Installing shade at your school? Researching covered outdoor learning areas? Applying for a grant? Budgeting for a basketball court cover?
How much does it cost to build a basketball court cover?
More and more schools across Australia are investing in and installing semi-permanent and permanent shade structures for their students, from shade sails to basketball court covers.
This is driven by state government policies on UV and shade protection, such as the Victorian Government’s Department of Education and Training policy which states:
“It is important to ensure that there are sufficient shelters and trees to adequately shade the school grounds, particularly in the following spaces:
- the canteen
- outdoor lesson areas
- popular play areas
- assembly areas
- sporting grounds/pools.”
Furthermore, as the Cancer Council states, “schools are uniquely placed to educate about sun protection behaviour, minimise UVR exposure and ultimately reduce a student’s lifetime risk of skin cancer.”
Choosing to build a basketball court cover to provide a shaded area for your students brings many other benefits. This includes encouraging exercise and outdoor activity all year round.
Basketball court covers are also a versatile and budget-friendly investment. (Learn all about these benefits, here)
Budgeting is an important consideration for these projects, particularly if your school is privately funded or if the school is applying for a grant.
To help you create your budget we have created a price guide for the cost to build a basketball court cover.
How Much Does It Cost To Build A Basketball Court Cover?
In 2023, basketball court cover builds have ranged in price from $80,000 to $600,000, with the average project costing about $200,000 including GST, footings and installation.
This does cover a wide range of projects with varying sizes and designs though.
For a more accurate price indication, check out the list below.
2023 Basketball Court Cover Sizes & Prices
This list includes sizes and designs that have been popular for basketball court covers and covered outdoor learning areas (also known as a C.O.L.A) in 2023.
We have also included a price range of how much you can expect to pay for a similar project.
These prices include GST, footings and installation.
Please note they are indicative prices only and do not take the place of a formal quote.
- A 30m x 18m x 4.5m roof-only school shade cover with gable infills costs approx. $75,000 – $95,000.
- A 36m x 18m x 6m roof-only school shade cover with gable infills costs approx. $110,000 – $135,000.
- A 36m x 21m x 7.5m school shade cover with two walls enclosed costs approx. $130,000 – $160,000.
- A 36m x 30m x 5.25m school shade cover with gable infills and partial walls costs approx. $205,000 – $250,000.
- A 40m x 36m x 5.25m roof-only school shade cover costs approx. $190,000 – $230,000.
As you can see, sizes and designs vary, and therefore there is variation in prices between projects.
Next up we discuss the main factors that influence project prices.
Factors That Influence The Cost to Build A Basketball Court Cover
There are four main factors that influence how much a project will cost. These are the size of the project, how complex the project is, the design features included and the materials used.
Keep reading for an overview of each of these factors.
1. Size
The size of a build will influence the cost of a build simply because the bigger the basketball court cover or covered outdoor learning area, the more material and labour required.
2. Complexity
The complexity of the project can increase project costs.
For example, limited site access or existing infrastructure nearby can make installation more difficult and can increase the installation price.
There may also be some council requirements such as specifying Colorbond cladding to match in with the surroundings rather than zinc cladding. This will increase material costs.
3. Design
The design of a basketball court cover directly impacts the project costs.
Design features such as gable infills, partially clad walls and skylights can all increase the price of a project.
However, these features help create a functional design and will allow the cover to be used in rain, hail and shine.
A poorly designed facility will be more expensive in the long run too!
4. Materials
Materials are a major contributor to the cost of a basketball court cover. Materials costs include structural steel, cladding and hot dip galvanising.
Our basketball court covers are manufactured from Australian-made steel including heavy-duty UB columns and open web trusses. While steel prices are lower post-Covid, Australian-made steel typically costs more than imported steel. (You can learn about 2023 steel prices, here.)
This means that you can expect to pay more for an Action Steel basketball court cover than a cover manufactured from imported steel.
Keep in mind though, that Australian-made steel is the highest quality steel available due to the high standards and quality control in place in Australian manufacturing.
Similarly, the cladding on our builds is also Australian-made.
The three cladding options we offer are zinc cladding, galvanised cladding and Colorbond cladding. Zinc cladding is the most cost-effective, however, Colorbond cladding is commonly used for school projects to match in with the existing buildings. It can also be a council requirement.
Finally, the other material cost to consider is corrosion protection.
Our shed frames (columns and trusses) are fully hot-dip galvanised.
This is the most effective way to protect your basketball court cover from rusting, however, hot dip galvanising does have a much higher initial cost compared to alternatives like paint or pre-galvanizing.
Having said that, hot dip galvanising has the lowest long-term cost. And we don’t recommend compromising on corrosion protection!
You can learn all about hot dip galvanising in the video below.
How To Save Money On A Basketball Court Cover Project
Budgeting for a basketball court cover?
You’re likely looking for ways to save money, and that’s fair enough – no one wants to pay more than they need to!
But how can you make sure you don’t sacrifice quality and safety?
Here are some potential cost-savings for your project that won’t compromise the structural integrity, longevity, functionality or safety of the cover.
Firstly, choosing a standard size span can help reduce project costs.
This is because a truss jig does not have to be set up specifically for your project. This saves both time and money in the drafting and manufacturing stages.
These may not be the right fit for your project if you are working in with existing infrastructure though.
If this is the case our building consultants can still work with you to create a cost-effective design by addressing details like bay spacings, configuration and height.
One of the other main ways to reduce project costs is to work with a building company that is the right fit for your project.
As a registered builder, Action Steel doesn’t just manufacture the steelwork for your covered basketball court or outdoor learning area. Our team will also apply for the required council permits, coordinate the installation and project manage your shed from initial sign-up to completion.
With Action Steel managing all these steps, it means your project becomes a much less stressful and time-consuming experience for you. And time is money!
We hope this discussion on project pricing has been helpful! Looking for ideas for your project? Check out the gallery below.
Basketball Court Cover Project Gallery
Browse the gallery of recently completed basketball court covers.
We hope this price guide has helped you with your project planning and budgeting! For more information on the cost to build a basketball court cover reach out to our team – we would be happy to help you.
Disclaimer: The prices included in this article are approximate only and are subject to change. They are intended only as a budgeting tool. For a more accurate costing, please request a formal quote.
