Every dad who builds a batting cage starts the same way.
His kid picks up a bat for the first time and something clicks. Maybe it's the sound. Maybe it's watching the ball jump off the barrel. Maybe it's just that baseball was his thing too, and now it's becoming their thing together.
And then the thought arrives: I should build a cage.
What happens next depends entirely on what kind of dad you are.
THE FOUR TYPES OF BATTING CAGE DADS
TYPE 1 — THE DIY BUILDER
Who he is: He grew up watching his dad fix everything around the house and absorbed every bit of it. He owns every tool he needs and a few he doesn't. When he decides to build a batting cage he watches twelve YouTube videos, reads every forum post he can find, orders the materials himself, and has the frame up on a Saturday.
What he builds: A solid single-tunnel setup. PVC or steel pipe frame, #42 nylon netting, a hitting mat, a tee, and LED shop lights he wired himself. Total cost: $2,500–$6,000. It's not fancy but it's real and he built it with his own hands and that matters to him.
What he should know: The cage you build for $4,000 with the right materials will outlast a $1,200 kit every time. Go steel over PVC if you're keeping it for more than two years. And when your kid's teammates start showing up to use it — which they will — consider listing it on CageList. You already did the hard part.
TYPE 2 — THE GO-GETTER
Who he is: He's done things the right way his whole life. He's not afraid of work but he values his time. When he decides to build a cage he calls two or three contractors, gets quotes, picks the best one, and writes the check. He wants it done right and he wants it done once.
What he builds: A permanent steel-framed cage with a concrete base, quality turf, #60 nylon netting, and proper lighting. Maybe a covered structure if the space allows. Total cost: $12,000–$25,000. It looks like it belongs there.
What he should know: You're two steps away from a rental-ready setup that earns real money. Add a pitching machine and a CageList listing and you've turned a home improvement project into an asset. Hosts in your tier routinely recoup their build cost within 18 months.
TYPE 3 — THE ALL-IN DAD
Who he is: Baseball isn't just his kid's sport. It's the family sport. He played through college or wishes he had. He coaches the travel team on weekends. He has strong opinions about launch angle and exit velocity and he's not ashamed of either. When he decides to build a cage he goes all in.
What he builds: Two tunnels. Covered steel structure. Turf, concrete, full lighting, two pitching machines, a portable mound for bullpen work, L-screens, padding, seating for the whole team. Total cost: $35,000–$55,000. It is legitimately better than half the indoor facilities in his county.
What he should know: You've built a neighborhood training hub. The question isn't whether to list it — it's how to price it. Two-tunnel setups with covered structures and machines command $60–$100/hour on CageList. Teams will book your cage for full practice sessions. At 20 hours a week you're looking at $60,000–$100,000 in annual gross revenue on land you already own.
TYPE 4 — THE HIRE-IT-DONE DAD
Who he is: He has the resources and he knows what he wants. He's not interested in learning how to pour concrete or string netting. He wants to hand someone a vision and a budget and pick it up when it's finished. He may have taken a home equity loan because he decided if he was going to do this he was going to do it right.
What he builds: Whatever the best version of a batting cage looks like on his property. He hired a contractor who does this professionally. The result is clean, permanent, and built to last twenty years. Total cost: $40,000–$80,000.
What he should know: You have the most monetizable asset on CageList. A professionally built, well-photographed, fully equipped cage in a suburban market with good availability is a top-performing listing. Some hosts in your category are generating six figures annually. The platform handles everything — booking, payment, scheduling, and signed guest waivers. Your only job is to maintain the cage and show up for your kid.
WHAT ALL FOUR HAVE IN COMMON
Every one of these dads built something real. Every one of them did it because they love the game and they love their kid. And every one of them ends up with a cage that sits empty more than it should.
CageList exists for exactly that moment — when the cage is built, the kid is at practice, and you realize the thing you built for your family could be serving your whole neighborhood.
List your cage free at cagelist.com and find out what it's worth.
Every type of dad ends up at the same question: who builds this well? Find batting cage builders in your area — from DIY-assist contractors to full turnkey installs.
