Custom vs. Prebuilt Playgrounds: The Cost to Build a Playground
Playgrounds can be a great addition to any home, business, or public space. When you choose the right provider, they can enhance the location with a fun and exciting atmosphere and make it visually appealing. However, it's understandable to hesitate about paying for something if it's not done correctly. So, let's ensure that it's done right!
Playground Budget Basics
Playground costs are affected mainly by factors like:
Size
Play features
Custom features
Themed elements
Materials used
The combination of these factors has the greatest impact on what you pay to build your playground. But even individually, you will see some significant changes in price by adjusting these features.
That’s why custom playsets can be the best, most budget-friendly option for achieving the right aesthetic and vibe for your playground.
Basic Playground Equipment Costs (Small, Medium, Large Projects)
The average cost of building a playground ranges from $7,500 to $15,000 for custom residential playgrounds. For a commercial project, a custom playground can cost upwards of $40,000.
As described above, playground costs depend on size, play features, custom features, themed elements, and materials used. For example:
Small custom playground: This project costs between $7,500 and $15,000, and it typically consists of 6 x 6 play structures and elevated platforms.
Medium-sized playground: With multiple play platforms and areas, these can cost approximately $15,000 to $25,000.
Large-scale themed playground: Depending on the customer's vision and how many play platforms are used, these tend to cost around $25,000+.
Prebuilt playgrounds for sale typically range between $3,500 and $10,000, depending on size, play features, and materials used. These unique, easy-to-install options can be found here and are beautiful choices for any backyard or commercial space while being affordable. Don’t worry, though — you can still customize and change aspects to make this truly your playset!
Age Group Considerations and Costs
Play equipment is typically categorized into three age groups: toddler (6-23 months), preschool (2-5 years old), and grade school (5-12 years old). Each age group has its own play features and design adjustments that make the playground most suitable for their needs, excitement, and overall stage of development.
Luckily, we can design these play areas to accommodate multiple age groups. This will help the structure grow with the kids and be something that you can love and enjoy for many years to come! Our play areas are meant to bring you and your kids years of joy and memories. Learn about our design process here so you can understand your options for creating the right structure for your vision.
Contact us if you want more information on age-appropriate equipment when designing your play area.
Space Requirements and Budget Impact
Small playgrounds usually have a 25-75 square-foot area, depending on the deck size and play features. This square footage will scale up with each additional platform. For example, medium playgrounds will typically have a 75-150 square-foot area, with large and extra-large play structures measuring 150+ square feet.
Since playground safety is so important, we follow specific regulations in designing these play structures concerning playground costs and space requirements. For example:
Six-foot fall zone: All square footage estimates include a 6-foot use and fall zone surrounding each play feature, as required for commercial playground inspections. This 6-foot fall zone is implemented around each play feature to account for potential accidents related to areas such as slides, ladders, climbing walls, and other features where a fall may occur.
Fire coating: Commercial indoor play areas over 150 square feet must have a fire coating, as this is a common standard required in the United States.
These and any other safety or space requirements required by your local city, county, or state will be factored into each design. However, it is your responsibility to be aware of and familiar with these standards.
Breaking Down Playground Costs
The cost of building a playground can be broken down into five key parts:
Overall size and footprint
Custom features designed uniquely for your space and vision
Themed elements that give it that perfect feel
Play features chosen and the quality of those features
Materials used in building the structure
However, when it comes to the overall cost of the project, certain requirements need to be addressed. These elements include the surfacing the play structure will go on and the prep required for the site to ensure your playground is secure!
Equipment Selection and Pricing
The number of play features can influence the cost of a playground, although it is not the primary factor affecting overall expenses. Two main types of play features vary in cost, but each offers distinct benefits: commercial-grade and standard play features.
Commercial-grade play features are designed to be more durable and are often required for inspections in commercial spaces. These features tend to be more expensive due to their durability, safety, and the high-quality materials used in their manufacturing.
Standard play features are still durable and safe but are more cost-effective. They are an excellent choice for residential playsets, which is why we often use them in our designs. While the materials used for standard play features make them cheaper, they still ensure safety and can last for many years. However, you may notice more wear on standard features compared to their commercial-grade counterparts over time.
We happily add any play features requested. Your playground, your vision! Even with the residential kits that we offer here, we have additional play features that can be added to the play set so you get exactly what you want.
