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Children’s Outdoor Playset Installer
Description of Job
- Working with a client, specify a design for a backyard playground or playset.
- Order a unit from a ready-made catalog, or commission a custom unit.
- Prepare the ground with anchors and concrete footings, as appropriate.
- Assemble and install playset.
- Cover ground with foam, rubber, sand, or other safety surface.
The Need
Backyard swing sets have come a long, long way from the days when you hung a rope and a tire from a tree. Modern equipment offers multiple platforms, various types of swings and slides, and design options to reduce the chances of injury.
These complex constructions often require specialized tools and skills for assembly; the ground must be properly prepared and adequate anchors installed.
The job may be beyond the skills and interest of the client.
Challenges
You must install equipment exactly to the specifications of the designer. Some areas may require permits before installation or inspection afterward. In some subdivisions there may be regulations that limit the type or size of backyard equipment.
Some clients may have some very specific needs and wants for their playset based on particular interests or health and safety concerns. Some pieces of land may be uneven or hilly or require an unusual form of anchorage.
Consult an attorney so you understand proper procedures to limit your liability. In theory, if the equipment is faulty, liability for injuries or damage goes to the manufacturer. If owners make modifications or use the equipment improperly, it is their responsibility. However, if you specify, assemble, or install equipment improperly, the liability for injury or damages most likely will fall on you.
Don’t agree to a job you feel is unsafe. Don’t agree to modify equipment on your own.
Know the Territory
Modern swing sets have the same basic idea as the steel tube and leather constructions of our own childhood, but today, many playgrounds resemble luxury resorts, built with handsome wood or attractive color-coordinated plastic and vinyl.
How to Get Started
Contact commercial vendors of equipment and become a reseller. Learn about predesigned units as well as the availability of custom designs.
Post flyers and ads at community centers and schools. Place ads in newspapers and shopping guides. Make area landscapers and contractors aware of your availability; offer them a bonus for any business they direct your way. Ask satisfied customers to recommend you to friends and neighbors; offer a bonus or discount for work they refer.
Up-front Expenses
You’ll need a set of tools, shovels, and posthole diggers, a wheelbarrow, and equipment to prepare concrete where necessary. Playsets can be delivered to the site by the manufacturer or a trucking company; you may not need a truck of your own.
Other expenses will include advertising and promotion.
How Much to Charge
Charge a fee that is inclusive of purchase, delivery, assembly, and installation. Add costs for ground preparation before and after installation. You can include additional charges for custom work, and add freight and delivery charges.
Legal and Insurance Issues
- Legal
- Accounting
- Insurance
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