The visible color is thin compared with the work below it. A smooth finish cannot correct unstable fill, poor compaction or water trapped at the edge. Ask each provider to describe the court from soil to line paint.
Ask to see the layers before they are covered. Take dated photos. Note the stone depth and base type. Keep the surface product sheet. These records can make a later repair easier to plan.
What is below a finished court?
| Layer | Main job | Quote questions |
|---|---|---|
| Existing soil | Carries the whole system | What is removed, dried, stabilized or replaced? |
| Prepared subgrade | Creates shape and support | How is it graded and compacted? |
| Aggregate | Spreads load and supports drainage | What material and compacted depth are planned? |
| Concrete or asphalt base | Provides the hard playing platform | What thickness, edge, slope and joint or reinforcement details apply? |
| Surface system | Adds texture, color and lines | Which products, layers and preparation are included? |
| Perimeter drainage | Keeps outside water away and carries court water | Where does water enter, travel and discharge? |
Request this section view in writing. It exposes missing work more quickly than a total labelled “court package.”
How do concrete and asphalt differ?
USA Pickleball states that either can provide an acceptable base when built to the needed specifications. The property, soil, drainage, surface system and repair plan matter more than a simple material slogan.
For concrete, ask about ordinary reinforced or post-tensioned construction, joints, cracking plan, surface finish and cure time before coatings. For asphalt, ask about aggregate structure, pavement thickness, compaction, edge support and the waiting or weathering period before the playing finish.
Do not compare only the base price. Compare the whole installed system and the party responsible if a base movement affects the coating.
What does an acrylic surface include?
USA Pickleball’s construction guidance recommends 100 percent acrylic athletic coatings. A proposed system may include cleaning, patching, an acrylic resurfacer, color coats, texture and line paint. Cushion layers add material and labor between the base and color.
Ask for the manufacturer, named system, number of coats, color areas, line layout, weather limits and base condition required. Record whether low spots and cracks are repaired before coating and how they are measured.
When do modular tiles make sense?
Modular systems can provide a different feel and may shorten some finish work. They still need a base or subfloor that meets the product requirements. Ask how water moves through or below the tiles, how edges are finished and how damaged pieces are replaced.
Compare ball response, seams, heat, traction, noise, upkeep and expected repair method with acrylic. Make sure the proposal does not price tiles while leaving the land and base outside the contract.
How should the drainage plan read?
Use plain arrows. Show water arriving from uphill, falling on the court, moving across the finish, reaching the edge and leaving the property safely. Add roof drains, swales, walls and low areas.
Ask whether the plan uses surface flow, a channel, underdrain, catch basin, swale or another method. Name who builds the outlet and who restores disturbed ground. Confirm that the outlet is allowed and maintainable.
Mecklenburg County explains that hard surfaces reduce rainfall absorption and uses parcel-level impervious mapping. The County also reviews land development, erosion, floodplain and stormwater work. Local town rules can add another layer. Use the permit and neighbor guide and the correct local page.
What should be checked before surfacing begins?
The surface installer should receive a clean, properly cured or prepared base with the required slope and tolerances. Ask who checks elevations, puddling, cracks, joints and finish texture. Put acceptance or correction steps in the contract between separate companies.
After rain or a controlled water test, observe low areas. A coating can improve minor texture but should not be expected to reshape a badly built base.
How can tree roots affect the system?
Roots can lift pavement, interfere with excavation and change as nearby trees grow. Removing a tree can also affect shade, runoff and local approvals. Show the root zone before the pad is placed.
Ask whether the design changes location, removes selected roots, adds a barrier or avoids the tree. Do not accept a surface-only promise for a ground problem.
What maintenance belongs in the buying decision?
Keep leaves and soil from holding water at the edge. Maintain drains, repair fence damage and address cracks or coating wear before they spread. Ask for the approved cleaning method and any product limits.
Record color and product names at closeout. Keep photos of the base before it is covered. Those records help explain future repairs.
How should these layers be priced?
Use separate lines for earthwork, aggregate, base, drainage and playing finish. Add fence, lights and restoration outside those layers. The 2026 Charlotte cost guide provides a full worksheet.
Frequently asked questions
Is concrete always better than asphalt?
No universal answer fits every property. Compare the designed section, soil, water, surface system, movement plan, cost and repair path.
Can acrylic paint fix puddles?
Minor low areas may be repaired during preparation, but the base and drainage must create the main shape.
Does a tile court avoid drainage work?
No. Water still needs a safe route through, below or around the system.