Backyard Swingsets

[Doctor_Van]

Looking into a wooden swingset for the kids (mine and any others that may come forward). Seems to be a wide range of prices/materials/options/delivery-installation packaged out there. Wondering if anyone has any recent experience in making a purchase like this and any advice. Pay to install? Waste a weekend or 2 doing myself? What is the "norm" in terms of what one should be reasonably expected to spend?

 

[adp98]

I've got one of those big wooden ones with the tower. Any good sized one should have installation included. Forget the name of the company but could find out if you are really interested.

 

[SnottieDrippen]

Please build it yourself and do a live broadcast of the whole thing. I'd pay handsomely

 

[tomdudes]

If you can operate a circular saw and a drill, build it yourself. You can buy a kit that has all of your wood and fasteners already packaged. You can knock it out in a weekend.

 

[adp98]

If you can operate a circular saw and a drill, build it yourself. You can buy a kit that has all of your wood and fasteners already packaged. You can knock it out in a weekend.

Isn't your time worth more than it would cost to assemble? An entire weekend and then risk not doing it right? Just pay the money.

 

[tomdudes]

Anybody can overpay for someone else to make it. Be one of the few who actually know how to do it yourself. Nothing difficult about a swing set.

 

[Eberzzz]

These are great for backdoor access

 

[Eberzzz]

Ooooh, you said "backyard." Too much pot, my bad.

 

[adp98]

http://www.creativeplaythings.com/

Here is the one we used. Assembly included in the price.

 

[FatPhilM]

They don't have parks where you live?

 

[Doctor_Van]

Adp that's actually the one that the wife has tabbed as the front runner. For get combo of the fact they are somewhat larger than the Costco/BJs/Toys r us ones allowing for kids to not outgrow as quickly and the fact that the "cheaper" ones from those places above often don't include delivery and installation in the price. I'm having a bit of difficulty reconciling the ~$3k price tag on these things though.

 

[adp98]

That's what they cost as they wwre the best we found. If you wait until the fall they go on sale. We got ours in late September-October and saved some money. Just watch for sales as they should also have another one around memorial day.

 

[NickleDimer]

Just watch for sales.

Adp pinching pennies and clipping coupons for swing sets? That is a sad thought. This country is broken.

 

[VURambler]

Hire that guy from tree house masters.

 

[adp98]

Adp pinching pennies and clipping coupons for swing sets? That is a sad thought. This country is broken.

That pavilion won't build itself.

 

[FreddyShoop]

In the process of buying one now. Not happy about it. Total waste of money to me. It'll get 1-2 days worth of use and then serve as a target for pigeons the next 10 years.

These things seem a status symbol for parents. Who has the biggest SUV, who went to Disney for the most days, who has the nicest backyard swing set.

 

[jvm3]

In the process of buying one now. Not happy about it. Total waste of money to me. It'll get 1-2 days worth of use and then serve as a target for pigeons the next 10 years.

These things seem a status symbol for parents. Who has the biggest SUV, who went to Disney for the most days, who has the nicest backyard swing set.

Uh, if you think who went to Disney for the most days is a status symbol thing you can't be helped. Disney?

 

[adp98]

Uh, if you think who went to Disney for the most days is a status symbol thing you can't be helped. Disney?

Ha, exactly. Disney sucks. My biggest Disney debate is how can I avoid going and ultimately limit the days once my wife wins the initial debate.

 

[Novacatt94]

We inherited ours from the previous owner of our house. It is becoming an eyesore as I would estimate that it is at least 15 years old and is really starting to deteriorate. Would almost pay someone to come and haul the damn thing away as my kids have pretty much outgrown it.

Not only do the birds enjoy $hitting on it, but the squirrels enjoy chewing holes in the plastic sliding board. "Good times."

 

[tomdudes]

Just guessing but that's Probably $800-$1000 in materials. I'm happy to save $2000 for a weekend of work. So what percentage group does that put me in? Certainly not the 1% group, but not the 47% group. Guess I'm part of the other 52% somewhere.

 

[NickleDimer]

That pavilion won't build itself.

(nodding)
-Radnor residents

 

[WhiteChocolate]

Bought one about two years ago, its all cedar and the instructions said 8-10 hours of assembly time. Did a quick google search and found two guys down in Marlton NJ that would do it for $300. They leveled the ground and after it was assemble adjusted its location. Took them all of three hours. They even bought extra parts including that silly plastic telescope which was broken in the kit I purchased. Well worth it.

