Badminton Court

As the Sean Bean memes around the networking sites suggest, winter is coming (at a glacial pace it seems). And with winter comes our seasonal fondness for badminton. But not many get to play badminton in a proper court. It is, however, not so difficult to make a court for personal use, depending on how professional you want the court to appear. 
 

Location: Most of us play badminton in the parking lot, on the alleyways, or in any of the local fields/open spaces. But if you want to feel like a pro, you need an empty space with an even ground. If outdoors, look for a place shielded by trees, so that wind doesn't affect your game. Also, if you play after sunset, make sure there's an electric connection within the reach for ample lighting.
The measurements: First, get a tape-measure. Then on your chosen location, measure 44 feet by 20 feet, considering you'll play doubles. For singles, the width of the court would be 17 feet instead of 20. If your location doesn't allow that much space, just shrink the size a bit, but try to keep the size length-to-width ratio as close to original as possible. The net is to be placed in the middle of the 44 feet length, so remember to mark the 22 feet line for future reference. For more details, use Google. 
 

The paint: This portion depends entirely on how much you are willing to spend. You can paint the entire court green or blue, and then lay out the boundary lines in white. Or you can simply lay the boundary lines with paint, spray paint, or lime powder or boric powder. In such cases, your lines should be an inch and a half in width, provided you're planning a professional court. Otherwise, use the age-old Bengali method of drawing lines with pieces of brick. Just ensure you draw the lines straight. 
The posts and net: Buy a net from any sports shop. If you're so broke that you can't even afford a net, you may use your mother's georgette orna or saree, provided you find one that's 17-20 feet long. Now, to hang the net you need posts. If there are trees or light posts close to the court, tie the net to those using ropes, which is the more Bengali thing to do. Otherwise, get posts/pipes/rods and use them instead. The top of the net should be at an altitude of approximately 5 feet.
 

The lighting: Considering you'll play after dark, you need sufficient lighting. If you aren't playing near a light post, you can buy bulbs and set them at different points as to illuminate the entire court. However, take expert help for the electric connections. 
The above is a simple, doable guide for setting up a personal badminton court. The time needed to set up this court may range from an hour to a week, depending on your work rate and how professional you want it to look, and the cost of making it will vary similarly. If all else fails, you still have the alleyway to conquer. 

Tips:
1.    When selecting a location, ensure there are ample escape paths, shall the political unrest be an issue during your game.
2.    Don't pick up any red object you discover lying around on your court. It might be a cocktail. 
3.    Racquets can be expensive these days. If you don't have one, use the electric ones that your security guard uses to kill bugs. Or not.
4.    You gotta buy shuttlecocks. There's no alternative.