high end childrens swing/playsets - LawnSite.com™

barefeetny · #1 02-26-2008, 01:43 AM

allright so i was looking because i have two small ones running around....

looked at a few of the diy redwood kits and some of the higher end stuff

Rainbow and cedarworks to name a few....lets just say i wasn't expecting the prices to be where they were....

its quite easy to get into the 6000 dollar range....with installation

add in a sandbox and some other extras and the guy at the showroom said they installed a 12000$ unit last year with a little clubhouse that matched the A frame house they lived in...i guess some are professionaly designed and then built by contractors...

Anyone doing this kind of work for profit and not for themselves... I imagine there is insurance requirements and obviously safety comes first... but this stuff is really looks no harder to assemble then decks i've built......

Seems like a cool item for the portfolio and a sell for the homeowner that won't spend in the frontyard... but will in the back

let me know

Nate

PaperCutter · #2 02-26-2008, 08:35 AM

One of my clients bought a $22K playset for her kids last year. Friggin' insane.

The way it works around here is the showrooms sub out the installation to local contractors. I'd imagine if you dot all your i's you're fine.

larryinalabama · #3 02-26-2008, 10:32 AM

Barefeetny I take my 3 year old to the park to play on that stuff, but he would much rather ride on the tractor with me

Jason Rose · #4 02-26-2008, 11:59 AM

I have a customer (wealthy) with 2 little girls. They recently moved to a new home here, in my area still, and I thought their old house had the fanciest play set I'd seen (custom built). Their new one is one of those pre cut redwood kits... It's HUGE! Has 3 slides and more components to it than I've ever seen. Many schools don't have esuipment that big. As for the price, I have no clue what they paid, but they had to hire a couple goofballs to come in and spend 3 DAYS putting it together. All that work and she just left the grass under it!!! So now I have to trim under all the slides and inside the center of it that's like a picnic table. It's a PITA and I'm afraid of damaging it with the trimmer.

I think there's a market for the things, but it's a pretty small one. Depends on the size of your town and how many wealthy young couples there are available.

shovelracer · #5 02-26-2008, 05:07 PM

Ive only dealt with Rainbow. Nice products. Yes they are very expensive. One guy can install the small ones by himself. Two guys are required for the big ones. They are fairly easy to assemble. The dealer over here only pays 200 for a basic install, dont know what he charges. For your more basic models it will take 5 hours your first time, 2 after a few trys.

barefeetny · #6 02-26-2008, 10:35 PM

i was looking for a small swing and maybe a see saw... wow

You could have slept in some of the playhouses attached to the playsets....

100 dollars an hour isn't bad money to be subbed..I'll do some more research....see if theres more out there.... i'll let you know...

Nate

StormCat · #7 10-08-2008, 01:26 AM

Hi, I'm new here. I just started my Bobcat & Landscaping business this summer. I've done a few jobs but the latest I've been offered to bid on is installing a playset, which cost in the $10,000 range. I feel confident that I can do it but am not sure how to bid on it, time or cost wise. I read this thread and am wondering if anyone else has installed one of these and could give me some advice on bidding on this project. Thanks!

JDUtah · #8 10-08-2008, 01:42 AM

I helped the startup company that makes these. Free autographs for those who see me on the assembly dvd.

Good units. I used to hire 4 temps and just sit and watch them assemble a unit using the instructions. I'de write down what wasn't clear and needed to be changed, or see how well a new way to assemble it worked. If you can get familiar with the unit, you can save a bunch of time.. but if you are only doing one or two intsalls a year of each brand...

3-4 temps + 8 hours = not finished (larger units).

It was great when they were only ladies too... I wasn't allowed to help, explain, lift, or anything... usually the temps had minimal mechanical/technical skills... Talk about a good test...

If you don't know the unit it can take time but... now they have a local install crew of 2 guys that do two a day I think? Haven't been with them for almost 2 years.

Anyways sets like these are usually distributed through local spa/swing-set/billiard dealers... I'de talk to them if you wanna look for some sub work.

StormCat · #9 10-08-2008, 07:31 AM

This playset is a Tots Choice brand and is approximately when assembled 25'x30'. I will have to dig a lot of post holes and set them in concrete as well as do the assembly work. It will just be my son and myself doing the work. I may be wrong but I figure it will take at least five days for the both of us, especially since this is our first.