The cost of installing a menage?

[gerbera]

Hi, can anyone advise the cost of installing a menage? I'm thinking around the £12-15K mark, does that sound about right?
Also, if the drainage has already been done, does that save a significant amount of money?

Thanks for your help.

 

[TuscanBunnyGirl]

The drainage is the most expensive and important bit of building an arena. if you can raise it slightly off the ground that also helps with drainage.
Surfaces can cost between 7-100k+ and there's so many out there with disad. and advantages.

 

[gerbera]

Thank you TuscanBunnyGirl that's very helpful and great to hear that the drainage is the most expensive part as it's already been done I just hope it was done properly!

 

[TuscanBunnyGirl]

fab! Is it literally an arena without the membrane on top then? Do you know how the drainage was done?

 

[Magicmillbrook]

Sounds a bit cheap, mine was just under 19K but we cleared away the spoil and did the fencing. Drainage (both the land drains and the drainage bed) is the bulk of the work so if done already would make it much cheaper. Don't skimp on the drainage though as you will just be throwing your money away on any surface you purchase. Far better to have good drainage and just a sub angular sand topping if your budget is tight, then add rubber os fibre later when you can afford it.

You need to have the top soil scraped away, channels dug, and the whole area covered in a semi permeable membrane, then land drains put into the channels and back filled with peas shingle or clean stone, then a drainage bed of clean stone laid over the whole area (cant remember how deep ours is), then a non woven membrane, sewed or heat sealed together, then you topping (our is sand and rubber chips). Your drainage stone must be clean and not liable to break down and clog the land drains, your sand must be sub- angular so it knits together giving a firm surface. The land drains must lead somewhere like a ditch or sufficient soakaway.

When I was researching I found a good website from a chap who lays arenas and also does remedial work on bad ones, he acts as an expert witness in court where arenas have 'gone bad'. It lists lots of the pit falls - will try to find it for you.

Expensive old job to get wrong!

Just realized you have drainage done already - I would definitely get it checked out before I spent any money putting something on top.

 

[gerbera]

Thanks Magicmillbrook, you've been very helpful with all your info.
To put you all in the picture, we are looking for an equestrian property and have found one we like but it has no menage but the drainage has been done. I could see something had been done to the land and asked the agent and she said it was drainage for a menage. However, this was through an agent as the owners were on holiday but obviously I would want to speak to the owner to find out more about the drainage etc.

 

[Polos Mum]

I'd check carefully as it should be pretty obvious what it is if it really was a half built school. Mine the fencing went in before the drainage. It basically was dig a huge hole, fence round it, lay pipes that look like guttering on your house with holes in, fill with tonnes and tonnes of stone, lat membrane then surface on top. From the moment they drew out the area to dig it was obviously a school - what does the area look like?

I paid c£25k for mine but ut was 25 by 40 so bigger than standard.

 

[gerbera]

I'd check carefully as it should be pretty obvious what it is if it really was a half built school. Mine the fencing went in before the drainage. It basically was dig a huge hole, fence round it, lay pipes that look like guttering on your house with holes in, fill with tonnes and tonnes of stone, lat membrane then surface on top. From the moment they drew out the area to dig it was obviously a school - what does the area look like?

I paid c£25k for mine but ut was 25 by 40 so bigger than standard.

When we viewed the house, behind the stable block was one of the paddocks and part of the paddock I noticed the ground was undulating and I asked the agent why, she replied it was drainage that had been put in for a menage and then when I looked again I noticed pipes were showing at the edge of the paddock by the fence.

Does this sound right re drainage?

Nothing else has been done, no digging, no fencing etc. The agent wasn't horsey at all and as I said the owners were on holiday so I couldn't ask them myself, but I will on a second viewing.

Currently the house owner does not have any horses and is currently renting the yard to someone. Obviously there are lots of questions I need to ask but I believed the agent when she stated it was drainage for a menage, but if this doesn't sound right I would appreciate any thoughts/advice on this.

 

[Polos Mum]

Pipes with soil back over the top? definitey not for a school!

It might have been badly installed land drains

This is a random web ste but gives youan idea in photo ofwhat a part built arena might look like

http://www.pengellyequestrianservices.co.uk/stages.html

http://www.jacksonarenas.com/arenas.asp

 

[gerbera]

I think your suggestion of badly installed land drains may be correct after looking at the websites you mention. I need to speak to the owner about that.

Thanks for your help, you may have saved me a lot of disappointment further down the line re ménage drainage or lack of!