Bouncy Castles

[Sanke]

Hi all
Over the last few days my partner & I have been considering starting a bouncy castle hire business Has anyone on the forum any experience of advise regarding this type of business ?
Thanks

 

[vvaannmmaann]

Type 'bouncy castles' into the search box,top right of your screen.Pages of threads on this topic.

 

[Billmccallum]

I don't know about the business aspects, but you need to make sure you cover health & safety and insurance.....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-192234/Boy-died-bouncy-castle-fall.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-397242/Two-killed-giant-bouncy-castle-lifts-off.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9701945/Alarming-increase-in-bouncy-castle-injuries.html

 

[LuckySticksHarry]

I think it's one of those businesses which are hard to maintain every year as it's weather dependable, you will also need public liability and probs a more specific insurance as you will be dealing with kids and drunken parents.

Other than that, good luck!

 

[JonathanSEO]

The fact there's others doing it would suggest it's viable. Whether it's a side earner or their main business I don't know. Plenty people offering it though.

Starting point you'd need bouncy castles to hire out, a website to advertise them and public liability insurance.

 

[owas]

I have recently just done some web work for our local bouncy castle guy. He was saying that, the weekends are really busy, and then maybe the occasional booking in the week. He has about 10 castles/slides, and then also the school holidays he has to book time of his regular job (two weeks)

A few things I think you would need to consider.

The cost of buying the castle.
The cost of insurance.
Ensuring you have a place to dry it out (not just storage)
I think you have to have them tested for safety, annually
The best way for bookings is through word of mouth via parents.
he charges about £40 for three hours.
You will need a van
will need be physically fit
It also worth getting in to local school/town fairs and events.

It's also a good opportunity to sell other services/products mascot hire, party stull like balloons, etc.

Hope that helps.

 

[WFChris]

OWAS gives a pretty good list of the things you need to consider.

Specialist insurance will be a must as many sites/venues will not allow you on their premises without providing proof of cover.

As a broker we do provide cover with bouncy castle operators and can arrange annual cover. If you would like a quote or just a bit more information feel free to send a private message or call on 01243 841710.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

First thing to do is find out how much coverage there already is in your area.

Look in the yellow pages et al, search online for bouncy castles and your location/major towns nearby.

If you know or have seen any events with bouncy castles recently, contact them just to ask where they rented them from (just say you want to hire one too), could even ask if they had any problems with the firm they hired from...

 

[Steve Wood]

What area are you planning on setting up in Sanke ?

 

[Concept Vehicle Leasing]

Will you be needing a new vehicle to transport all of these bouncy castles? I know that Concept Vehicle Leasing would love to help out. Get in contact with them.

Hi all
Over the last few days my partner & I have been considering starting a bouncy castle hire business Has anyone on the forum any experience of advise regarding this type of business ?
Thanks

 

[vvaannmmaann]

Will you be needing a new vehicle to transport all of these bouncy castles? I know that Concept Vehicle Leasing would love to help out. Get in contact with them.

Not the most subtle attempt I've ever seen.

 

[Steve Wood]

I wonder if the bouncy castle business took off?

 

[vvaannmmaann]

I wonder if the bouncy castle business took off?

Hope not. Health and Safety nightmare!

 

[Steve Wood]

H & S is fine, it's the customers that are the problem!

 

[sjb84]

Customers are the real problem - when provided with a bouncy castle for ages 3 - 5 , the office had a phone call off a disgruntled customer saying that his child had fell through the bouncy castle. When we arrived there was a huge split through the centre of the castle - quite obvious a child had not done it, when questioned the customer (in his late 3o0's) informed us he only went on it for a few seconds ....... with his work boots on but denied ripping it. So then he was refusing to pay. We clearly stated that he had signed the T and C and he was in breach and he was responsible for the damage costs.

After about an hour of heated discussions and him trying to hold the castle hostage he admitted he ripped the castle and agreed to pay for the damage.

I think you get situations like this all the time but overall I really enjoyed doing it, early starts but usually finished by 12 and if you can ' allow' the customer to keep it overnight securely even better.

Good fun but hard work

 

[Steve Wood]

SJB Where are you based?

