Steps to Budgeting Playground Equipment

Congratulations! You’ve decided you are going to install new commercial playground equipment, but first, you need to know how to set a budget. Honestly, this may be the hardest part for most of our clients. They know what they want and need, but most of the time do not know how much of an investment that new playground equipment will be. That’s where we come in!

Commercial playground companies, like Playgrounds Etc., work directly with the best playground manufacturers to offer their clients the most playground for their money. So let’s get started and answer the question to the elephant in the room, how much does playground equipment cost?

First, Start with Playground Inspiration

Before we even begin looking at playground equipment types and researching playground equipment costs, let’s get some inspiration going. The Projects section on our website is a great place to start! It showcases a wide array of commercial playground designs we have worked on for our clients. Almost every project is a unique design created for the space where our clients install their playgrounds.

Whether your project is going to be installed in a park, schoolyard, family entertainment center, or church, there are project inspirations just for you.

Now, it’s Time to Shop for Playground Equipment

Once you have a grasp on the different playground equipment types that you would like your playground environment to have, let’s take a look at the different options you have. Playground equipment costs usually do not take more than 20%-50% of your budget, believe it or not!

A great place to start is to take a look at our current playground discounts and promotions. Full commercial playsets can be priced at as little as $4,500 depending on the child capacity that your playground design will require. All of our playground designs are child-appropriate for the children that will be playing on them. Commercial playground equipment is designed for children in age groups of age 0-2 years old, 2-5 years old, 2-12 years old, and 5-12 years old.

There are also different playground equipment types to be considered. To start, there is the classic steel playground equipment that many of us remember as a favorite pastime playing on during recess at school and weekend playdates at the park.

We also offer an eco-friendly playground line. Our eco-friendly playground equipment is constructed of recycled post-consumer household plastics, including milk jugs. More than that, they are reinforced with fiberglass elements for even greater durability and lifespan than what you would expect from a traditional wooden play structure. Eco-friendly playground equipment is perfect if you’re looking for a natural aesthetic without the maintenance wood requires.

Full commercial playsets aren’t the only things you have to choose from. A functional (and attractive 😉) playground design can be achieved with freestanding independent playground equipment. From climbers to swings to musical gardens and an array of playground spinners, there is no shortage of creativity and entertainment that independent playground equipment can bring to children of all ages.

Looking for something a bit extra? We love going overboard with our designs – it’s also kind of our specialty! Themed playgrounds can be a great solution and are designed to fit any space and budget. We have previously installed rocket ships, baseball fields, and treehouses to match our customers’ visions. We once even designed and installed a Dennis the Menace-themed playground that included four themed playgrounds with a cohesive feel throughout the park. Your imagination is the limit when it comes to making unique playground equipment for your playground site!

Good News, Your Order Has Been Shipped

Look out! Is that truck carrying your order? Made ya look! This is the part that we all hate when we order something we can’t wait to get – shipping! Most of our orders ship within 6-12 weeks of being ordered and usually costs around 7%-15% of your budget. There are many factors that go into how long it takes to get your order to the delivery truck and how much it costs. This could include the size of your order, and the product you order. If you order a larger playground, it may require multiple delivery trucks thus increasing the cost of shipping your playground equipment.

Playground Installation Time is Now

Although it may seem that the bulk of your budget will be used for the actual playground equipment, that’s not the case. Playground installation can take up to 40% of your budget, believe it or not. Don’t worry, our design consultants keep your budget under control and within the scope of the project.

Put the Finishing Touch with Playground Surfacing

At this point, you’re so close to completion! Playground surfacing is usually the icing on the cake for commercial playground environments. Depending on the surfacing type that you select, playground flooring can easily become the largest part of your budget. The most economical surfacing available at the time this blog was published is engineered wood fiber. It usually runs customers approximately 10-15% of their budget. However, more upscale and lower maintenance playground flooring like artificial turf and pour in place rubber can cost as much as 90% of your budget. Since this portion of your budget can vary greatly, it’s important to think about how often you can perform maintenance on your playground flooring and the accessibility factors of the playground.

The Best Commercial Playground Company in Texas

Partner with the best playground designers in Texas to ensure your commercial playground equipment stays on budget yet meets the needs that your facility requires.

Be sure to check out our selection of on-sale playground equipment and contact us to price your playground. We will be by your side from inspiration to installation.