If you’re an avid tennis player and also a homeowner, then it’s probably crossed your mind that it would be wonderful to have your own court at home. Being able to step out your back door and play whenever you want against your family or friends could make life so much nicer. No more having to spend time getting to the court. Instead, you’d get to spend more time playing the sport you love.
However, there are some things you may want to consider before jumping head first into tennis court construction.
The Dreaded HOA
Most areas have homeowners associations anymore. Those HOAs have significant rules that everyone in the neighbourhood or community has to abide by as part of their agreement to live there. So, the first step is to check with the HOA guidelines and see if they have anything about what is or isn’t allowed when it comes to tennis court construction. For example, some areas only allow for a grass tennis court. Grass tennis courts aren’t popular today, but they may have been when your HOA was founded.
However, suppose they do allow the construction of a more typical tennis court. In that case, the next step is to look into what they say about the lights, fencing, and other accouterments that you want to have with your tennis court.
Lights can be tricky, but options often work to please both you as a tennis player who wants to see in the evening and the HOA who doesn’t want your light disturbing the neighbours.
If you run into restrictions from your HOA, not all is lost. These decisions are based on rules made by committees and the communities. That means that they are allowed to and often make exceptions. The first thing you’ll want to do if they have restrictions is consider putting in for an exception. If that fails, you can always seek to have the rules changed.
If you don’t have an HOA, you still need to check things like your zoning laws. Some areas may have restrictions on the same types of things that the HOA does.
So, before you get too involved in the design process or preparing for construction, be sure to clear your ideas through the HOA or zoning, depending on where you live. That way, you don’t waste your time.
Know Your Space
Next up on the checklist to get a tennis court construction process underway is to know your property lines. Most areas require a specific distance that you need to be away from your property line for any construction.
Once you know exactly where the property lines are, you can measure out the space needed to construct a tennis court.
This stage is crucial to work with a designer to help you understand how tennis court construction works. There are things like the elevation and slopes that only those working in the industry will know to check before making concrete design plans.
When working with a designer, you want to voice your opinion and what you want, but you also want to consider their experience. Most tennis court construction companies offer a designer on staff to help guide you through this process.
They’ll help you understand the importance of orientation so that you aren’t staring into the sun while you play.
Material Options
There are a multitude of options for surface materials these days. Again, this is where you need help from professionals to know what will work best for your needs. Each of these surface types has different pros and cons and are very industry-specific. No matter how much online research you do, you aren’t going to have the same insight that someone who has worked in the tennis court construction industry for years can offer.
Maintenance Needs
How much maintenance you are willing and able to do will help decide what kind of material you want to install.
Harder surface materials like asphalt and concrete offer you a court that doesn’t need a regular maintenance schedule to keep it looking good and in good playing condition.
Choosing the Right Contractors for the Job
When you’re doing a significant upgrade to your property that will increase the value of your home, which company you work with is of the utmost importance.
This is not a job for a general contractor. Instead, you want to work with a company with decades of experience in the tennis court construction industry. These people have made it their life mission to understand what makes the best tennis court for each situation. They will also have the connections within the community to ensure that you get the best deal on the highest quality materials.
They spend years curating their team, their connections, and their methods. They will be able to walk you through the process from the design stage clear to the finishing touches that make your tennis court an oasis for you and your friends to enjoy.
Don’t be afraid to look into the company. Most quality contractors will provide examples of their previous jobs right on their website, so it’s easy to check out the quality of their work. In addition, they are proud of what they do and are more than happy to show it off to someone interested.
The Value of Upgrading
Investing in your home is something that very rarely goes wrong.
Overall, luxury upgrades like a tennis court for your home can make the resale value go up significantly. Even though this is a reasonably specialized addition, it’s gaining popularity. It has all the luxury appeal of a pool without having all the maintenance and work. These days, those in the market for a home are looking for something more than just the standard house and yard. Everyone is looking for something unique.
Tennis court construction can be a wise investment that you can enjoy. It’s a great way to get into shape and enjoy the space of your property while still adding value to the home in case you decide you want to sell later.
