sand schools

[Dizzyblonde99]

Hi,
I am looking into getting a outdoor school. I have had a look on the internet and can't seem to find anything about prices. Has anyone been involved in the construction of a outdoor school, how much did it cost?? And does anyone know of someone who does this in the soutwest??

Thanks
xx

 

[Sleepeeze_dad]

There are a lot of factors that will really affect the price - is the land already flat? in ground or raised? Darinage etc. If you're sticking with pure sand, bear in mind it gets really really soft when it dries out and tends to blow about.

I priced one up for the last yard I was at and we couldn't get the materials for less than 12,000. That was with proper herringbone drainage, triple membrane, dual layer. Cheaper if you don't mind it being raised which helps with drainage if you're on a totally flat field (raised as in above field height but with a solid 6 foot wide grass bank around it, school same height as bank, topped with good fencing).

 

[Mel1]

not that I am building one but I receive a brochure recently about surface prices:
softrack £115/tonne
fibresand 28/t
F100 22/t
fine sand 13/t
rubber 60/t
PVC granule 50/t

20X40 m menage: 140-180 tonnes
30X60m menage: 320-400 tonnes

price exclusive of haulage and VAT

personally I wouldn't go for just sand without mixing with something else as it gets very deep in wet or dry weather, when it freezes it takes forever to melt and drain etc

 

[HollyB66]

At our yard we've got a sand fibre mix and good drainage - it really is fab.

At the riding school I used to go to, the drainage was non existant and the surface shredded rubber. We used to suffer from ponding and sometimes were restricted to one end of the school as it was unrideable until it dried out.

It's probably best to go for the best you can afford - otherwise it will be a false economy when you can't use it.

 

[decca]

If you contract people to do this, ie digger driver, etc, source it all yourself and put down a cheap surface like bark or woodchip, you can get it done for £8k - £10k depending on whether you use a membrane, how much excavation needed etc. Paying a professional arena maker like those who advertise in H&H, you will lucky to get anything for under £20k, probably more like £30k. If you go for a waxed surface, you will be that for the surface alone.
Don't do just sand, esp building/beach sand as it will always ride deep. Even if you put rubber on top or add fibres like clopf, you really need silica sand, and preferably proper equine sand.
You will also usually need planning permision.
Good luck, it is a minefield. A last point - you can never have too many drains in an arena.