Surfacing Materials and Installation
We do not provide surfacing but are happy to work with you or your surfacing contractor to determine the best fit for your situation! For additional play area surfacing information or details on standards, refer to ASTM F1292-22.
Site Preparation Expenses
There are several options for site preparation when installing playsets, and all require flat, stable surfaces to ensure safe and secure mounting. For interior commercial spaces, a flat surface, such as concrete flooring, is ideal for secure anchoring. It’s best to install play structures before flooring is added to ensure the most secure anchor.
For exterior commercial setups and larger residential playhouses, structures can either be embedded into footings or mounted on a concrete pad that matches the footprint of the play area. Both options provide increased stability and safety for the structure, although they may incur higher costs depending on the site and the ground conditions. When installing concrete pads, coordination on the exact size of the structure is essential in avoiding any dangerous concrete overhang that a child could fall onto.
Exterior residential kits are designed to sit on a level, stable surface, which eliminates the need for additional costs. This surface could be a concrete pad or even a level grassy area. We enhance the durability of these kits by using specially treated wood to resist rot, allowing you to confidently place these structures on your lawn without worrying about rapid deterioration.
Safety and Compliance Costs
A playset’s structure should never compromise a child’s safety. To ensure the safety of all children using the structure, certain regulations and requirements must be met during construction. We always ensure the materials used and other important ASTM standards are met — but understanding them for yourself is also crucial when designing a new playset.
Safety Standards and Requirements
Our master designer is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector. He has gone through the training and necessary steps so we can ensure our play sets are safe and reliable according to the highest standards. We also use materials compliant with the ASTM standards, which is a fancy way of saying they live up to the highest quality, safety, and performance standards for building playsets. Safety is always our first priority, and we will gladly work with you to make sure that your play area meets your needs.
The cost for such safety is baked into the cost of the playhouse, as we do not build anything unsafe that won’t stand the test of time.
Safety requirements will often vary upon location and use for the project. Each city and state has additional and varied requirements. We always encourage you to become familiar with your local laws and regulations, whether by getting in contact with your local inspectors and fire marshals, or by reading about them on your own. We are happy to adjust according to those safety standards and regulations needed.
ADA Accessibility Considerations
We love doing ADA-compliant designs! This is a labor of love for such an amazing community, and we are happy to provide ADA-compliant play set designs for your space upon request.
The necessity of ADA accessibility does depend on the location and use of the project. A good way to determine its need is by reaching out to your local authority, such as a city inspector.
Required Safety Surfacing
We do not provide surfacing, but are happy to work with you or your surfacing contractor to determine the best fit for your situation. For additional play area surfacing information and standards, refer to ASTM F1292-22.
Installation and Site Work
Installing a structure you didn’t build can be a tough feat. This is why we offer nationwide installation. This will provide you with the same crew that built your play structure in the shop to install it for you in your space and ensure optimal aesthetics..
We understand that sometimes, pricing can get tight. Sending a crew across the country for installations can add up. In that case, we can offer the next best thing free of charge: personalized installation videos and instructions for your playground. This way, you can install your structure easily.
If for some reason you get stuck, we've got you! We’re here to answer your questions and even connect you to the builders involved in your project to assist you in the best way possible.
Professional Installation Costs
Installation costs can be a large factor in the cost to build a playground, though we are happy to provide that service nationwide. Costs for professional installation include the crew’s travel expenses and the on-site labor, including any needed touch-up paint, anchoring, or playground placement. Though it is a great value, we typically recommend this professional installation only for large-scale commercial projects or those local to our facilities in Orem, UT.
Another option for DIY-ers or those with contractor friends or connections is to perform the installation yourself. We won’t leave you completely helpless — we’ll provide installation videos walking you through, step by step, how to install the structure according to the final design. These videos will go over each element of the installation, including hardware, connection points, anchoring (if needed), and more.
We’re also available to answer questions during the installation. We can connect you with the project lead so you have the most up-to-date information for your particular project. Just reach out to your sales representative.
Drainage and Landscaping Expenses
Landscaping and drainage expenses are determined by your local landscapers, as this is not a cost we cover. It’s best to consult with your local landscape contractor and ensure there’s no standing water near the play area or in the safety fall zone, unless this play feature is specifically made for such.
Also, the slope away from the play area should be no more than ¼” per foot. This ensures there is no tripping hazard for young kids around the play area.
