The Big Splurge: Indoor Basketball Courts for True Hoops Fans
Would you love a place at home to shoot free throws and play pickup games year-round? Take a look at the possibilities
Brenna Malmberg
April 2, 2017
You may not be practicing for the NCAA basketball tournament or getting ready for the NBA playoffs, but a person can dream. That dream could feel a little more like reality if you had an indoor basketball court. This is definitely a splurge for the true basketball fanatic, because this type of space is usually an addition, rather than converting an existing space into a basketball room.
Project: Build an indoor basketball court as an addition to your home
It’s a good project for you if: You or family members enjoy playing basketball and you live in a climate that doesn’t allow you to play outside all the time. As someone who works and lives in Minnesota, Andy Schrader, president of Schrader & Cos., knows the problem weather can pose to a good game of basketball all too well. “It’s a good place for the kids to burn off some energy,” Schrader says. “Adults definitely enjoy it too.”
It’s a good project for you if: You or family members enjoy playing basketball and you live in a climate that doesn’t allow you to play outside all the time. As someone who works and lives in Minnesota, Andy Schrader, president of Schrader & Cos., knows the problem weather can pose to a good game of basketball all too well. “It’s a good place for the kids to burn off some energy,” Schrader says. “Adults definitely enjoy it too.”
Cost range: This addition will cost anywhere from $150,000 to $250,000 and up. This includes all the indoor features, exterior finishes and labor.
Typical project length: Once construction begins, a typical project lasts about four to five months.
Best time to start: If you live in a colder climate, Schrader recommends breaking ground on the project during warmer months to avoid digging through hard, frosted soil.
Typical project length: Once construction begins, a typical project lasts about four to five months.
Best time to start: If you live in a colder climate, Schrader recommends breaking ground on the project during warmer months to avoid digging through hard, frosted soil.
Whom to hire: This project involves building an addition to your home, so it’s a major construction project. You can convert a space into a court, but many times a home doesn’t already have a room that’s large or tall enough. If you do have a space you think is large enough, such as a garage, talk to a professional about how it could be converted.
Search for people in your area who have built an indoor basketball court before. But if you can’t find someone who has done one, Schrader says, most design-build firms have the skills and knowledge to plan and build this type of home addition.
Search for people in your area who have built an indoor basketball court before. But if you can’t find someone who has done one, Schrader says, most design-build firms have the skills and knowledge to plan and build this type of home addition.
Design considerations: You most likely want this addition to blend into the rest of your home, Schrader says. Consider how your home will look from the outside and inside. On the inside, you probably only need a doorway that leads to the space, he says, but you’ll want it in a convenient location that doesn’t disrupt the regular flow of your home.
Permit: Typically required for a home addition or major remodel.
Building Permits: When a Permit Is Required and When It’s Not
Permit: Typically required for a home addition or major remodel.
Building Permits: When a Permit Is Required and When It’s Not
Size: The sizes can vary from a small space that’s great for shooting free throws to a full court. The above court is about 20 by 27 feet and features part of a 3-point arc. The ceiling in an indoor gym is typically 16 feet or higher.
Common court materials:
Common court materials:
- Hardwood: This is the most common indoor basketball court material, with maple being the most traditional. Other great hardwoods include oak and walnut. “You get that great squeak of the sneakers on hardwood,” Schrader says. This type of flooring costs about $10 to $15 per square foot.
- Vinyl: Vinyl tiles (shown above) are made from a composite material and lock together to create a court surface. They can be a little slippery, especially when compared with the hardwood floor. They range in price from $3 to $7 per square foot, making them the cheaper option.
Basketball hoop considerations: The first question is whether you want the height of your hoop to be adjustable. If you have small children, an adjustable hoop is a great option, Schrader says, because many can be lowered all the way down to 7 feet. As the child grows, you can raise the hoop to regulation height (10 feet). High-quality wall-mounted hoops range in price from $1,200 to $2,000.
Depending on the hoop you pick, your design professional will need to design the wall so that it can safely support the basketball hoop system.
Window considerations: If your indoor court will have windows, use tempered glass. Next, you need to decide whether they will open or not. While the fresh air can be nice, window latches and openers can get broken off by a bouncing basketball, Schrader says.
Depending on the hoop you pick, your design professional will need to design the wall so that it can safely support the basketball hoop system.
Window considerations: If your indoor court will have windows, use tempered glass. Next, you need to decide whether they will open or not. While the fresh air can be nice, window latches and openers can get broken off by a bouncing basketball, Schrader says.
Safety: Padding under the hoop and along the walls is recommended. “When kids go in for a layup, they tend to go hard,” he says. This added padding helps keep them safe during a game or while practicing their skills.
Maintenance: General maintenance, such as mopping the floors, helps keep the court looking great. Every few years you might also want to repaint the walls to cover up scuffs from the basketball, Schrader says. If you regularly maintain it, it will last a lifetime.
For the court specifically, Schrader says you may need to sand and refinish a hardwood floor every five to six years, depending on use. If vinyl tiles get worn, they can be replaced.
Maintenance: General maintenance, such as mopping the floors, helps keep the court looking great. Every few years you might also want to repaint the walls to cover up scuffs from the basketball, Schrader says. If you regularly maintain it, it will last a lifetime.
For the court specifically, Schrader says you may need to sand and refinish a hardwood floor every five to six years, depending on use. If vinyl tiles get worn, they can be replaced.
Personalization: You can make your home court unique by adding colors and logos to just about any surface in the space, Schrader says. His company has done courts with murals of a crowd on the wall and many that have an NBA, college or high school basketball theme. Schrader & Cos. staff are completing a Los Angeles Lakers-themed court right now.
Extras: The most common accessories include TVs, speakers, ball racks and scoreboards.
More practically, you can include fans and heating and cooling units to keep the space more comfortable while you play, Schrader says.
Other uses: This space doesn’t have to be just for hoops. You can add soccer goals, a rock-climbing wall, volleyball nets, a tennis wall or a golf simulator. This large, open space also works great for parties and large gatherings.
Find professional basketball court or hoop installers or design-build firms in your area.
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More practically, you can include fans and heating and cooling units to keep the space more comfortable while you play, Schrader says.
Other uses: This space doesn’t have to be just for hoops. You can add soccer goals, a rock-climbing wall, volleyball nets, a tennis wall or a golf simulator. This large, open space also works great for parties and large gatherings.
Find professional basketball court or hoop installers or design-build firms in your area.
More
Houzz Call: Show Us Your Basketball Hoop
The 10 Most Popular Places to Lift Weights in 2016
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Love basketball of course but would also love seeing more baseball items on Houzz (like indoor batting cages!) :)
When our client requested an almost full size court, we utilized the wood glulam beam structure required for the large span into an architectural element.
We also included a matching locker room!