When considering the costs of surfacing, you need to think about both the initial cost of the supply and installation of the surface, and also the on-going costs of future maintenance. It is all very well to feel pleased at a low initial out-lay, but if you are then going to be continually paying for on-going maintenance to keep the surface in good condition, the initial savings will soon be lost.

Also, ensure that adequate budget is allocated to the surfacing in the first place. Don't leave this vital part of a play project to the play equipment company to decide. It is your responsibility to ensure you are buying the best value surfacing - don't leave it to chance!

Initial costs

When considering initial costs - look at what preparation will be required for the type of surface you choose. Some can be laid on existing grass or macadam, or you may need to factor in the cost of specialist ground preparation - digging out and laying stone foundations etc. The preparation required may be determined by the safety levels required as well as the type of surface you select. Our free guide, ‘Selecting and Specifying Your Play Surface' will help you understand these requirements in more detail.

Other costs may include the project management of the installation, any other specialist equipment needed etc. Again - details of what you need to include in your costing can be found in our free guide.

On-going costs

In the Specifying Surfaces section, we have examined a number of available surfaces - but several of those itemised have a very high on-going maintenance cost - for example if you opt for bark or sand - someone has to be employed to weed the area, clean out natural nasties, clean up after humans, dogs, cats etc. Where tiles are used, these may lift and cause tripping hazards, and are easily vandalised. So, consider your choice of surface very carefully, and factor in all the on-going costs, and headaches that some surfaces may bring!