If you are an avid tennis player or like to stay active during vacations, staying at a vacation rental property that has an available private tennis court is a sheer advantage. Since we are constructing a brand new private tennis court on our vacation rental property on Fredon-Hills Farm, we wanted to share a few thoughts and lessons from the build. First, it is a major undertaking and an expensive one, so decide why you want to build a tennis court. Here are a few reasons we considered:

1. Do we love tennis? Yes, we do!
2. No need to book court times, drive to tennis clubs or wait on court availability
3. Tennis provides relaxation to players of all levels who enjoy being active
4. When you are on vacation or staying at a vacation rental property, you can have a great time with your family and friends playing your favorite game

The court can also serve a multi-purpose, as we installed a pro-grade Basketball hoop to practice those jump shots when not playing tennis.

Types of Material Used in Construction

For private tennis court construction, you can use the materials like Asphalt or Concrete. Concrete tennis courts are more durable. Moreover, it is more resistant to cracks and requires less maintenance. You can use post-tension concrete that offers a longer life span, has a higher resistance to cracks, and provides a more uniform surface for playing. Whereas asphalt has a lower installation cost, but it starts developing depression in the court’s surface and structural cracks after five years or more.  These cracks are easily fixed, and will not break the bank. But, if there is some major work to be done, then budget it out after 20 years or so. We went with asphalt for our build since it is better suited for our site and the North-East US weather conditions.

Challenges Faced During Construction

Soil

You must build the court on soil that has minimum movement capacity. If the ground has extensive movement, then it can result in cracks or damage, especially to an asphalt tennis court surface. On our site, ground prep work was needed before construction could being. After layering of the initial stone aggregate, it was allowed to settle for one month before any leveling work began.

             

Construction

Depending on the size of the lot available, deciding on the dimensions can become tricky. Since all properties are different, it is most advisable to take the recommendation of an experienced professional. Our contractors, Universal Court Contractors with 30 years of private tennis court building experience suggested that we were able to build a full regulation (60 x 120 ft) court on our site.

Easements such as landing pads and access roads for construction equipment must also be considered. While that may change the landscape of the property for a few months, a little post-construction landscaping with grass seeding and planting shrubs will return everything to normal.

Drainage

The sub-surface drainage considerations must include side to side draining so that water does not get soaked into the sub-soil. Also, consider the watershed coming from the uphill areas, underground water flow (there should be none), and irrigation channels (e.g., French drains, gravel trenches, perforated drain lines). For our court, a variety of sub-soil and stone aggregates were used to aid drainage. The tennis court was also graded at a 1% pitch using a laser guide to enable quick drainage.

Timeline

Usually, eight (8) weeks are required to finish building a private tennis court. But, cost and time factor go hand in hand. A variety of factors such as ferrying of material, correcting soil and drainage issues, getting proper equipment on site, court surfacing options all play a role. Since we started the construction (late fall in northern New Jersey), the estimated time to finish the private tennis court will be the Spring of the following year (Spring 2020). It is a more extended time frame than most warmer weather climates, so please consult your private tennis court contractor for timelines.

Cost

Cost ran up to $70K+ (see sample invoice) depending on the site preparation and finishing surface chosen. We decided to go with the premier hard court surface, similar to the product used at the US Open in Flushing Meadows, NY. We also installed a pro-level Basketball hoop which ran up to $3K. So if cost is not an issue, we suggest to go for the top quality materials available as they will withstand the elements and give you a better playing experience. That’s why you have tennis court in your back yard in the first place! To sum up, these are a few considerations when constructing a private tennis court. We recommend finding a reputable private tennis court construction service and seeking professional advice. They will make your backyard tennis dreams come true.

And the final product can be seen above!

Game – Set – Match!

Private Tennis Court Construction Sample Invoice.pdf