Even before the pandemic, a Kirkwood resident—let’s call him Kirk—already had a bocce court and pickleball court in his spacious side yard. It made sense: He’d recently built his house with an eye toward entertaining, and both games can accommodate a range of players. By early 2020, pickleball was definitely being played at his residence, bocce less often. But when the pandemic struck, get-togethers became verboten and rec centers closed. That’s when Kirk’s pickleball court took on new importance—and became a hub of activity.
“I am shocked how much they do use it,” says Monte Herring, who built Kirk’s house and constructed the court. “They’re out there on any sunny afternoon. I drove by in October, and it was raining and I still saw him out there playing with three others.”
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Kirk is by no means the only St. Louisan to turn his yard into a rec center.
Justan Vaughn, who runs the sports construction department of the builder McConnell & Associates, says his company has seen “a very large uptick” in homeowners wanting to install sports facilities in their yards and driveways.
“It’s everything from people wanting some lines painted on their driveway to upgrading basketball courts to full-blown construction of new pickleball and tennis courts,” he reports.
The cost varies widely, depending on your project, Vaughn says. New lines on a driveway may run only $500. An overhaul of a basketball court? Perhaps $6,000 to $7,000. A brand-new pickleball court, including leveling and concrete foundation, color-coating, a fence, lighting, benches, privacy landscaping, and the net and net posts? That could run up to $35,000 and take a couple months to build.
Homeowners interested in making such moves should consider several factors, Herring and Vaughn say. One is construction permits. Some municipalities have tight rules governing the kinds of sports areas that can be installed in a yard or driveway, so it’s important to make sure your proposed project is possible in the first place. Then, assuming that permitting is no problem, another consideration is space. Obviously a driveway painted for pickleball won’t require any additional real estate, but a new pickleball court is 30 by 60 feet, minimum, and a tennis court is 60 by 120 feet. A third consideration is privacy: Fencing and landscaping can send the message, without the need for awkward interactions, that the new court is not intended for neighborhood use.
On the plus side, these kinds of projects require little maintenance once they’re in place, Vaughn says: “You’re looking at a recolor every six to eight years, depending on how much you use it and the natural weathering of the court. I’ve seen owners do it after five years and owners who do it after 10 years.”
Kirk’s new pickleball court appears to have been a worthwhile investment. After the pandemic hit, he invited his employees to come over and play. So many of them have expressed interest, they’ve established a waitlist. Says one employee: “It’s insane.”
