Starting My Indoor Court Journey
Got this crazy idea last winter when freezing rain canceled basketball league games twice. Thought – why not build my own court in that old warehouse space behind my garage? Grabbed my laptop and searched “indoor sport court costs” expecting simple answers. Big mistake!
The Shocking Price Hunt
First quote blew my mind – $58,000 just for basic flooring! The dude said “regulation polyurethane surface” like it was normal. Called three more places:
- Mid-range sports company wanted $42k but skipped wall padding
- Cheap contractor offered $15k but warned me the concrete base wasn’t included
- High-end designer quoted $110k with “pro lighting package” – almost choked
My Budget Reality Check
Stared at my $20k savings and almost gave up. Then found this local guy renovating closed gyms. He came over, scratched his chin saying “I can salvage stuff”. We drove to a bankrupt fitness center auction and scored:
- Used maple planks – $3,200
- Scuffed padding – $500
- Scoreboard missing 2 digits – free throw-in!
Installation Nightmares
Thought hardest part was over. Wrong! Warehouse floor had dips like lunar surface. Spent days leveling concrete ourselves. Almost divorced my wife when we argued about three-point line placement. Humidity warped first ten planks – had to return them sweating bullets.
The Final Tally
After six months of chaos:
- Flooring + padding: $4,700
- Paint lines + equipment: $280
- Hoops + nets: $1,100
- Lighting (LED shop lights): $300
- My sanity: priceless and gone
Total around $6,400 after blood sweat tears. Not tournament quality but our neighborhood runs 3v3 tournaments every Friday. Should’ve listened when friends said “just join a gym”. But man, hearing that squeak sneakers on your own court? Magic.
