Planning Your Spring 2026 Playground? Here's Your Timeline for Success
Ready to cut the ribbon on a new playground next spring? With the right planning, you can have your community playing on brand new equipment right as the weather warms up. The key is understanding how lead times work and starting your process at the right time.
Let us share what we've learned about getting playgrounds installed exactly when communities need them.
Lead Times For The Carolinas
Our typical lead times vary by season, and knowing these patterns helps you plan better:
- September through March: 8-10 weeks from order to installation
- April through August: 10-13 weeks (sometimes longer)
Why the difference? Manufacturing schedules fill up during "playground season" when everyone wants installations before summer programs start. Our installation crews are also at their busiest during peak months.
Potential Weather Delays
The Carolina weather adds complexity to any installation schedule. We average 110-120 days of precipitation annually, with January through April accounting for the majority of the impact.
What this means for your project:
- Pour-in-place surfacing: Needs 48 hours without rain and temperatures above 40°F
- Concrete work: Can't pour during active precipitation or when overnight temps drop below freezing
- Equipment installation: Lightning within 10 miles stops work
- Saturated ground: Heavy equipment can damage the grass or existing landscaping after large rainfall
Barrs Recreation strives to leave the site better than we found it. We will always communicate delays to customers and work to provide a timely solution in the event of any weather-related delays.
Municipal Budget Cycles and Your Timeline
The Carolinas municipalities operate on a July 1 fiscal year. If you're using FY2026 funds (available July 1, 2025), but want spring 2026 completion, you should start procurement processes at least 120 days before you need installation. For playgrounds, add another 60 days for design iterations and community input.
Here's a working timeline for April 2026 completion:
- October 2025: Initial site assessments and community input
- November 2025: Design development and revisions
- Early December 2025: Final order placement
- February 2026: Equipment arrives early February with installation beginning at the same time.
- March/April 2026: Project completion and inspection
Working With Your Parks Department
Parks directors tell us their biggest frustration is unrealistic completion expectations from community members. Here's how to help them help you:
Share your timeline with your PTO, community groups, and municipal leaders. Successful playground projects involve stakeholders in timeline planning from day one.
Build in buffer time. If you absolutely need an April 1 completion, plan for March 1. Weather, supply chain hiccups, or site surprises won't derail your grand opening.
Consider phased installation. If budget allows, demo old equipment in the fall, complete site work in the winter, then install new equipment in early spring. This approach minimizes weather delays during the critical installation phase.
Your October Action Items
If you're hoping for spring 2026 completion:
- Schedule site visits with vendors this month.
- Get your RFP out by early November.
- Plan for December order placement.
Remember: manufacturers close for holidays, crews take vacations, and the weather is a wild card. The municipalities succeeding with spring completions start their process in the fall.
Questions about specific timeline scenarios? Contact us – we've seen pretty much every scheduling challenge imaginable and can help you plan accordingly.