts, are much less expensive, ranging from $25,000 to $50,000. They are more lenient on your body as they allow you to slide on the surface thus preventing injury, but, you may not get good ball bounce.

Hard Tennis Court Installation Cost

Hard courts are in the same price range as clay courts and offer the most ball bounce. They can either comprise of concrete or asphalt. Also, bear in mind that the type of court you choose has its own level of maintenance. Grass and clay courts need a lot of maintenance while hard courts need lower maintenance.

Tennis Court Center Net

What’s tennis without a center net? After the surface of the court, another important factor to consider is the cost of the center net. This also includes the cost of the net posts and anchors. In total, you will spend about $500 to $900 depending on the material used for the net. This could be polyester or polyethylene and nets are either single braided or double braided. 

If you’re installing your own personal tennis court, you are most likely going to play very often. A double-braided net will better endure frequent use.

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Site Preparation

A good foundation will ensure many happy games in the future. Do not overlook the importance of proper preparation of the area and surface before the tennis court installation. Most importantly, you should consider that a tennis court will take up a whole lot of space (this is obvious but perhaps some emphasis is needed). Although the court itself will cover just about 2000 square feet, there is a need for a larger amount of space surrounding the court. This is because balls can easily bounce off the court and you don’t want them hitting your neighbour’s windows every now and then.

Also, if the surface is swampy or uneven, preparation costs are going to be much higher as this has to be filled and levelled so that the court does not have a wavy slab. The last thing you need on your tennis court is water issues so be sure to get drainage systems installed. You can expect to spend a huge chunk of your budget on just preparation as this is where a large amount of the work takes place.

Tennis Court Installation Labor Costs

Of course, a tennis court is not going to just build itself (unfortunately technology has not gotten there yet). You will need manpower, heavy machinery and other efforts (consultants, surveyors and such) that will eventually get your court up. Depending on how much work needs to be done on the surface and area, labour costs can reach the $30,000 realm. This often includes preparation and installation – you can stop holding your breath now. Consult with the contractors for a detailed invoice before taking this figure in stone.

Installation

The entire tennis court installation process boils down to the final stage of laying the surface material. The procedure will vary based on the type of finish, for instance, concrete will need to be filled, levelled, and allowed to dry before acrylic is applied, the net posts, and the lines are painted. Besides fencing, if you want to go all out, you can get lighting, shade structures, backboards, and windscreens installed but there might be no need for these amenities if you just need a basic court to play during the day.

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