How to plan the construction of a padel court so members experience as little disruption as possible

Building a padel court requires more planning than most clubs expect. Not because the construction process is so complicated, but because the timing and communication around the work directly determine how much disruption members experience. A well-prepared build need hardly clash with the day-to-day use of the facility. Below you will find a practical overview of everything you need to know to make construction run smoothly.

How long does it take to build a padel court on average?

Installing a padel court takes an average of 3 to 4 days per court. The total process, including production, delivery and installation, takes an average of 10 to 12 weeks. If you also include the permit process, you quickly end up at 5 to 6 months for a complete outdoor project.

Those 10 to 12 weeks are made up of several phases: the production of the steel structure, transport, the foundation work and finally the installation itself. For an indoor court in an existing hall the process can be shorter, because the foundation is less complex. For an outdoor court the soil conditions play a major role and preparation can take more time.

Important to know: installation on site is relatively quick. Allow two days for the cage structure and one to two days for the artificial turf. Most of the time goes into preparation, not into the building itself. Anyone who understands that also plans better.

What phases are there in the construction process of a padel court?

The construction process of a padel court consists of five consecutive phases: preparation and permit, groundwork and foundation, installation of the steel structure, installation of glass and artificial turf, and finally the LED lighting and completion. Each phase has its own lead time and dependencies.

Phase 1: Preparation and permit

Before a single spade goes into the ground, the permit application must have been submitted. For outdoor courts an environmental permit is almost always mandatory. The average processing time at a municipality is 8 to 12 weeks. During this phase the structural calculations, the acoustic study and the site plan are also prepared.

Phase 2: Groundwork and foundation

The foundation is the most location-dependent phase. Depending on the soil conditions, the choice is drainage concrete (a water-permeable concrete floor that drains rainwater directly), Supersub (a lightweight foam concrete that can be poured in as little as one day) or ZOAB asphalt (a porous asphalt variant). This phase is also the most burdensome for the immediate surroundings: machines are on site, the ground is worked and there is construction traffic.

Phase 3: Steel structure and glass

After the foundation comes the installation of the cage structure. This goes quickly: two days for the steel structure, after which the glass walls are installed. This is the most visible phase for members and bystanders.

Phase 4: Artificial turf and finishing

Laying the artificial turf takes one to two days. After that comes the installation of the LED lighting and any additional components, such as sound-absorbing panels.

Phase 5: Completion and inspection

After completion, an inspection follows. For official matches, an inspection by Kiwa ISA Sport is mandatory. Kiwa ISA Sport is the recognised inspection body in the Netherlands for sports infrastructure. All foundation components must meet their standards. Anyone who works with certified materials avoids surprises at this inspection.

When is the best time to build a padel court?

The best time to build a padel court is from October through February. Outside the busy season, court occupancy is lower, there are fewer active members and the disruption for the club is minimal. In addition, contractors and construction crews are generally more available in this period.

For tennis clubs that are also active in winter, things are different. In that case spring, in April or May, offers the best balance: the summer season has not yet started, but the weather is stable enough for outdoor work. Note: for outdoor courts, a period of frost is a risk factor for foundation work. Always discuss this with the contractor.

Do you want the court ready for the new season? Then plan backwards. If you want to play in May, the permit application must have been submitted in November or December. That sounds early, but lead times are long enough to surprise you if you start too late.

How do you, as a club, communicate the construction period to members?

Good communication about the construction period starts early, is honest about the disruption and gives members a clear picture of the end date. Use several channels at the same time: a newsletter, a message on the club website, a post on social media and a notice in the changing rooms or clubhouse.

Make sure you share the following information:

• The start date of the work and the expected end date.
• Which courts or facilities will be temporarily unavailable.
• Which alternative courts or times remain available.
• Who members can contact with questions.

Also communicate along the way. A short message halfway through the build, with a photo of the progress, keeps members engaged instead of frustrated. People accept disruption better when they feel they are being kept in the loop.

Be realistic about the schedule. Give an end date you can deliver on, not the most optimistic version. A court that is ready two weeks later than promised feels like a failure. A court that is ready on time feels like a success, even if the construction itself was messy.

What are the biggest sources of disruption during the construction of a padel court?

The three biggest sources of disruption during the construction of a padel court are construction traffic and machinery during the groundwork, noise during the installation of the steel structure and limited access to adjacent courts or facilities. The foundation phase is generally the most burdensome period for the surroundings.

In concrete terms, you can allow for the following:

• Groundwork: excavators, lorries with building materials and pouring concrete cause noise, vibrations and mud on the access roads.
• Steel structure: installing the cage structure involves hammering noises and sometimes a crane that takes up space on the site.
• Barriers: a safety zone around the building site is mandatory, which means adjacent courts may be temporarily inaccessible.
• Dust and dirt: in dry weather, groundwork can cause dust that spreads across the site.

Installing the artificial turf and the LED lighting are relatively quiet phases. Anyone who schedules the most disruptive work outside peak hours limits the nuisance considerably.

How do you make sure other courts remain accessible during construction?

Other courts remain accessible by clearly fencing off the building site, separating routes for construction traffic from the routes for members, and phasing the work so that not everything is blocked at once. Discuss this with the contractor in advance and record it in the schedule.

A number of practical measures help:

• Agree with the contractor at which times heavy equipment will be present and align this with moments when few members are at the club.
• Provide a clear route for construction traffic that does not run past the existing courts or changing rooms.
• Mark the safety zone around the building site with fences or tape, so members know where they may not go.
• If several courts are built at the same time, phase the work per court so that part of the facility is always available.

For larger projects, such as building four or more courts, it pays to draw up a temporary playing schedule. That way everyone knows in advance which courts are available and members can adjust their training sessions without being caught off guard.

What do you need to arrange before construction starts to prevent delays?

To prevent delays, before construction starts you should have arranged at least the following: an irrevocable environmental permit, an approved structural calculation, a final construction order with a fixed start date and a site check for the foundation. Anyone who picks up one of these items too late risks weeks of delay.

A handy checklist for the preparation:

1. Permit: submit the application in good time. Allow 8 to 12 weeks of processing time at the municipality. Without an irrevocable permit, construction may not start.
2. Structural calculation: have the steel structure calculated based on the specific site, including wind load and any sound-absorbing panels. This is not standard work.
3. Soil investigation: have a cone penetration test carried out to determine the soil conditions. This is the basis for the foundation advice.
4. Utility connections: make sure electricity is available for the LED lighting. Arrange this well in advance with the grid operator.
5. Material certification: check that all foundation components have been inspected by Kiwa ISA Sport. Non-certified materials are not permitted for competition use and can lead to rejection at the final inspection.
6. Communication plan: draw up a communication plan for members before construction starts, not afterwards.

Anyone who has all these points in order before the start date avoids the most common causes of delay. For building a padel court, we at I-Padel guide the entire process, from permit application to completion. We are happy to advise you without obligation on the planning and the possibilities for your site.

Frequently asked questions