Commercial playground equipment is built to withstand heavy use by large numbers of children. It typically includes play structures and other play events found in public spaces such as parks, schools, housing communities, and child development centers. It is also built to last twenty years or more. Investing in commercial playground equipment involves thoughtful planning and resource allocation to ensure all safety standards are met. Generally, you can expect professional guidance and associated costs in the following key areas, all of which impact the overall price of the project:
· Equipment: Selecting equipment from an IPEMA-certified manufacturer ensures key safety requirements are met. The cost of the equipment can be impacted by the footprint, or size, of the playground as well as the number of play events contained within the space.
· Expertise: Commercial playground companies typically have a Commercial Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) on staff to manage all aspects of the project. These professionals have training in playground safety issues as well as equipment and safety surfacing specifications. They bring this expertise to the entire project and inspect the commercial playground equipment following installation to ensure it meets all safety requirements.
· Site Preparation: Companies that provide and install commercial playground equipment need to invest time in preparing your site appropriately for the placement of a playground, including the removal of old equipment, grading, and drainage considerations.
· Installation: Commercial playground companies have installation crews that are experts in playground construction, including site layout, anchoring and assembly of the equipment. The number of concrete footers required to anchor the large posts of a commercial playground can impact the installation cost.
· Surfacing: Commercial playgrounds require adequate safety surfacing to maintain fall-height standards. There are several options to choose from at different price points. Those options include engineered wood fiber, unitary rubber surfacing and synthetic turf. Surfacing options are also designed to meet ASTM standards. The size of the area and the type of safety spacing selected will directly affect the overall surfacing costs.
If you are looking to make a commercial playground equipment purchase in Maryland, Virginia or Washington, DC, All Recreation has over 30 years of experience and offers IPEMA-certified, quality playground products through our partnership with BCI Burke playground equipment. We also provide turn-key installations and multiple safety surfacing options. We would be happy to schedule a site visit with you to discuss your vision and budget.