# How long does it take to build a padel court? > How long a padel court takes to build depends mostly on the permit. The project runs through a site survey and quote, engineering and permitting, groundworks and the slab, factory production of the court, installation, then lighting and commissioning. The permit is the least predictable step because each city or county runs its own review, and a new slab must cure before anchoring. Source: https://www.padelbackers.com/fr/blog/how-long-does-it-take-to-build-a-padel-court Published: 2026-11-12 Author: titouan-desveaux · Reviewed by: ulysse-pauchon on 2026-10-27 Market: US --- ## What are the steps to build a padel court? **Building a padel court takes six steps: site survey and quote, engineering and permit, groundworks and slab, factory production of the court, installation on site, then lighting and commissioning.** Most of the calendar for a padel court is spent before anyone works on site, mainly waiting for the permit. A padel court is a 20 × 10 m playing area, per the FIP Rules of Padel (2026 edition), enclosed by glass and mesh walls and anchored to a concrete slab. Some steps can overlap. The court is made in a factory, so it can be ordered while the permit is under review, if you accept the risk of a refusal or a redesign. Other steps cannot be compressed: the slab has to be finished and cured before the structure is anchored, and power has to be connected before the lights can be tested. The total depends on your site and your jurisdiction. A fixed number of weeks quoted before anyone has seen the site or checked the local rules has nothing behind it. ## How long do the site survey and quote take for a padel court? **The site survey and quote for a padel court move as fast as the owner can supply the address, the number of courts, indoor or outdoor use, and the current condition of the ground.** A recent survey, site photos and drawings of any existing slab cut the back and forth with the builder. An existing tennis court or parking lot can shorten later phases if its slab is sound, but somebody has to verify that first. Coring or testing an old slab adds a step at the start and can save you from finding a problem during installation. Our guide to [converting a tennis court](/padel-court-conversion/tennis-court) covers what gets checked. For indoor projects, the survey also confirms clear height. The FIP Rules of Padel (2026 edition) require at least 6 m above the whole court and suggest 8 m for new facilities. ## Why is the permit the hardest step to predict when building a padel court? **The permit is the hardest step to predict because the city or county building department sets the review time for a padel court, and the owner and the builder have little control over it.** Each jurisdiction has its own workload, its own number of reviewing departments and its own rounds of comments, so the same file can move quickly in one town and slowly in the next. A padel court with 4 m (about 13 ft) back walls, the height set by the FIP Rules of Padel (2026 edition), often goes through zoning review as well as building review, and a lighting plan may be requested to check light spill toward neighbors. The engineering has to be ready before you apply: a site plan, anchoring or structural calculations for the enclosure, and an electrical and lighting plan. Each round of reviewer comments means revisions and a resubmission. A private court in a community with an HOA may also need the association's approval first. A call with the local building department before you apply is the best way to learn what they expect and how long their reviews usually take. ## How long does a concrete slab need to cure before a padel court is installed? **A concrete slab is typically cured for 3 to 7 days, kept above 50°F (10°C), according to the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association's CIP 11 guidance (2017 revision); the slab design and the padel court manufacturer then set when anchoring can start.** Cold weather slows strength gain, so a winter pour for a padel court takes longer. The NRMCA's [guidance on curing in-place concrete](https://www.nrmca.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/11pr.pdf) also says curing should continue for the period the project specification requires. Curing is only part of the wait: ask your engineer and your court supplier to confirm the anchoring date in writing. The slab also has to be flat. The FIP Rules of Padel (2026 edition) allow level differences under 3 mm measured with a 3 m straightedge and limit the cross slope to 1% on surfaces without drainage. Grading, drainage and the electrical conduit for the lights all have to be finished before the pour, so this phase grows when the ground needs a lot of preparation. ## How long does it take to install a padel court on site? **Installing a padel court on site is usually the most predictable phase, but its length depends on the number of courts, the weather and delivery access, and it cannot start until the factory-made court has arrived.