How do you choose the right contractor for a padel court?

Building a padel court is a major investment, and choosing the right contractor largely determines whether it turns out well or badly. Whether you want to expand a sports hall, modernise a tennis club or open a commercial padel venue: the market is full of suppliers that all look the same at first glance. This article helps you ask the right questions, make the right choices and avoid common mistakes.

What exactly does a contractor for a padel court do?

A contractor for a padel court handles the entire construction process, from groundwork to handover. This covers the groundwork and foundation, the production and installation of the steel structure, the glass around the court, the artificial turf, the LED lighting and the installation. Depending on the supplier, they do this themselves or coordinate several subcontractors.

That last point is an important distinction. Many suppliers in the padel market are in fact coordinators: they buy the cage structure in Spain, hire an installation team and order the artificial turf from a third party. The client then has to deal with several parties. If something goes wrong, the question is who is responsible. A contractor who has everything in their own hands gives you one point of contact and one party responsible for the entire project.

A full-fledged padel court contractor delivers at least the following:

• Advice and bespoke work based on your location
• Groundwork and foundation (matched to the soil conditions and situation)
• Steel structure and cage structure
• Glass around the court
• Artificial turf including sand bed and lines
• LED lighting
• Full installation and handover

Optional components, such as sound-absorbing panels or noise barriers, are also part of a complete supplier's offering, although not every party is able to integrate them structurally. More on that later.

Which questions should you ask a padel court contractor?

The most important questions to ask a padel court contractor concern responsibility, certification, warranty and bespoke work. Who supplies what, who is liable if something goes wrong, and are the materials certified for professional use? Those answers tell you more than a quote alone.

Use the questions below as a checklist in every conversation with a potential contractor:

About the project and the organisation

• Do you produce the steel structure yourself, or do you buy it in? This determines your dependence on delivery times and the scope for bespoke work.
• Who carries out the installation, your own people or subcontractors? With subcontractors, the division of responsibility is less clear.
• What exactly is included in the quote, and what is not? Foundation, permit support and LED lighting are not always included as standard.

About quality and certification

• Have the foundation materials been approved by Kiwa ISA Sport? In the Netherlands, this is mandatory for certified padel courts. Foundation components must meet the Kiwa ISA Sport standards. An inexperienced contractor who doesn't know this can unintentionally put you in non-conformity.
• Do the courts meet the requirements of NOC*NSF? Relevant if you want to organise official competitions.
• What warranty do you give on the steel structure? The period and the exact terms say a lot about confidence in their own quality.

About planning and process

• What is the expected lead time from quote to handover? On average this is 10 to 12 weeks, including production.
• Can you support the permit process? Not every contractor offers this, but it can save you a lot of time and mistakes.
• How do you deal with noise solutions if the municipality requires them? This requires specific structural knowledge and not every supplier can handle it.

What does it cost to have a padel court built?

The cost of building a padel court varies greatly by type, location and specification. As an indication, an indoor padel court is possible turnkey from around €23,000 per court, including steel structure, glass, artificial turf, LED lighting and installation. A complete outdoor padel court, including foundation, starts on average from around €50,000.

Indoor padel court

For an indoor padel court, the costs are relatively predictable. The foundation is simpler, the steel structure does not need to be as heavy and the weather plays no role. The final price depends on the type of court (Pro, Panorama or Single), the number of courts you have built and the specific options you choose. With several courts, you get economies of scale in production and installation.

Outdoor padel court

Outdoors, the foundation is the biggest cost factor. Depending on the soil conditions, the wind zone and the accessibility of the site, foundation costs average between €20,000 and €40,000. The superstructure of an outdoor padel court, the cage structure, the glass, the artificial turf and the LED lighting, starts as an indication from around €30,000. Bear in mind that an outdoor court requires a heavier steel structure because of wind load and the weather.

Watch out with the lowest price

A common mistake is to compare on price alone. In practice, the cheapest supplier regularly leads to higher costs in the long term: through lower-quality materials, limited warranty or a structure that is not tailored to the specific location. Always ask what exactly is in the quote and what is not.

What is the difference between a turnkey supplier and a supply-only delivery?

A turnkey supplier handles the complete project, from design to handover. The client doesn't have to arrange anything. Supply-only delivery means the contractor supplies only the necessary components, such as the steel structure, glass, artificial turf and LED lighting, but leaves the installation to the client.

Which option fits best depends on your situation:

• Turnkey is the most logical choice for most clients in the Netherlands. You have one contact person, one responsible party and one warranty on the whole. Groundwork, foundation, structure, glass, artificial turf, LED lighting and installation all fall under one roof. This avoids discussions about liability if something goes wrong between two parties.
• Supply-only delivery is relevant for parties with their own installation capabilities, such as construction companies or international buyers with their own crews. In Germany, for example, many parties prefer to work with their own construction teams and only buy the materials from a reliable supplier.

One point to note with supply-only delivery: make sure you are certain that the party carrying out the installation is familiar with the specific structural requirements of a padel court. Errors in installation are hard to fix afterwards and can invalidate warranties.

