Simple ways to keep playground costs low

Installing and maintaining playground equipment can be costly so it is important for school to keep playground costs as low as possible. This is becoming more important as school budgets tighten and it is vital to ensure that all money is well spent; fortunately, there are some ways to keep playground costs low.

Build up your playground equipment slowly
If your school is on a tight budget and you can’t afford to install an entirely new playground all at once, the best option is to choose equipment that can be installed gradually. One of the easiest types of playground equipment to install over time are fitness and trim trails, which are made up of different components that can be bought separately to create a fun and challenging trail for children. Alternatively, choose playground equipment that can be bought separately but still work together to provide unity and cohesion in the playground.

Install budget friendly equipment
While it is important to keep costs low this should not be done by compromising on the quality of the playground equipment you install; especially as there are ways of choosing budget friendly options. Often playground equipment comes in a variety of sizes and options that range in prices. This enables those on tighter budgets and with less playground space to install quality equipment but at a lower cost.

Keep equipment well maintained
Even good quality playground equipment will need repairing after years of constantly use. One of the key ways to helping your equipment to last longer is by keeping it well maintained. Regular playground inspections will help you to identify any problems with your equipment at an early stage, which means that repairs can be made quickly and efficiently to prevent minor damages from becoming worse. Minor repairs can be carried out by the school maintenance team, however it is important that the correct parts for the specific type of equipment is used, otherwise it could cause further damage to the equipment.

Have the right tools
Having easy access to the right tools will mean that repairs to equipment can be carried out quickly. While many school maintenance tool kits will have standard tools needed for indoor repairs, some playground equipment needs specific tools. Tools such as inspection probes, won’t be part of a standard school maintenance kit, but are a key tool for playground inspections. Other type of tools that are specific to playground equipment include rollers and surface sealers for when repairing safety surfacing.

Source reliable parts
While it is important to have the tools you need to make repairs within your school maintenance tool kit, spares and parts will need to be sourced as and when needed. This means it is vital that you have a reliable source of parts and spares. Not only does your source of spares need to provide a quick and efficient service, but you’ve also got to be certain that the spares you receive will be of a high quality and will be the right part for the equipment you are repairing. It is a good idea to have a company, or a number of companies, that you know will be able to provide you with reliable spares quickly to ensure that maintenance to your equipment can be carried out quickly and preventing further damage from occurring.

From installing playground equipment gradually over time to ensuring you have a reliable source of spares for making repairs, there are a number of ways of keeping your playground costs down and helping you to stay within your school’s playground budget.