How much does it cost to build a bowling alley?

So, you want to know how much it would cost to build your own bowling alley at home? You’re not the only one who wants to know. More and more homeowners are exploring cool home renovation projects like having a bowling alley at home – home cinemas and gaming rooms are other interesting home renovation projects which fall under the same bracket.

Hark back to those nostalgic first-date bowling nights and afternoons spent with school friends, or just polish up your bowling skills by installing your very own bowling alley. Read on for home bowling alley costs.

How much does it cost to build a bowling alley?

Building a professional bowling alley in the UK usually costs between £150,000 – £600,000. That being said, the overall cost depends on building requirements, specifications, and interior design elements.

In built-up city locations, subterranean building extensions see leisure annexes and luxury games rooms going underground. On the other hand, bowling alleys can be added cheaply to an existing building with lots of space.

If you want a unique entertainment space that includes a bowling alley, it’s best to speak to a builder. They’ll work with you to create a personalised finish, tailored to your desired location and project.

The cost mentioned above usually includes delivery and installation, but we strongly advise speaking to your local builder, as the prices we’ve provided are estimates only.

The cost to build a bowling alley in your home: A few things to consider

As mentioned above, it costs between £150,000 – £600,000 to build a bowling alley in the home.

Depending on how much you have to spend on your bowling alley, you can plump for several elements to include in yours. Think about your own bowling alley experience, then consider which designs, factors, and extras might be useful to include.

Here are a few to bear in mind:

Lanes

Usually, a bowling alley is about 18 metres, so whatever room you decide to build your bowling alley in will need a minimum of this much space in length. We recommend you plan for a room of about 25 metres in length, so there’s enough room for a seating area at the top of the lane.

Bowling balls

If you’re working with a builder than they will not be providing the bowling balls. It’s easy to buy balls on the internet or keep an eye out for second-hand ones instead.

Ball return

Another cost to consider in the design process is the ball return technologies of your bowling alley. If you don’t have to wait for the ball to roll back to you, it’s not an authentic bowling alley experience, right?

Pins

Plain, white pins are a classic look for any bowling alley. You can get tons of other designs and personalisation options if you want the wow factor.

Consider having a crest or your family initials printed on your pins. Alternatively, your pins could feature a personal photograph (perhaps that laugh-out-loud pic of your child making a face after trying an orange a few years ago).

Monitors and scoring

If you have a tighter budget, you can simply keep a record of scoring using pen and paper scorecards rather than installing tablets and monitors above the lanes.

Another factor to think about is the number of lanes you want in your home bowling alley. The more lanes you want, the more it’ll cost to build.

The average cost to build a bowling alley

As mentioned, the average cost to build a bowling alley in your home is about £550,000.

Looking for a bowling alley installer you can trust? Try our free search feature. Just enter your postcode to find a whole host of local, experienced tradespeople, recommended by your neighbours. You can check out their work history on their profile and see reviews from other customers.

If you book one of our trustworthy experts, you’re able to inspect their profile and read all their customer reviews. Better yet, those reviews are from your neighbours and verified by us to ensure they’re authentic.

And another thing. For your peace of mind, if you hire one of our members for the job, we guarantee their work so that you and your house are in safe hands.

FAQs

How much does it cost to build a bowling lane?

It’ll set you back about £20,000 to build one bowling lane in your home. However, this doesn’t include a scoring system, which would probably set you back a further £5,000.

How much would it cost to build a 24-lane bowling alley?

Assuming the average cost to build one bowling lane is about £20,000, to build a 24-lane bowling alley, you’re looking at roughly £480,000.