When I started planning my home basketball court, the hardwood flooring cost seemed straightforward until I dove in. Spoiler alert: prices made my head spin.
Research Phase Chaos
First, I Googled like a maniac for two days straight. Found tons of prices online from local dealers:
- Maple wood planks: $5.50 per square foot
- Oak options around $4.80 per square foot
- Random cheap imports at $3.20 – smelled like trouble
But surprise! Half these online prices were outdated when I called suppliers. Felt like chasing ghosts.
The Contractor Shock
Talked to three local installers. Got quotes that floored me:
- Dude with fancy truck wanted $12 per sq ft including labor
- Old-school guy quoted $9 but said “no warranties buddy”
- Corporate company hit me with $15 per sq ft – their salesman wore nicer shoes than my wedding pair
Almost gave up right there. Thought about just painting concrete gray.
Breaking Down Costs
Made this chart to stop feeling dizzy:
Basic Maple Install
- Wood planks: $3,200
- Underlayer stuff: $550
- Labor: $2,100
- Mysterious “site fees”: $300
Total for my 20×30 court: $6,150 before tax. Ouch.
Going Rogue DIY
Said screw it and bought materials myself:
Drove to lumber warehouse – grabbed maple planks at $4.25/sq ft after begging for bulk discount. Rented sander for $85/day. Watched so many YouTube tutorials my phone overheated. Messed up the first three rows completely – wood expands weird when you don’t leave gaps. Had to redo that section sweating like crazy in July heat.
Final Damage
Took two weekends and way too many bandaids. Final cost:
- Materials: $3,900
- Equipment rental: $220
- Pizza for helping friends: $137
- My sanity: priceless
Courts playable now but feels slightly uneven near free throw line. Would I DIY again? Maybe for smaller projects. Just know – when they say “pro install recommended”, they ain’t kidding.
