Every playground is different. At Playdale, we know that every installation has a different purpose, whether it’s for schools, nurseries, local authorities or community groups.
When it comes to specifying, designing and installing a playground with us, the world’s your oyster – and so your playground cost can vary significantly by setting, size and specification.
Here, we break down some of the key costs associated with playground design and installation.
Playground costs typically vary according to size and intended purpose, meaning that smaller developments aimed at early years and nursery-age children are likely to incur lower costs, compared to larger projects for older children.
Discover typical playground costs in the UK:
| Type of playground | Lowest cost | Highest Cost |
| School playgrounds | 2k | 60k |
| Community and park playgrounds | 10k | 180k |
| Early years and nursery playgrounds | 2k | 60k |
| Commercial and leisure playgrounds | 15k | 350k |
*Project cost ranges are a rough estimate and not necessarily indicative of any specific pricing at Playdale.
Every budget delivers play value – but of course, the bigger the play area, the more enjoyment your children will get out of it.
When you choose Playdale for your playground project, we’ll work with you from beginning to end, establishing a process that fits your exact needs.
The cost of your playground will include:
• Face-to-face consultation: We’ll visit your site in-person to measure the space, discuss your playground needs and run through the available options.
• Full design: Once established, we’ll begin to work with you on the design process.
• Full interactive face-to-face presentation (where applicable): We’ll deliver an interactive presentation, where you can feel the quality of our materials first-hand via a series of samples.
• Playground equipment specification: We’ll help you pick a theme from our catalogues and the type of playground equipment you need.
• Playground surfacing: Choose the perfect surfacing material that maximises accessibility and bang for your buck.
• Installation and project management: Your equipment will be manufactured in the UK before our expert team installs your project to meet all relevant standards.
When building a playground budget, the most important consideration is how your budget will be split.
Categorise your costs into five main areas:
• Equipment (55%)
• Safety surfacing (15%)
• Installation (20%)
• Site amenities (5%)
• Shipping/logistics (5%)
The key factors that drive playground costs are:
• Size and scale of the project
• Equipment specification and complexity
• Site conditions and location
• Surfacing choice
• Bespoke vs modular design
However, cost may not always be the primary driving factor in your specification. Accessibility considerations may necessitate opting for a more expensive surfacing material.
Leasing is a great way to keep your playground costs low. We offer flexible DfE-approved leasing options that allow you to spread the cost of your investment over a number of years.
Phased installation may also be an option – a well-designed playground can be planned in stages, with infrastructure and core equipment installed first, before additional features are added as budget allows. The major consideration is that an initial install leaves room to accommodate future expansion.
Whatever your financial needs, we’ll work with you to provide advice and guidance on the most cost-effective solution.
Feeling ready to begin advancing your playground project?
If you’ve got a site and an idea of the playground you want to bring to life, we can help. Give us a call today to begin your quote or download a brochure to learn more.
• Call us on 01539 531561
• Request a catalogue
The cost range of a school playground tends to vary less than playgrounds for commercial or leisure purposes. At Playdale, we can accommodate school playgrounds from a minimum budget of just £2,000 up to a maximum of £60,000.
Loose-fill materials like Cushiongrade, Playgrade bark or sand are typically the most cost-effective surfacing materials.
However, these may not offer the same accessibility as other materials, like wet pour rubber, so be sure to take this into account when considering your playground’s users and their needs.
Yes – when you contact us to get a quote for your playground, we’ll include a full breakdown of all your playground equipment costs, from the equipment itself to the cost of installation and more.
Our playground equipment is manufactured in the UK with a lead time of five to six weeks.
The actual install time for your playground once the equipment has been manufactured may vary from site to site. Once you get in touch to discuss your project with us, we’ll provide a more accurate timeframe.
Yes, you can get a free quote for a playground with Playdale. We offer a completely free, no-obligation quote service that includes an in-person visit from a local area manager.
No, playground equipment is not VAT-exempt – we must charge the standard 20% on all invoices.
However, if you are a state-funded school, you can typically reclaim the VAT back in full from HMRC, meaning that your equipment is effectively VAT-free, if not literally.
Read our Payment Terms and Conditions to find out more.
If you do not have a budget for your playground, there are still a range of options available to you. Crowdfunding may be an option for public playgrounds, while there are also a range of national and regional funding schemes that you may be eligible for.
We offer financing schemes to aid with the funding of your project. Find out more on our finance page or read about PE school sport funding.
National schemes include the Heritage Lottery Fund, Asda Foundation and Children in Need, while Landfill Communities Fund Schemes make funding available for community projects within a certain proximity of the landfill site.
For full insight into the funding options available to you, download our in-depth funding guide.
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