Last updated on May 3rd, 2022
How much does it cost to build a tennis court?
Having a tennis court on your property is a truly unique feature, that can make your home more attractive to potential buyers and increase its value. As well as this, there are lots of physical and mental health benefits to playing tennis.
So, how much does it cost to build a tennis court?
It can be surprising just how much work and preparation go into building a tennis court, from groundworks to drainage. As such, even a basic tennis court construction cost can be quite high. If you’ll use it regularly, then the price you pay can easily be offset by the numerous positive effects of owning a tennis court.
| Tennis court costs | Cost + VAT (Range low - high) | Average cost |
|---|---|---|
| How much does it cost to build a tennis court? | £35,000 - £55,000 | £45,000 |
| Sporturf | £46,000 - £53,000 | £49,500 |
| Pladek | £35,000 - £42,000 | £38,500 |
| Savanna | £48,000 - £55,000 | £51,500 |
| Tenniturf | £46,000 - £53,000 | £49,500 |
| Tennis court cost per square metre | £134.15 - £210.81 | £172.48 |
| Tennis court cost per square foot | £12.46 - £19.59 | £16.03 |
| Tennis court resurfacing cost | £12,000 - £22,000 | £17,000 |
| Replacement fence | £8,000 - £11,000 | £9,500 |
| ACO drainage system | £3,000 - £5,000 | £4,000 |
| Soakaway/drainage connection point | £5,000 - £10,000 | £7,500 |
| Line marking | £500 - £1,500 | £1,000 |
Our costs are ballpark averages – get a local tradesperson to quote now
The average tennis court costs £45,000.
Common tennis court options
Usually, when you are looking into building a tennis court, you will need to choose from a range of different surfaces. Each of these has its own average costs as well as pros and cons. Below is a brief summary of the four main types of tennis court surfaces:
- Sporturf: A durable and resilient surface, supporting a variety of different sports. Sporturf is perfect for cricket, basketball and of course, tennis. Sporturf costs on average £49,500.
- Pladek: Very popular, a Pladek tennis court surface is great for home tennis courts. Made from painted, porous Macadam, it is often found in schools and parks. Pladek costs around £38,500.
- Tenniturf: An excellent quality surface, Tenniturf can be used for many different sports. It is an artificial, sand-filled grass material that can last more than 30 years. A typical Tenniturf court is approx. £49,500.
- Savanna: This type of court surface is very advanced. It is soft and durable giving extra cushioning during play. Savanna is half sand-filled and offers great ball bounce. Paying for Savanna will cost you approx. £51,500.
Benefits of tennis courts
As mentioned previously, the benefits of owning and using a tennis court are numerous. The following are just some of the benefits:
- Physical and mental health benefits.
- A feature for any home.
- Increased home value.
- Can be used for other games and sports.
- Great way to use garden extra space.
Factors affecting tennis court installation costs
The average tennis court construction cost will strongly depend on a range of factors, as follows:
- Materials used: Grass, cement, clay, synthetic etc., each type of surface material will be charged differently.
- Size of tennis court: Larger tennis courts require more materials and longer labour times. As such they will be more expensive.
- Adding a fence: Having a net in the centre of your court is essential if you want to play tennis but will come at an additional cost.
- Added features: Options include lighting, nets, posts and even water fountains. Adding each of these optional features will increase the tennis court costs you will pay.
- Groundworks and drainage: Essential for a long-lasting, high-quality tennis court, be sure to check if groundworks and drainage are included in the price you are quoted. When it comes to drainage, options like an ACO drainage system (£4,000) and a soakaway drainage connection point (£7,500) can be expensive but are well worth the investment.
- Line marking: It is difficult to properly play tennis without the correct lines on your court surface. Line marking will add an additional £1,000 to the total.
- The condition of the current space: You will likely need to remove items such as trees, hedges and grass, but may even need to relocate wildlife and birds if permitted (see below). This can increase the cost you pay.
- Environmental law: A professional will be able to help you to ensure you are not breaking any environmental laws when building your tennis court. This may be charged in addition to your tennis court installation cost.
- Vehicle accessibility: With large amounts of materials needed for a tennis court, vehicle accessibility is important. If it is difficult for vehicles to access your property and the area where your tennis court will be, the total tennis court construction cost will increase.
Costs per job
Tennis court cost per square foot
It is unlikely your tennis court will be priced per square foot. You are much more likely to be offered a standard size tennis court with an average cost. Having said this, it is possible to look at the cost of a standard tennis court and calculate the cost per square foot from that.
The average tennis court cost per square foot is £16.03.
Tennis court costs per square metre
As mentioned above, you will likely be given a quote for your tennis court based on the size, surface type and other factors. Again, taking the average size of a tennis court, we can calculate the cost per square metre.
The average tennis court costs per square metre is £172.48.
Tennis court resurfacing cost
If you are lucky enough to already have a tennis court but it has seen better days, it is possible to resurface it. This eliminates the need to replace the tennis court and can revitalise something you may have thought was too far gone.
The average tennis court resurfacing cost is £17,000.
Can I install a tennis court myself?
Although it can seem like installing a tennis court is an easy, quick process, this is not the case. While it may look like all you need is a flat area to play tennis, there is a lot going on beneath the surface. Below are some of the reasons that installing a tennis court should not be done as a DIY project:
- It is very time-consuming.
- The ground needs to be level.
- Installing a tennis court is hard physical work – You will need to remove any trees, bushes and grass etc.
- You will also need specialist equipment, like a twin drum vibrating roller, that can be dangerous to operate if you don’t know what you are doing.
- The painted lines need to be straight and even.
- Building a tennis court is specialist work that needs a qualified contractor.
- The net needs to be secure or it may fall down and cause injury.
As such, we would recommend hiring a professional. To find a local, reputable, tradesperson in your area and get a personalised tennis court installation quote use our free search feature.
FAQs
How much does it cost to replace the fence around a tennis court?
A tennis court fence will keep any balls from going astray and help to prevent wildlife from damaging your court. If your tennis court either does not have a fence or needs a replacement fence, this will cost on average £9,500.
In what ways does playing tennis improve my health?
Playing tennis can improve your health by:
- Reducing body fat
- Enhancing muscle tone
- Improving aerobic capacity
- Reducing blood pressure
- Improving bone density
- Improving your mental health
Bereket T.
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