Things You'll Need:
- Tools
- Hoops
- Concrete
- Paint
- Dirt
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Step 1
Installing basketball hoops AKA goals can be a fun business to get into. You can offer free hoops if they use your labor and you can offer different types of installation from full courts and half courts and install wall mounted, portable and in ground goals. You could also offer line painting for outdoor courts and can include perimeter, foul line and key and three point arch.
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Step 2
Know the sport, so that you can answer questions from clients. Sure you will have a lot of dads that want you to just put up a quick hoop, but you will run across basketball enthusiasts that will depend on you knowing exactly how many feet a professional court should be.
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Step 3
Get yourself a binder and start pricing. Choose a set fee for installing a hoop on the side of someones house all the way to a full court set up with painted lines. Don't forget to add the cost of removing an old hoop or concrete. Bring the binder with you when you sell your service. Build that binder by taking pictures of your finished jobs.
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Step 4
When you go to the city to get your business license find out if their are specific regulations concerning the installation of basketball goals and if they are or if the city has some tips, then memorize them.
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Step 5
Build a website. With the WYSWYG templates offered from many websites, like Bravenet.com or godaddy.com, you can put up a website very easily and they will host it for you. Add a special to your website advertising a house mounted basic hoop installation for $50.00. Build your website by taking pictures of your finished jobs and posted them.
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Step 6
Advertise yourself, with flyers and craigslists.com to start off. Have business cards to hand out. Make lots of copies of pictures of your jobs to show to potential clients. Find out about local fairs in your town and set up a booth with a hoop for kids, to draw in customers.
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Step 7
When you get your first call, help your client choose a spot for their new basketball goal. Keep in mind how far away from the playing surface they want the pole set back, and which way they want it to face. Setting the correct direction of the basketball goal is important as well. Most of the time you want to follow the lines on the house keeping the backboard plum with the side of the house unless your driveway curves and you lose a side shot. Most homeowner associations ask that you place the goal up towards the house and not towards the road.
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Step 8
On the first day of installation, carefully dig a hole to pour the concrete footing for the pole or anchor bolts. You do not need to use power tools for digging because of the possibility of unknown utilities. Even with utilities marked, sprinkler lines could be present. The size of the hole will depend on the manufacturer’s recommendations and the soil type. Loose soil or fill dirt may need more concrete than hard compact dirt so you will need to be able to adjust the amount of concrete used at each site which takes about 36 hours to set.
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Step 9
The second day of installation involves assembling the rim, backboard and support system and attaching to the pole. Basketball goals that are fixed height will be set at the regulation height of 10 feet unless specified by the owner. Families with children may want to consider an adjustable height system that will allow them to lower the height of the goal so everyone can enjoy scoring, so remember to mention this when you are giving your pitch.
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Step 10
Enjoy your new venture and give it time to grow. Most people have not even heard of a service like this, but it will catch on, just keep marketing it.
Comments
LNAngel said
on 6/16/2008 Very interesting, I never would have thought of this, for sure!
Desula said
on 6/14/2008 Great tips on starting a business of installing basketball hoops.
Limowreck said
on 6/13/2008 Great article. This is a wonderful idea for a business. I remember how much trouble it was putting ours up. If you have a knack for this, you could make a killing. Thanks for the info!