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I wanted to provide some background to the process of replacing playground equipment. Playground equipment for elementary schools is more expensive than most people expect because of the high standards for safety, durability and installation.  Unlike equipment sold for home use, school playgrounds must follow strict national safety guidelines and be built to withstand heavy daily use for many years.

Safety – It must comply with ASTM F1487-25 (playground equipment intended for public use) and CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) guidelines. Equipment must be made with specialized materials that prevent injuries.  The designs undergo testing to minimize fall hazards, entrapment risks and sharp edges.  The equipment has specific fall zone areas that have required fall protection material (poured rubber, engineered wood fiber mulch or turf) around each piece of equipment, including swings.

Durability and Structural Integrity – Commercial-grade materials need to handle hundreds of children every week, year-round.  This includes heavy-duty steel (welded, not bolted joints), reinforced plastics, weather-resistant coatings and parts that are still available in 15 years.  This equipment also includes long warranties and maintenance requirements.  The investment with higher upfront costs means the equipment should last for 15-20 years with lower long-term replacement and repair costs.

Installation – All contractors/vendors are required to provide proof of insurance and complete a contractor affidavit to do business in Forsyth County Schools. This is mandatory for any work, not just playground equipment.  Site preparation including grading, drainage and concrete footings needs to be done by professional certified playground equipment installers.  The major components typically have 10-50 year warranties and lifetime on some of the metal parts.

Selection of Equipment by the School - With playground equipment it is always hard to compare apples to apples. The lowest quote might not provide the best value or option. The school typically notes their criteria for choosing one over the other since it may or may not be the lowest quote. For example, the selection criteria could include the play capacity (number of students served), area (total play area gained), turn key items such as borders and/or play surface, or if a school already has a specific manufacturer’s playground components, the reasoning could be that they want the equipment to match.

When we began looking at different companies, we got three already approved vendors who have done work within our county. While all three had great product, ultimately, we had to think about timeline and cost. It was very important to us to be sure we could get student voice and get the pieces installed within the same school year as the Boosterthon. 

Below are the quotes we received from all three companies: 

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