Budget — Casa de Padel Bangkok

01 Budget Reality Check Réalité budgétaire — soyons honnêtes

Maximum Budget

150,000 EUR

≈ 5,550,000 THB

Hard ceiling. All costs must stay within this envelope. Rate: 37 THB/EUR.

Target Budget

100,000 EUR

≈ 3,700,000 THB

Ambitious target — requires Thai/China sourcing, lean fit-out, and cost advantages from legal contacts & in-house marketing.

Realistic Estimate (4 Courts)

~151,000 EUR

≈ 5,580,000 THB

Achievable at the budget ceiling with cost-effective court sourcing, legal contacts, and in-house marketing.

✓ Verdict positif — 4 courts achievable

Four courts at launch is achievable at or very close to the 150k EUR ceiling. The key enabler is cost-effective court sourcing — at ~700–900k THB per court (vs. 1.5–2M+ for European suppliers), four courts become financially comparable to what three would cost from a premium supplier. Combined with reduced legal costs via Josh's existing contacts and zero agency marketing fees (Josh's agency handles all brand and creative at no cost), the budget works. Four courts give significantly better scheduling, revenue ceiling, and tournament capability than three.

02 Cost Breakdown by Phase Détail des coûts — en bahts thaïlandais

Item	Phase 1 — 4 Courts	Phase 2 — +1–2 Courts	Notes
Court construction ~700k–900k THB per court using cost-effective sourcing. European suppliers = 1.5–2M+.	2,800,000–3,600,000 THB ~76–97k EUR	+700,000–1,800,000 THB	Cost-effective sourcing confirmed. Bulk discount on 4 courts. Get 3 quotes minimum.
Fit-out Bar counter, reception, toilets, changing rooms. Phase 1: lean but clean. No kitchen.	800,000–1,200,000 THB ~22–32k EUR	+300,000–500,000 THB	Thai interior contractor. Don't over-design before knowing the space.
Equipment & inventory Hire rackets, balls, POS system, bar stock, uniforms	250,000–350,000 THB ~7–9k EUR	+100,000 THB	Source rackets from Spain direct. Balls in bulk.
Rent deposit (3 months) Standard Bangkok requirement. Based on 150k THB/mo target rent.	450,000–660,000 THB ~12–18k EUR	—	Negotiate hard — some landlords accept 1–2 months.
Legal, Thai entity, permits Company setup, liquor licence, noise/construction permits, lawyer fees	150,000–250,000 THB ~4–7k EUR	—	Reduced — Josh has good legal contacts for Thai company setup. Do before signing anything.
Marketing & launch Ad spend only — Josh's agency covers all creative, brand, and campaign management at no cost to the project.	80,000–120,000 THB ~2–3k EUR · Ad spend only	+50,000–80,000 THB	Agency fees eliminated. Budget covers paid media, signage, and launch event materials only.
Working capital buffer (6 months) Covers rent, salaries, utilities during ramp-up. This is what saves you if growth is slow.	1,200,000–1,500,000 THB ~32–40k EUR	—	Non-negotiable. Skipping this is how venues fail in month 4.
Phase 1 Total (4 Courts)	5,580,000–7,230,000 THB ~151,000–195,000 EUR
Phase 2 Add-on (1–2 courts)	+1,000,000–2,200,000 THB (~27–59k EUR) — funded from operating revenue

Budget achievable — Trois avantages structurels Phase 1 at 4 courts runs 151–195k EUR. The low end hits the 150k ceiling; achieving this requires: venue at or below 150k THB/mo, cost-effective court sourcing (~700–900k THB per court), and lean fit-out. Four structural advantages keep costs manageable: (1) Cost-effective court construction at roughly half the European price, (2) Reduced legal costs through Josh's existing contacts, (3) Zero agency marketing fees — Josh's agency at no cost, (4) Four courts from day one means stronger revenue and faster break-even, offsetting the slightly higher build cost. Tim & Sunny lead the investment, Josh contributes as a medium investor. Peter and potentially other minor shareholders may join at a later stage.

03 Venue Requirements Critères du local — tous non négociables

Floor Area

1,800–2,500 m²

Min 1,800m² for 4 courts + bar + social area. 2,200m²+ preferred for growth room.

Ceiling Height

9m minimum

Non-negotiable for padel. 10m+ preferred. Warehouses may qualify.

Monthly Rent Target

≤ 150,000 THB

Hard ceiling: 220,000 THB. Below 150k = better margins, more buffer.

BTS Access

Walk / motorbike

Critical for weekday traffic — both Thai and expat players rely on BTS. No transit access = no casual players.

Parking

10+ cars

Outdoor terrace potential is a bonus — bar extension & social space.

Distance — Schools / Residential

400m+

Noise permit risk. Avoid dense residential streets. Industrial zones ideal.

Priorité absolue — Start the venue search now A 9m-ceiling space near BTS at ≤220k THB/mo is genuinely rare in Bangkok. This is the longest lead-time item — budget 3–6 months of searching. Industrial pockets near Ekkamai, On Nut, Udomsuk, and Lat Krabang are the best hunting ground. Josh and Peter can begin scouting locally while Tim and Sunny finalise their relocation. Commission a local Thai property agent immediately.