Tennis court cost and feasibility

The base decision outlives everything else

A tennis court is a slab with a coating on it, and almost every long-run cost question resolves to what the slab is made of. Asphalt is reported at $5 to $8 per square foot for the base and post-tensioned concrete at $12 to $18, which on a court-sized area is the bulk of the difference between a $65,000 project and an $85,000 one.

What you buy for the difference is cracking behaviour. Asphalt moves and eventually cracks, and a crack in the base telegraphs through every coat applied over it. Post-tensioned concrete is held in compression by steel tendons, which is why it can carry a court for decades without structural repair.

Resurfacing cannot rescue a base. That is the whole argument: a coating renews the playing surface and has no effect on what the slab is doing underneath, so a cheap base is a decision you keep paying for at every resurfacing cycle.

Space, orientation and drainage

The court is 78 by 36 feet including the doubles alleys, with service lines 21 feet either side of the net. The build is bigger: 60 by 120 feet is the figure most contractors work to, which is about 7,200 square feet and the number to use when checking whether a site works.

Courts are conventionally laid out north to south. The reason is the sun: an east-west court puts a low sun directly in a server's eyes at the times of day people most want to play. Where a site forces east-west, that is worth knowing before the pour rather than after.

Drainage decides how long the court lasts. Water that sits on or under a slab is what moves it, and grading and subsurface drainage are the least visible and most consequential part of the quote.

Surfacing, and what cushioning buys

The standard finish is an acrylic system: a resurfacer to level the texture, then colour coats with sand for grip, then lines. Cushioned systems add rubber layers underneath the colour, which is easier on joints and slows the ball slightly.

Cushioning is a real cost and a real benefit, and it is the upgrade most likely to be worth its price for a court that will be played on daily by adults. It does nothing for the base, and it should never be sold as a fix for one.

What ownership costs after the build

A hard court needs resurfacing every four to eight years, reported at $4,000 to $10,800 or $1.50 to $4 per square foot installed, with preparation adding $500 to $3,000 depending on condition. Budgeting for it from the start is what separates a court that stays playable from one that quietly degrades until it needs rebuilding.

Between cycles the work is cleaning, keeping the surface clear of standing water and organic debris, and attending to cracks early. A crack that is sealed in its first season is maintenance; the same crack four years later is a repair.

What to ask a contractor

Tennis court quotes are the most likely of any court type to be comparing different jobs rather than different prices, because the base and the surfacing system can both vary without either quote saying so plainly.

• Asphalt or post-tensioned concrete, and what is the specification?
• What area is the quote for, and does it include run-off?
• What drainage work is included, above and below the slab?
• Which surfacing system, how many coats, and is it cushioned?
• Are fencing, lighting and net posts in the quote or listed separately?
• What is the expected resurfacing interval, and what does that cost today?