** Court structures, glass panels and turf are produced in a factory, and lead time depends on the manufacturer's order book and on shipping. Confirm a delivery date before you schedule the crew. Glass panels need a clear route for the truck and the handling equipment, and wind or rain can stop glass work and turf laying. Several courts on one site share mobilization, but each one still has to be assembled, leveled and finished. With our [turnkey installation](/turnkey), the slab, the court and the lighting are planned as one schedule, which avoids gaps between trades. ## What happens between padel court installation and opening day? **Between installation and opening day, a padel court still needs its lighting powered and tested, its electrical work inspected and, indoors, the building's final sign-off, and these steps often set the opening date.** A new electrical service or utility connection has its own lead time with the power company. The FIP Rules of Padel (2026 edition) place the bottom of the light fixtures at least 6 m above the ground, one reason lighting is often reviewed with the permit. Poles and fixtures are usually inspected along with the electrical work, and light levels and uniformity can be checked once the lights are on. Indoors, the building may need a final inspection before the public can use it. Build these sign-offs into your opening date, and wait for the inspector's visit before you announce an opening event. ## How do you get a construction schedule for your padel court? **A realistic padel court schedule starts from your site, so send us your city, the number of courts, the current condition of the ground or slab, indoor or outdoor use, and your target opening date.** Photos and any existing drawings help us check the site faster. We will tell you which phases can run in parallel, what the local permit process is likely to involve, and what has to be decided first. Budget ranges for each phase are in our [padel court cost guide](/padel-court-cost). [Send us your project details](/contact) to get a plan for your site. --- ## Citable figures Each figure below carries its primary source and the year it applies to. If you quote one, quote the year with it. A tax figure without a year goes stale in silence. - **20 × 10 m**: Interior dimensions of a padel court, which the slab must accommodate along with the enclosure and access. Source: [International Padel Federation, Rules of Padel](https://www.padelfip.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FIP_Rules-of-Padel.pdf), 2026. - **< 3 mm over 3 m**: Maximum difference in court surface level, measured with a 3 m straightedge. Source: [International Padel Federation, Rules of Padel](https://www.padelfip.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FIP_Rules-of-Padel.pdf), 2026. - **6 m**: Minimum clear height above the whole court for indoor play, with 8 m suggested for new facilities. Source: [International Padel Federation, Rules of Padel](https://www.padelfip.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FIP_Rules-of-Padel.pdf), 2026. - **6 m**: Minimum height from the ground to the bottom of the light fixtures. Source: [International Padel Federation, Rules of Padel](https://www.padelfip.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FIP_Rules-of-Padel.pdf), 2026. --- ## Questions and answers **Can I order a padel court before the permit is approved?** Yes, many owners order a padel court before the permit is approved, because the court is made in a factory and has its own lead time. The risk is a refused permit or a forced redesign. Discuss that risk with your builder and the local building department before placing the order. **Does reusing an existing slab make a padel court project faster?** Reusing an existing slab can shorten a padel court project if the slab fits the 20 × 10 m court plus access, is flat within the FIP Rules of Padel (2026) tolerance of 3 mm over 3 m, drains properly and can take the anchors. If it needs repairs or a new topping, the time saved shrinks. **Is an indoor padel court quicker to build than an outdoor one?** An indoor padel court is not necessarily quicker to build. Indoors, weather does not delay installation, but the building needs at least 6 m of clear height under the FIP Rules of Padel (2026) and may need its own permit, inspection or change of use. Outdoors, drainage and lighting usually take more work. **Can a padel court go on asphalt instead of concrete?** Whether a padel court can go on asphalt or another base is for the court manufacturer and your engineer to decide, since the base must meet the anchoring requirements and the FIP Rules of Padel (2026) flatness tolerance of 3 mm over 3 m. Settle it before you plan the schedule around it. **Can a builder guarantee a padel court opening date?** No responsible builder can guarantee a padel court opening date before the permit is issued, because review times are set by the city or county. Once the permit is in hand and the court has a confirmed delivery date, the remaining phases are much easier to plan. --- ## About the publisher Padel Backers builds and finances padel courts and leases them over 84 months, with site works quoted separately. Figures on this page are indicative and are not tax advice. Contact: https://www.padelbackers.com/contact