Outdoor fitness areas are massively popular as more look to fight the fat and get healthy. Outdoor fitness equipment is trendy, with parks dedicating space exclusively for this purpose. Most adults can use them and are ideal for fitness enthusiasts and those looking to have fun. Unfortunately, planning an outdoor fitness area takes careful thought, consideration, and sizeable funds. While outdoor fitness equipment is a fantastic idea for communities worldwide, the costs might surprise you. So, what is the actual cost of buying outdoor fitness equipment, and how to budget for it?
It Isn’t Cheap
Costs can vary considerably for outdoor fitness equipment. In some instances, you could pick up individual pieces from anywhere between $1,000 to $5,000 – that is, if you’re fortunate. It depends on where you source your equipment from. On the other hand, if you wanted to create a sizeable outdoor area with several pieces of fitness equipment, costs are likely to soar over the $10,000 range. Depending on the overall size of the area, you could be talking more than $45,000.
Of course, these figures depend on the amount of equipment you wish to purchase only. You then must factor in the cost for installation, shipping, and everything else. It could be over $50,000 by the end of the project. While outdoor fitness equipment is widespread, its expensive, and you’ll need to budget for it seriously.
Do Your Research
It’s great you want to create an outdoor fitness arena because more people need the encouragement to get up, move, and stay active. However, before you rush to purchase any equipment, push the pause button, and think about the financial side. The costs may be closer to $50,000, so for that, you must know where the money is coming from. Do you need to fundraise, or is the funds already secured? If not, you need to research where this money will be sourced from a local grant or a benefactor. Then, you need to research the type of equipment available and how much it costs.
You could even look at quotes for the surfacing work that’ll be required, along with the installation costs. That’ll give you a great starting point and ensure you know how much you’ll likely need to budget for in the long term.
Plan, Edit, and Re-Plan
It’s essential to draw up plans for the outdoor fitness arena. It would help to sketch out where each piece of equipment will go and how the finished park will look. You can edit and rework the plans until its suitable for the area you’re working with. It could also be wise to consider the following factors:
- Strength and Aerobics
- Balance and Core Training
- Stretching
- Flexibility
While you might not consider these factors, they are essential, nonetheless. These will help you determine which equipment is necessary and what is going to be the most effective. If you can have even one piece of equipment to cover these bases, you’ll ensure the outdoor fitness equipment is open to everyone.
What Equipment Will Be in Greater Demand
Some pieces of outdoor fitness equipment are hugely popular with locals and others that are rarely noticed. While you do want to have lots of equipment, it isn’t always necessary or wise. This is especially true if there is a lack of space. Remember, fitness equipment costs a lot of money, so you must think about the most used pieces that’ll appeal to the local community. For example, the cardio walker might appeal to 99% of the local community, whereas a body curl station only appeals to 20%.
It makes sense to choose the cardio walker; that doesn’t mean you can’t buy the body curl machine in the future. This also allows you to focus your budget on the essential pieces. It’s an intelligent way to shore up your budget. Focus on what’s affordable and what offers the most value for money.
Leave 20% of Your Overall Budget to Unexpected Costs.
Let’s say you have an overall budget of $40,000, and you estimate costs to be around $32,000. You are probably tempted to purchase more equipment, especially since there will be roughly $10,000 leftover; however, that’s the wrong mindset to take. What would happen if there were unforeseen additional costs and there was nothing left to cover them? That is the fastest way to tank the outdoor fitness arena. Instead, you want to keep aside at least 20-30% of your overall budget. This would cover most unexpected costs and ensure the project remains on schedule.
Many people don’t do this; however, it can be a brilliant idea as costs can rise unexpectedly. If there is money left over at the end of the project, you could donate some to local causes, use it to plant new trees, or purchase accessories for the outdoor fitness arena or theme park.
Make Most of Your Money
Outdoor fitness equipment can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and it’s easy to be a little put off the idea. However, with a bit of careful planning, your dream of creating a new fitness park can be achieved. Budgeting isn’t too tricky either. Of course, you need to source and secure the funds and set aside a portion of the budget for unforeseen expenses.
Austin Stanfel 