You can build a pickleball court for next to nothing or about $305,000. It depends on how opulent you want to make the pickleball court. Amending an existing tennis or badminton offers the cheapest option.
The second most reasonable cost method involves creating a grass court. Creating a hard court costs between $5,000 to $305,000.
Pickleball Court Size
The standard size of a pickleball court measures 20 feet wide by 44 feet long. The players need a little more room than that though for court run off on the ends and sides. That means upping the required area to about 34 feet by 64 feet.
Some private courts try to site their playing area in the shade. Just as with building an indoor court, you need clearance on the upper end. That means providing 18 to 20 feet ceilings and that’s not something most homes offer.
Outdoors, trim the trees above the court to provide the same clearance.
The Cheapest Option
Pickleball began on a badminton court, so you can alter an existing badminton court to suit your pickleball needs. Tennis courts offer another option for alterable courts. You can use tape to amend the lines on the court to those on a pickleball court.
When converting tennis courts, note that by organizing them appropriately, you can fit four pickleball courts into a single tennis court. You’ll only need court tape, a grease pencil or marker, and a tape measure for this option. Expect to pay $8 to $21 for a 200-foot roll of court tape, about $5 for the measuring tape, and $1 for a grease pencil.
Talk about a bargain! A badminton net works in a pinch, but you can pick up a pickleball net for about $50. In pickleball, the net measures 36 inches in height at the sides and 34 inches at center court.
A Pickleball Kit
Spending between $200 and $400 nets you a pickleball set. These ready-made kits typically include a portable or permanent net, four paddles, six to 12 balls, and a roll of court tape. If you don’t mind the non-volley area and volley area both appearing green (unless your grass dies), you just use tape.
To get that cool, professionally painted grass look, buy a can or gallon of grass paint. (Yes, such a thing exists. They use it on football fields.)
This turf paint costs between $50 to $105. This assumes you have a flat yard with plenty of space. The cost increases if the yard requires the clearing of trees or shrubs.
Leveling an area also costs money. These options typically require hiring a landscaping crew, which can cost up to $5,000 depending on the level of work required. Dealing with a single tree costs about $400, but in some areas can range up to $600.
Excavating and leveling typically cost about $500 to $1,000.
The Essential Hard Court
For a hard court for pickleball, expect to pay between $3,500 to $15,000. Why the huge range? If your yard already has a hard court of some type, court resurfacing can save a lot of money.
That costs between $3,500 to $5,000 depending on the area of the US in which you reside. Let’s say you start from scratch. Constructing a new court for pickleball costs between $10,000 and $15,000.
The basic court includes just the court with no extras like lighting for playing at night or fencing. To add those two niceties to a new pickleball court, expect the overall project to cost a total of $20,000 to $35,000. You may find your neighbors want to come over and socialize more often if you put in something this nice and professional.
Communities That Want to Build a Pickleball Complex
Its ease of play and simple rules make pickleball popular for all ages of people. Many communities might want to put in a complex of courts. An eight-court fenced community complex costs between $110,000 and $150,000.
That’s without lights or seating. Adding the lighting and stadium seating ups the cost to an average of about $300,000.
Supplies if You Want to Do-It-Yourself
Making a court doesn’t take much know-how unless you want a hard court. The essentials include measuring and mowing closely. You’ll need a spool of string to mark off the lines before taping or painting them.
You can also use a carpenter’s chalk line to do this. Other must-haves include a tape measure, court tape, and PicklePave for a hard court. If you decide to paint permanent marking lines, use line marking paint, which costs about $45.99 per can.
Also, use sealant on the paint so it doesn’t bleed. Pickleball court stencils make it easier and typically cost less than $35. Portable stencils like EZ Court Lines don’t’ require tape or paint.
Nets range in cost from $79 to $379. Permanent nets cost the least, starting at $79. The net posts range from $289 to $379.
A portable system includes both the posts and net for between 159-$259.