Is DIYing Your Own Backyard Basketball Court A Worthwhile Investment?

There are some gorgeous backyard design ideas out there if you're thinking about updating your landscape. However, if the kids have anything to say about it, you might need to create something that focuses on activities instead of colorful flowers and trees. If your children have "hoop dreams," consider constructing a DIY backyard basketball court. Building a basketball court in the backyard can be a big job, but handy DIYers can take care of it with the right equipment and a careful plan.

Before starting this project, you need to have enough space that's free of trees, decorative rocks, and plants. You might have to remove some trees, which may require a permit in your city. You can build a basketball court of almost any size, including as small as 16-by-20 feet or 30-by-30 feet. If you want to play competitive games, you'll need about 47-by-50 feet for a half court or 94-by-50 feet for a full court.

Additionally, a backyard basketball surface could increase your property value. However, some experts say adding a sports court to the backyard is a design choice that could make it more difficult to sell your home. If uncertainty about increasing your home's value doesn't scare you off, building a backyard basketball court can be a worthwhile investment as it's a great way to promote a healthy lifestyle and physical fitness for the entire family. Should you try to do it yourself, though? Learn more about the cost, time, and skills required to build a court yourself.

When building a backyard basketball court, most people spend an average of $35,000 to hire someone to do the work. However, you could spend anywhere from a few thousand dollars to $75,000 or more. Some of the key factors that affect the cost of constructing the area to play basketball include leveling the ground, adding a base material, creating a firm surface, and, of course, the size of the area being constructed.

One of the biggest ways to save money is by DIYing the paving material as professionals pouring concrete can charge $30,000 or more to create a full-size basketball court. Understand that pouring your own concrete slab can be physically demanding work and you may want help from someone with experience. However, it is a job DIYers can do on their own with some planning and excellent site preparation. You might want to hire a pro for a half- or full-court basketball slab because of the size of the space. Understanding the differences between asphalt and concrete can be helpful in potentially saving some money if you choose to hire a pro. Asphalt averages $3 to $7 per square foot to install, while concrete costs $4 to $8 per square foot.

Most people can build a court in less than two weeks, but weather, gaining HOA approvals, and site preparation can affect the timeline. Site preparation can take around three days, for example. A full-size court with fencing and painted lines could take up to six weeks.

DIYing a backyard basketball court offers many benefits, including encouraging outdoor activity and creating lasting memories for the family. Having a paved surface in the backyard opens up opportunities for activities beyond basketball, too, such as tennis or pickleball. If your family enjoys these kinds of activities, having a dedicated space to do them in your backyard can be well worth the hassle and stress of building it.

Because you could be looking at a bill totaling tens of thousands of dollars for hiring a professional to build a basketball court, it's understandable if you decide to do some of the work yourself. But even if you level the ground on your own, you still might have to rent a skid steer loader to move dirt effectively or bring in gravel to create a compact base — which is an extra cost. But by prepping the area yourself, a company that specializes in pouring concrete slabs can often do that work faster and at a reduced cost.

Determining whether a court will fit your backyard and enhance your home's design can be a challenge. You can use inexpensive stake flags to mark the dimensions of the basketball court you're considering, helping you visualize it. If pouring concrete for a basketball court seems too permanent, you could find a flat space and save a lot of money by using interlocking tiles. Such tiles are made to go over grass temporarily, just disassemble them after playing to try to keep the grass in your backyard healthy.