Concrete slab for basketball net

[Zonny]

Hi all:

We have an eight year old who loves to play basketball, and wants a net at home where he can play. Our driveway is steep and not suitable. We're thinking of using the side yard that doesn't get much sun anyhow, having a concrete slab put in and put a b-ball net up there for him. I'm thinking the slab would be about 12x12, maybe a bit longer. Anyone ever done such a thing and have an idea of cost? I don't think that ashphalt would work, they'd have trouble getting machinery into this particular part of the yard.

[Ciel]

I'm sure that preformed slabs must be available in builder supply yards. But:
-have you checked with your municipal bylaws about any restrictions (or permit requirements) on where you can place the basketball pad/backboard? Maybe there's a minimum distance from property lines that has to be kept in mind (neighbours might have ideas about the pending court idea).
-have you considered that rubberized surface tile that you can join together to make a pad? You probably have to do some prep work. Vanilla Ice turned a neglected yard area into a tennis court/basketball court after he burned off the weeds, levelled the ground and installed that special tile.
This clip is the court redone on Vanilla Ice Project season two with Snap Sport tiles:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7OBvPDpOAo

http://snapsports.com/residential_outSurfacing.html

[Zonny]

Thanks for the info! That tile does look nifty, but living in the city, I'm betting if it wasn't somehow attached to the ground it would be stolen in no time.

It never occurred to me that there would be basketball net bylaws. I'll have to check into that.

[Ciel]

Hamilton recently had a situation in the paper-a resident put the family basketball stand on the city boulevard, that grassy section between the city sidewalk and road. That is not allowed. The resident has a sloped driveway-depending on comments the article attracted, people think others should relax about kids shooting hoops from the road into the basketball net and some people think the resident is trying to get around the bylaw instead of risking family vehicles by allowing the net to be on the driveway (that's another issue-ball can veer off and strike someone's car or flowerbed or a neighbour might not stand the constant ball sound of it smacking a paved driveway).
In the Toronto area, there was a story last year about houses that are really close in a new survey. One person's home business was affected by the long hours of bball playing on drive next door as she worked from basement office. As result of her concerns, neighbours put up a fence section, which blocked light into her office window. Think a GTA SCer posted the article in the News section.

So yes, do the neighbourly thing and figure out proximity of equipment to property lines/bylaw issues and cost of supplies. You probably know your city best-some people just take from others during the night...

[Natalka]

Have you considered getting a portable one - the kind you put sand in the base?

Otherwise, you need to dig into the ground like two feet + and fill with hundreds and hundreds of pounds of concrete....

[Zonny]

Have you considered getting a portable one - the kind you put sand in the base?

Otherwise, you need to dig into the ground like two feet + and fill with hundreds and hundreds of pounds of concrete....

The net isn't the problem, need a place to dribble the ball, just grass up tthere now.

[Ciel]

Use a bunch of patio slabs-they still are heavy but bball court can become a sitting area when not in use.

Like these diamond slabs:
http://hamiltonbuilders.com/decor_diamond.php

24" x 30" x 2" was just under $8 each before HST (from another supply co.)last year-when the men finally redid the back walkway because of level/water issues. Plus sweat equity-your muscles will tell you off for days (take ibuprofen before working on setup) for lifting and moving into place each slab.
Best off all, no concrete and still have chance to reclaim grass afterwards. Might need to level the ground?