Which foundation type is best for a padel court?

There is no universally best foundation type for a padel court. The right choice depends on the location, the soil conditions, the use and the budget. The three most commonly used solutions are drainage concrete, Supersub and ZOAB asphalt, each with its own characteristics.

Drainage concrete

Drainage concrete is a water-permeable concrete floor in which rainwater drains directly through the foundation into the ground. It is one of the most widely used solutions for outdoor padel courts. Drainage concrete is stable, has a high load-bearing capacity and lasts an average of 25 to 40 years with correct use and maintenance. For padel courts, drainage concrete is often combined with a ring foundation with steel reinforcement to properly absorb the forces from the steel structure and wind load.

Supersub

Supersub is a foundation solution based on foam concrete, a light and self-levelling type of concrete that provides a flat and stable base. It is shock-absorbing, water-permeable (in the outdoor variant) and can handle up to 500 mm of rainfall per hour. Supersub is also fully recyclable and requires less transport and raw materials than traditional foundations. The thickness varies from around 10 cm for renovation to around 15 cm for new builds, depending on the soil conditions.

ZOAB asphalt

ZOAB asphalt (open asphalt concrete) is a porous type of asphalt that lets water through. It is less common for padel courts than drainage concrete or Supersub, but can be a good option in certain situations, for example at locations where asphalt fits the surroundings better or in specific soil conditions.

What determines the choice?

A good contractor always draws up foundation advice based on cone penetration tests, a soil investigation that maps the load-bearing capacity and composition of the subsoil. Without this investigation, responsible foundation advice is not possible. Also make sure that all foundation components in the Netherlands have been approved by Kiwa ISA Sport. This is a legal requirement for certified padel courts and protects you as a client against materials that do not meet the applicable standards.

How do you recognise a reliable padel court structure?

You recognise a reliable padel court structure by the combination of certified materials, a structural calculation per location and a demonstrable warranty on the steel structure. Courts that meet the requirements of NOC*NSF and Kiwa ISA Sport are suitable for professional use and official competitions.

Look out for the following characteristics:

• Certification: All courts that qualify for competitive sport must be inspected by Kiwa ISA Sport after handover. A contractor who doesn't mention this or cannot facilitate it is a red flag.
• Safety glass: Use only toughened safety glass of at least 10 mm thick. For Panorama versions, 12 mm is the standard. The glass must not touch the ground, which prevents moss growth and ensures faster drying on outdoor courts.
• Steel structure: For outdoor courts, a hot-dip galvanised steel structure is the standard. This protects the steel from rust and the weather. Always ask about the specifications and the warranty period.
• Structural calculation: Every location has different wind load, soil conditions and spatial circumstances. A reliable structure is always calculated for the specific situation and is not a standard product put up everywhere.
• Warranty on the steel structure: A longer warranty period is an indication of confidence in their own production quality. Always ask what exactly the warranty covers and what it does not. Coating, artificial turf and LED lighting usually have their own warranty terms.

What are the most common mistakes when choosing a padel court contractor?

The most common mistakes when choosing a padel court contractor are: comparing on price alone, not probing on responsibilities, underestimating the foundation and thinking about noise and permits too late. Each of these mistakes can lead to delays, extra costs or legal problems.

Mistake 1: Looking only at the lowest price

A low price is attractive, but says little about what is actually being supplied. Always ask what is in the quote and what is not. Foundation, permit support and noise solutions are not always included as standard. A quote that seems €5,000 cheaper can on closer inspection turn out considerably more expensive if you still have to arrange those components separately.

Mistake 2: Not probing on responsibility

If a contractor works with several subcontractors, the question is who is responsible if something goes wrong. Always record this contractually. Also ask who the point of contact is during and after construction, and how complaints are handled.

Mistake 3: Underestimating the foundation

Many clients focus on the superstructure, the cage structure, the glass and the artificial turf, and forget that the foundation is the basis for everything. A poor foundation leads to settlement, tilting and ultimately damage to the structure. Always have a soil investigation carried out and make sure the foundation materials have been approved by Kiwa ISA Sport.

Mistake 4: Including noise too late in the design

Padel produces more noise than tennis. The ball hitting glass and steel, combined with the cage structure acting as a sound box, results in an average sound power level of around 91 dB. At locations near residential areas, an acoustic study is almost always required. Sound-absorbing panels must be structurally integrated into the cage structure. The steel structure must be reinforced for this. Adapting this afterwards is possible, but it is easier and cheaper to include it in the design from the start.

Mistake 5: Applying for permits too late

An environmental permit for an outdoor padel court takes an average of 8 to 12 weeks, depending on the municipality and the complexity of the project. Anyone who only starts the permit application after the quote has been signed quickly runs months behind. Include the permit process in your planning from the moment you start seriously exploring your options.

At I-Padel, we guide the entire process of building padel courts, from initial exploration to handover. We produce the steel structure entirely ourselves, work exclusively with certified materials and are happy to think along with you about foundation, noise and permits. We are happy to think along with you, without obligation. Get in touch for an initial conversation.

Frequently asked questions