Outdoor school construction - recommendations and prices?

[FabioandFreddy]

Hi all,

We're looking at having a 20x40 outdoor school put in and looking for recommendations for good constructors and also what sort of prices you paid?

We've already got post and rail round the 20x40 area so don't need fencing. Need the area clearing, drainage, membrane, kickboards and surface. I like the rubber mix surfaces but open to suggestions! Will be used for dressage and jumping.

 

[BFG]

Ours cost 10k and was the same as yours re fencing already there. The owner paid people to do it but didn’t use someone who builds ménages for a living.

We put down a silica sand and rubber ménage and it is also used for flatwork and jumping.

I would say that you need a good rake and it does get a little dry in the summer however it is brilliant in the wet weather which is when you need it.

 

[CBFan]

A lot depends on your soil type and how the land drains naturally.

Ours had a naturaly well draining base and needed limited pipework to aid drainage. you could make a good base by importing hardcore. On top of this we put road plainings (old road tarmac)which we rolled flat over a week, on top of that silica sand and then the very fine sand/rubber/electrical wire mix that was around about 10 years ago. never had a problem with drainage. I';d avaoid fabric membranes as they tend to come to the surface and whatever you do DON'T use chalk as a base as when it gets wet it becomes solid and impermiable. ;o)

 

[millimoo]

Our Arena was built by Trackright over 8yrs ago (not sure whats going on with them as a firm today). Dug into a hillside, levelled, Limestone Hardcore - at least 12 inches, membrane, then Trackrights Coke / Silica Surface.
Following severe flooding and a river off the road washing away the top end we needed a major repair last year and got Keith from KLH Arenas in. He re-dug the drains round the sides, levelled the remaining Trackright Surface, then re-surfaced with Silica and Rubber.
He did a fantastic job, has a huge amount of experience, and turns out he did the original groundworks on the Trackright Arena (which hasn't and never rode deep, or got soggy).
Good groundworks are key, if they're not right you'll always have issues with riding deep, pooling, and surface movement.
I think cost very much depends on the area you plan to put the arena, so cost will never be the same from one build to the next.
Get some quotes and go and view other Arenas and talk to customers