How much does it cost to build a skatepark?

Skateparks are becoming more and more popular in communities and across the UK. Skateboarding itself saw a huge boom in popularity during the 2020 Summer Olympics too. Whether your child is on the hype of skateboarding from the Olympics, or you’re looking to give back to the community, we’ve covered the cost to build different types of skatepark in this guide.

Skateparks come in all shapes and sizes, from small indoor ones to large outdoor concrete plazas that challenge even the most veteran skateboarders. Some are made of concrete, while others are made from wood or steel.

Whether you want to rejuvenate a park, uplift an urban space, attract more young people, or enhance the quality of life for a community, building a skatepark has a whole host of benefits.

Let’s take a look at how much a skatepark costs to build.

How much does it cost to build a skatepark?

Cost of a small skatepark at home

For a small garden project, it’ll cost you from around £800 to self-assemble a mini halfpipe at home.

Cost for a large skatepark project

For larger projects, however, the average cost to build your own skatepark is roughly £250 per metre square. On the higher end of the pay scale you’re looking at about £400 per metre square. On the lower end, it’s around £150 per metre square.

The above costs exclude maintenance and operations prices.

Skateparks come in the below sizes:

• A small skate spot – 150-500 metres square which includes a few skaters at one time (between 5-20 users).
• A public park skatepark – 750 metres square.
• Regional skatepark – 1,500 metres square.

So, for a small skatepark, you can expect to pay an average total cost of £37,500. For a public skatepark, you’re looking at £187,500, while regional skateparks can cost about £375,000.

The typical split of costs is:

• 40% for preparatory groundworks
• 60% for the skatepark and installation

When considering your budget for building a skatepark, this depends on several factors:

• How small or large the square is
• Whether or not it’s ready to prepare from scratch
• How small or large the elements are
• The implementation of technology (concrete, wood, or steel)

Steel ramp skateparks are initially cheaper than concrete ramps. However, they have higher maintenance costs.

Concrete skateparks are better for many reasons, like being a lot more fun to ride, safer, and quieter. What’s more, they require much less maintenance than their steel ramp counterparts.

How much does it cost to build an indoor skatepark?

You can expect to pay about £4,000,000 to build an indoor skatepark.

Indoor skateparks cost more than outdoor skateparks because you have to factor in the building construction cost as well as other expenses such as:

• Flooring installation
• Carpeting
• Exterior lighting
• Parking spaces
• Decorations

It could be a great investment if you’re starting a skateboarding business.

FAQs

Do indoor skateparks make money?

Yes, an indoor skatepark provides a brilliant way to make money for anyone who’s fanatical about the sport. Because an indoor skatepark offers protection against all weather conditions, it enables you to manage your business all year long for better profits.

You’ll need a sizable space to position ramps, which possibly means a considerable rent payment for the park. If you manage the business properly, you’ll make sufficient capital from the skatepark to cover your outlays and make revenue.

What do I need to consider when building a skatepark?

You’ll need to consider the following to start an indoor skatepark:

• The number of contractors you’ll need to use, e.g. a groundworks contractor, skatepark equipment supplier and installer, lifting contractor, or one company to manage the entire build.
• The size of the skatepark and the number of users at one time.
• Whether you’ll use specialist designers.
• Planning considerations.
• Electrical cables, pipes, or overhead lines.
• Whether there’s a drainage tie-in within the proposed area.
• How you’ll lift sections and transport them in.
• Whether or not the site has good access.
• Maintenance of the skatepark, especially metal and wood over the winter months.
• The operation of the skatepark (if it’s a commercial venture).
• Security, fencing, lighting, toilets, and bench requirements.

How do I start an indoor skatepark?

As well as devising a business plan, you’ll need to make sure you’re insured and have addressed all the legal issues correctly, e.g. licensing, permits, and so on.

Other considerations include:

• Buying skateboarding ramps – you can have one custom-made by your local carpenter or purchase one from a wholesaler.
• Scouting the indoor/outdoor skatepark market.
• Researching your location.
• Marketing your skatepark.

How much does a concrete skatepark cost in the UK?

You’re probably looking at a ballpark figure of roughly £187,000 for a 750 square metre concrete public park skatepark at £250 per square metre.