Should You Add a Pickleball Court? 

Pickleball is a hot commodity in today’s society, and courts have begun to pop up everywhere. This has a lot of people contemplating whether to add their own pickleball facility to their living space/yard to enjoy their favorite sport whenever they want, but is it worth it? Let’s go through some pros and cons.

PRO 1

With the rapid jump in popularity of the sport, there is likely an installation company in or near your city/town, so it won’t be hard to find someone to do the job. On top of this, with increased competition from these companies comes perks like free design help and quotes, and possible financing options. 

CON 1

Maintenance. Many people only consider the installation costs and forget about the maintenance and labor needed to keep an outdoor court in top condition. The climate you live in will play a major role in the maintenance needed, as warmer climates year-round typically only need to keep their courts clean of debris. However, if you’re in Northern states like Minnesota, at the end of summer you will want to repair all small cracks or holes so they don’t expand come Spring time. However, all climates have opportunities for damage, and repair costs can always come into play. 

PRO 2

If you do your research and choose a good installation company, and have the court properly installed, the court should last you a very long time, at least a decade. “One can plan on a 30-year life expectancy with our Sport Court pickleball courts on a concrete base,” says Kevin Zwart, residential sales manager for Sport Court Minnesota. Also, keep in mind choosing a court that can allow for multi-purpose, like basketball, volleyball, yoga, or badminton. 

CON 2

It’s not cheap. You’re looking around $45-55,000 and that can vary depending on the sitework needed like drainage and grading. This will also depend on the custom design choices and materials used, and equipment needed or added, like fences and lighting. It typically takes a bit more space than one anticipates as well, around 30’x54’ to 30’x60’. 

PRO 3

If you love pickleball and know you will make good use of the court, it is worth it if you have the money. Adding anything that you are passionate about into your daily activities at your home is worth it if financially feasible. If you are doing it simply to try to boost the value of your home or for the looks, then think again.

CON 3

You’re likely not going to make your money back with the sale of your home. The addition of a pickleball court will attract buyers that love pickleball, but it will also push away those that don’t. It is not reasonable to add the costs of the court to the sale price of your home, as not every buyer is in need of a pickleball court. It certainly can add some value, as long as you keep it in good shape, but likely not enough to make your money back. 

Bottom Line

Our advice to anyone that is considering installing a pickleball court is to determine how much you love pickleball, and really assess how much you will actually use the court. If you are extremely passionate about pickleball and have a lot of friends and family that share this passion, it definitely is worth it. However, if you only are looking to play here and there, it might be best to find a public court to gather at instead.