A reader recently asked, “If I were to win the 800 mil lotto today I plan to rebuild my old high school basketball gym. NBA style, ticket booth, locker room, cushion seats”, in other words with all the bells and whistles typical of a professional basketball gym. How much will that cost?
Few answers provide an actual estimate. Essentially, the answers he received ranged from “It will cost a lot of money” to “Forget it and use your winnings elsewhere.”
Side note: He hadn’t won the lottery!
Fact is, it’s not easy to give an estimate without all the factors considered.
You’re much better off getting a complete estimate from contractors or architects who know their way around building and installing indoor and outdoor basketball courts and gyms. A deciding factor on how much you’ll eventually spend is really your budget.
So for the $800 million dollar lotto hopeful, an ambitious basketball gym might easily put a huge dent into his multi-million dollar jackpot.
Of course not everyone can look to a big lotto budget, so what should be the most important costs for a basketball gym when your funds are tight?
Costing considerations for a basketball gym
Here are some key considerations in arriving at the cost of a decent basketball gym:
- A large building
- A good location, with high user traffic
- Actual equipment the gym will be using
- Labor and material costs for outside and inside construction
- Amenities like showers, locker rooms, bathrooms
- The basketball court
- Utilities and staff costs
- Municipal and other permits
- Other unforeseen costs
You see where all this is going, right?
Mucho dinero; lots of dough.
Construction costs in your area have a lot to do with the final costs for the basketball gym. One estimate for example puts the building at around $350,000 to $500,000; the architectural design and to construct at $50,000; the equipment at $50,000. With a budget of $800,000 expect to at least start your basketball gym project.
Two suggestions to ease the cost burden are to start small and increase as business grows, or seek bargains along the way, for example making a deal with an existing gym that is closing down, or buying equipment at discount.
Working with a budget
What if all you need is simply a home gym for you and the boys?
A solution from a recognized Sports Outfitter in Carmel, Indiana includes the wall mounted goal which can go along the driveway, above the garage, inside the garage or any suitable space in your home. This option which is quoted by the job may run you up to almost $3,000 to include the cost to install it.
There is also the basketball goal system that can cost up to just under $2,000. The size of the pole and the backboard also determines how much you pay. Labor cost of just under $300 must also be considered.
You have several options for a basketball court and of course the costs to build it also vary. One suggestion to overcome the money crunch is to have a wise plan, and build your court during the fall or early spring – when costs are far lower.
Another Indiana based contractor whose specialty is building full and half basketball courts suggests a cost of $6.00 per square foot for concrete and the installation of a polymer tile surface – the Rhino Court system – at a similar cost. Customization with logo, color and other changes will also carry an additional cost.
In the end, a half basketball court that includes all installations will cost approximately ten thousand dollars. A full court, that has custom netting, and lighting systems, can run you in the region of twenty-five thousand dollars.
Clients with much less funds may have their concrete basketball half courts installed for up to six thousand dollars.
The bottom line
You might be interested to know that the basketball courts do not all carry the same dimensions, as these are different depending on their age and location. Old high school gyms are generally smaller than the regulation size. Their backboard measurements and designs are also different.
Therefore, although College, Junior High, High School and Pro basketball courts have different dimensions in terms of layout and size, their inner marks for the Foul Line and the Rim and Backboard carry no difference.
Here are the dimensions:
- Junior High School – length 74 ft, width 42 ft.
- High School – length 84 ft., width 50 ft.
- College and NBA Pro – length 94 ft, width 50 ft.
Using these dimensions as guides, and assuming the square footage cost for a concrete basketball court to be $6.00 per square foot, approximate costs can be calculated.
So here goes:
- Junior High School – 3,108 sq. ft. costing $18,648.
- High School – 4,200 sq. ft costing $25,200.
- College and NBA Pro – 4,700 sq. ft costing $28,200.
By the above example, it’s possible to have a concrete based full basketball court built for you for under $30,000 depending on the size you want. This does not include all the extra toppings to go with it.
As you have also seen earlier, basketball hoops and backboards cost extra and depending on your space, you can find a suitable backboard and hoop for another $2,000 to $3,000 depending on whether this is a wall-mounted design or an adjustable hoop system. Labor costs of around $300 or more should be added.
Of course, for homeowners with adequate space for their basketball gyms, there is hardly anything more to consider since the building or the outdoor space is already accounted for.
If however, you’re looking to put your basketball gym elsewhere, then the building and other related costs become relevant. This can put a big dent into your budget!
The above are general approximations based on certain information of some of the costs you should take into consideration when deciding to build your basketball court. The ultimate decision on how much to spend on this project rests with you and your budget.
Costs vary based on where you’re located, and are also affected by any customization or special items you wish to include in your design. There are also synthetic surfaces that may substitute for a concrete construction.
In any case, you will need your local contractor to examine your space, review your design and provide an estimate that you can live with.
Leave a Reply