Little WC loves it and is out there every day when it warm.

 

[adp98]

Not really, it would take you 40 hours to research the materials, purchase, figure out how to do it and then install. Essentially you would be renting your time out around 20 per hour. Which is what a babysitter makes. You could hire for less than half that amount.

 

[tomdudes]

For the record, I would pay the $300 if that was the cost.

 

[tomdudes]

I built one 20 years ago when my kids were little. No way that it took me 40 hours. Went to lumber yard, bought kit (which included hardware, slide, accessories and lumber list). Picked out lumber, took it home and built it.

 

[NickleDimer]

When do you kids find time to play on swingsets? Don't they have to practice for their AAU Under-5 All Star Travel Lacrosse team every waking moment?

 

[RimJob Larry]

Uh, if you think who went to Disney for the most days is a status symbol thing you can't be helped. Disney?

He's a cube dwelling Everyman. Disney is paradise to him

 

[NickleDimer]

I built one 20 years ago when my kids were little. No way that it took me 40 hours. Went to lumber yard, bought kit (which included hardware, slide, accessories and lumber list). Picked out lumber, took it home and built it.

Now there is something called the internet that helps pair a low cost idle labor force with people who need work done.

 

[WhiteChocolate]

My kid is 2....so every day. It was actually $375, i just looked up the email they sent me.

 

[adp98]

I built one 20 years ago when my kids were little. No way that it took me 40 hours. Went to lumber yard, bought kit (which included hardware, slide, accessories and lumber list). Picked out lumber, took it home and built it.

You provided your little angels with a substandard swing set. Did it have a climbing wall, a fort on top, multiple swings? This is what these little snot get today. We had parks.

 

[tomdudes]

Considering it was New Jersey, I was probably wilting under the pressure of outrageous property taxes.

 

[NickleDimer]

My kid is 2....so every day.

Future liberal artist.

 

[adp98]

When do you kids find time to play on swingsets? Don't they have to practice for their AAU Under-5 All Star Travel Lacrosse team every waking moment?

Yesterday a coach called and wanted to do a make up baseball game for 1:00 on mothers day. I asked if he felt ensuring the 5-7 year olds needed to play 3 games in 3 days was important enough to blow off mothers day. He couldn't believe I objected. WTF is wrong with these sport parents? Clearly I'm not earl woods material.

 

[NickleDimer]

Yesterday a coach called and wanted to do a make up baseball game for 1:00 on mothers day. I asked if he felt ensuring the 5-7 year olds needed to play 3 games in 3 days was important enough to blow off mothers day. He couldn't believe I objected. WTF is wrong with these sport parents? Clearly I'm not earl woods material.

I thought you would have shipped your kids off to a tennis boot camp in Florida by now.

 

[nardibynature2]

Isn't your time worth more than it would cost to assemble? An entire weekend and then risk not doing it right? Just pay the money.

CoP'ers are poor.

 

[adp98]

I thought you would have shipped your kids off to a tennis boot camp in Florida by now.

No, I'm the exact opposite. I should probably push more but don't do it. We'll see as they older. I think those parents are usually the ones who lacked athletic success themselves.

 

[PeterN]

Hire that guy from tree house masters.

 

[LetsGoNova]

Don't waste your money. I can't count how many neighbors put one in and now complain constantly about how little their kids play with it. Think about how quickly your kids tire of a new toy, and now think about how pissed you're going to be when that toy cost you $2K.

 

[Burrs5]

We have one and the kids use it sparingly, but they like it. Plus, it's good for when we have people over who also have kids that age. Of course the youngest is only 2, so he needs to be supervised closely around it. Had the company put it in. I recommend that if you want it done right. Our yard wasn't completely level, so they had to adjust it a little to make it look right and be completely safe.

 

[Anarchy99]

Ours is Rainbow I think. Bought it about 10 years ago - still there. Actually one of the few stupid kid purchases I made that didn't feel like a complete waste of money. It got a lot of use. Still does as we had an unexpected one 6 years ago. Was about 3 grand installed I think. Would not build it myself , and I actually like to do a lot of my own stuff like that.