If you are thinking about opening a court, the price you can charge is shaped partly by competition and partly by what it costs to keep the lights on and the surface playable. Here is a realistic breakdown for a single outdoor court in a Philippine municipality like Polomolok.
Surface and paint
A basic concrete court with sport-coating paint runs ₱60,000 to ₱120,000 to build from scratch depending on the finish. Resurfacing and repaint every two years costs roughly ₱15,000 to ₱30,000. Some owners use an existing concrete slab and just add the lines and net posts, which brings the initial cost down significantly.
Net and posts
A tournament-quality portable pickleball net system costs ₱3,000 to ₱7,000. Permanent post installations run ₱5,000 to ₱12,000 including the concrete work. Nets need replacing every two to three years of regular use.
Floodlights
LED floodlights for a single court cost ₱15,000 to ₱30,000 installed. The electricity bill for two to three hours of night play nightly runs about ₱2,500 to ₱4,000 a month depending on your Meralco or SOCOTECO rate. Owners typically price evening slots a little higher partly to recover this cost — which is one reason rates vary with lighting.
What you need to earn
A single outdoor court running six hours a day at 60% occupancy earns roughly ₱21,600 a month at ₱200 an hour. That covers electricity, minor maintenance, and some labor — but not the surface amortisation. At modest outdoor rates, break-even on a modestly capitalized court is realistic within two to three years. Indoor air-conditioned courts carry higher overhead and price accordingly, which is why rates generally rise as you move from budget open-air to covered to indoor aircon.
| Court type | Main cost drivers | Relative hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Budget open-air | Surface and net only; no lighting or cover | Lowest |
| Covered / floodlit | Roof or cover, floodlights, higher electricity | Mid |
| Indoor aircon | Building, aircon, lighting, higher fixed overhead | Highest |
The online booking effect
Walk-in courts typically run 40–50% occupancy because casual drop-ins are unpredictable. Courts that take advance online bookings tend to run higher because people lock in their slots early and actually show up. That occupancy difference alone is the financial argument for listing online, separate from any platform fee. When ReservePolomolok goes live, owners will be able to take Maya, QR Ph, or card payments and manage availability in one place.