Additional Cost Factors
You now know what it takes to make the playset and the cost of building a playground, but there are additional factors and costs that go into receiving and enjoying that playground.
Factors such as shipping and delivery, permitting, and even maintenance should be considered when calculating the cost of owning a playground. We’ll discuss each one in detail to help you understand what to expect.
Shipping and Delivery
Unfortunately, custom play areas often cannot be thrown onto just any delivery truck. Playsets are shipped in one of three ways:
LTL freight shipping
Partial custom freight load
Dedicated custom freight load
This is determined by the size of the project and the timeframe. We will get you a shipping quote for your project and include that in your design. That way, you’ll have all the needed information without the worry of hidden fees!
LTL Freight Shipping
LTL shipments are best for smaller playhouses and play structures like our residential kits. They are palletized and cheaper to send because of their size. LTL shipments will be unloaded by the driver with their liftgate. This makes for a very convenient offloading and movement of the structure.
However, LTL shipments often have longer transit times. If you would like to receive your playset sooner, let your sales representative know, and they can discuss options with you. LTL shipments typically run between $250 and $2,000, depending on size, location, and proximity to the Intermountain Playscapes address.
Partial Custom Freight Load
As the name suggests, partial custom freight loads are loaded on a third-party shipping company’s trailer and sent with other shipments. This increases the transit time from a dedicated load, but still ensures the safety of the playset at a more affordable rate. We use this option for most custom and medium-sized playhouses and playsets.
Each client is responsible for offloading the pieces from the trailer. They can be unloaded without a forklift. Typically, a team of 2-6 people will be sufficient to unload, but it varies by project. The play set is disassembled and strategically stacked on top of each other to prevent damage during transit. The shipping company tarp-protects and insures it.
Partial loads typically cost between $1,000 and $4,500, depending on size, location, and proximity to our address.
Dedicated Custom Freight Load
Lastly, dedicated custom freight loads are similar to the partial loads in that they are loaded on a third-party shipping company’s trailer. However, it is the only shipment on the trailer. With this being the most expensive shipping option, we’re able to request the delivery day and have the space to fit everything needed onto it. We typically use this form of shipping when sending larger, custom playsets or when the delivery date is important to you.
Like partial loads, the client is still responsible for offloading the playset, which can be done without a forklift by 2-6 people. Dedicated loads typically range between $2,000 and $5,500, depending on location and proximity to our address.
Permits and Inspections
Required permits and inspections vary by locality. It is the client's responsibility to request and obtain the proper permits and inspections for their area and project. Permitting costs will also vary by location.
Maintenance and Repairs
To ensure you get a product you love, our timber play structures are sanded, painted or stained, and finished with a thick protective clear spar coat to make them last longer with less maintenance.
Resurfacing these play sets should happen every 3-5 years, depending on where you live. Areas with higher humidity or temperature fluctuations will need to have their play sets resurfaced more frequently than the mild, temperate regions of the country.
Resurfacing is simple: Apply an additional coat of Spar Urethane to the wood, which you can get from your local hardware store. If you want to go big with the maintenance, you can even re-stain and re-finish the play area by sanding before applying the stain and spar coat finish.
If you have any questions about maintenance and repairs, reach out to us! We are happy to provide additional instructions for your specific playset and offer a one-year structural warranty.
Budgeting Tips and Cost Savings
Ever feel like your dreams are bigger than what you can do right now? No worries. You’ve got options — like phasing, financing, and even long-term cost planning that can help you develop your dream at an affordable price!
Phased Installation Options
We can design structures in phases to help you spread out the cost. Phasing typically depends on the size of the project, budget, and desired final product. Reach out to us for phasing ideas and solutions for your project.
Funding Options
We are happy to have partnered with Mountain America Credit Union to provide financing in the following states: Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
We are working on opening this financing to everyone around the nation. This is a great opportunity to get your dreams off the ground with low-rate financing. Talk to your sales representative about how you can maximize this opportunity.
Long-Term Cost Planning
We will happily quote and design any project you have in mind. Though our quotes are only guaranteed for 30 days, they will provide a good understanding of what your vision will cost. Just because the quote is guaranteed for only 30 days does not mean it will change.
These quotes are subject to changes in material costs and market conditions, but often, we do not see large changes in those even 3-6 months after quoting.
