When planning your outdoor playground, it’s easy to get caught up in the enthusiasm and lose track of your budget. It’s easy to overlook the fact that there are costs other than outdoor playground equipment to consider. However, with little careful planning, you can ensure a fun, stress-free experience with no financial surprises.
There’s the obvious expense of the equipment, but many people overlook other important considerations, including installation costs, ground surfacing, and other park amenities like benches, picnic tables, drinking fountains, and garbage cans.
Before making your final buying decisions, thoroughly analyze all playground areas to be most efficient and stay within your budget. When deciding the optimum use of your budget, evaluate and review the following critical elements.
Playground Equipment
The majority of what makes an outdoor playground so enjoyable is the equipment. It must be welcoming for children to want to explore it and intriguing enough for them to want to return. Of course, this is the most expensive part of your bill because it is the most important!
Consider your outdoor park size. This will have an impact on the size and type of equipment you’ll require. If you just have a tiny amount of area, you’ll have to think outside the box to maximize chances within a smaller play structure.
To get affordable playground climbing equipment, you can check out Playground Equipment. They also can work with you to match your budget needs.
Accessible And Inclusive Playground
Accessibility and inclusivity have become more significant considerations. There is a set of rules to elevated activities that must be met in order to meet basic accessibility criteria. Before you can install kids’ playground equipment, you also need to think of this to plan what activities you will include that do not hurt in the pocket.
Playground experts like Playground Expedition can assist you in understanding inclusion and accessibility so that your playground meets the needs of the entire kid and the environment and community.
Safety Surfacing
The preparation of the site and the installation of safety surfacing will be covered by this portion of the budget (such as rubber, sand, wood fiber, or wood chips). The type of surfacing material used on the playground can significantly impact the overall cost of the playground over its lifetime. Some types of surfaces, such as engineered wood fiber, require very little annual care.
Rubberized surfacing choices, for example, may require little or no upkeep. To rejuvenate the efficiency of the surfacing attenuation, yearly maintenance for surfacing can be as simple as rejuvenating and dispersing the supply of wood fiber under the structure.
Taxes And Shipping
Depending on the size, weight, and contents of your order, it will be shipped differently. With a few exceptions, most parks playground equipment can be shipped as freight. It’s carefully packed into containers and sent to the job site. Taxes may seem insignificant when making little purchases, but you must figure them into your budget when making larger purchases, such as a set of playground equipment.
Shipping fees can add up quickly in some situations, especially if the equipment has to travel a considerable distance from the manufacturer to your location. Some businesses will include taxes and/or shipping costs in their costs, while others will not. Make sure you know whether or not you should include these expenses in your budget.
Installation
Labor and equipment costs and concrete for the footers and the removal of existing equipment are all included in the playground installation costs. Keep in mind that general contractors and third-party installers may charge extra or provide services that are part of a larger scope of work.
Installing your playground with qualified installers not only ensures that your equipment is placed correctly but also allows them to completely guarantee the equipment to the full extent of their warranty.
Make a Maintenance Plan
Establish a thorough outdoor playground care plan early on to extend the life of your investment and keep it looking clean and fresh. Regular inspections and a weekly, monthly, and annual playground maintenance checklist will help limit the chance of serious injuries or damages.
Low-frequency operations, such as hardware and moving component inspections, can be completed once a year and should be reviewed by a trained inspector. You may reduce risk as a playground owner or operator by keeping your outdoor playground up to code. Frequent inspections and repairs also lessen the likelihood of larger, more expensive problems developing.
Conclusion
When it comes to investing in a new business playground, outdoor playground planning is undoubtedly the most crucial factor to consider. There are numerous aspects to consider while planning an outdoor playground, and budgeting your playground equipment is one vital thing to remember.
If you’re looking for a new commercial playground for your daycare, school, or backyard, Playground Expedition has a wide selection of the most popular outdoor playsets that not only provide hours of entertainment for your children but are also made from high-quality materials and designed with their safety in mind.