Getting right on my nerves this year! People ordering a 15x15 to go in a garden 14x16 and then telling other operators they was let down drives me mad.

 

[Deleted member 138423]

How polite OP that after you asked this question, you haven't bothered to even thank those who have taken the time to answer you! Good work!

 

[sjb84]

West Midlands, wait until you get the scenario when you ask if they access to the back garden to which they reply 'yes 'and then you turn up with a 16x16 and you have to take it through their extremely small new fitted kitchen!

Brings back some memories

 

[Steve Wood]

SJB

I get it all the time, had a booking for a 15x15 two weekends ago, looked at the garden and said 'mate, that's not going to fit and I can tell you that without measuring because you only have 3 6ft fence panels and a washing line post half way down, the garden turned out to be 14ft wide x 9ft deep but I am the one who let him down!

Do you not do it anymore?

Good call NickJ.

 

[Deleted member 138423]

Have any of you got ball pools and use them here in the UK, you know, the pools where you have small individual zorb like balls to roll around the water in?

 

[sjb84]

No I stopped about 8 years ago maybe, a friend and myself started it to make a little bit of extra money - to be honest it turned out to be good money, you would be surprised the amount of bookings we got in the autumn/winter months.

I often think about doing it again but around my area there seems to be a lot of people doing so I don't think I'd get as much out of it as before.

If there is anything else you wish to ask please feel free although it was a long time ago I still remember it as if it was yesterday

 

[Steve Wood]

I started 3 years ago, now in the process of setting up a van hire firm. There are a lot of castle operators about but business is good, I have 10 units but know of three local companies with 20 or 30 plus. What do you do now? What made you stop?

 

[sjb84]

I am currently setting up another business having been made redundant - I stopped because we both had other interests we wanted to pursue. We simply did the bouncy castle side of things but there were others operating who provided a whole lot more as well as castles.

 

[jimjamuk1]

Are bouncy Castles easy to set up and pack away. It's something I have considered but been worried about how easy they are to inflate and then once deflated to actually fold away and pack up.

Thank you

 

[sjb84]

They are easy to set up but you've got to make sure all the air is out and fold it the right way when you pack away - otherwise they become a nightmare to move and lift

 

[jimjamuk1]

Thank you, with folding it away is it obvious which way it needs to fold, and will they come with instructions on how to fold?
Will I need more than 1 person to fold away.

 

[MOIC]

Hi all
Over the last few days my partner & I have been considering starting a bouncy castle hire business Has anyone on the forum any experience of advise regarding this type of business ?
Thanks

Hi

If you require any assistance in sourcing the best castles at the best prices, please send me a PM.

It's a free service with no obligation.

Best of luck with your project.

Ron

 

[sjb84]

The castles I had didn't come with any instructions but they may do know. You'll need at least 2 people especially for the bigger sizes, but they pretty much follow the same pattern, make sure the air is out, and that it is flat, fold in half, then fold it in itself and then roll as tightly as possible. That's the method I used but others may have different methods. Also make sure you have something to hold it together when you have rolled it.

As I have said previously I recommend it to anyone, the money is quite good and if you get it right the hours are to, you get to meet loads of different people, you'll be surprised at contacts you'll make through it

 

[jimjamuk1]

Thank you, I appreciate your help. I have googled some suppliers so will now just have to take the plunge and choose the castle / inflatable to kick start the business

 

[sjb84]

Hope everything goes well

 

[jimjamuk1]

Hope everything goes well

Thank you very much, I appreciate that

 

[Steve Wood]

Jimjam, are you consindering a BC business simply because you have been told how to roll one up?

Have you considered purchase costs, buying a van, liability insurance, advertising, storage, maintenance, HSE laws...........

Where are you based?

 

[jimjamuk1]

Jimjam, are you consindering a BC business simply because you have been told how to roll one up?

Have you considered purchase costs, buying a van, liability insurance, advertising, storage, maintenance, HSE laws...........

Where are you based?

no I've considered one before but it was (albeit probably a small thing) the packing away that concerned me the most.
I've been told by a supplier that once packed away they compact down quite small so could put this in the back of a car - but not sure this is 100% correct.

I've looked at purchasing one and they are fairly reasonably priced for a small one to start with.

Maintenance I would need to look at still.

I will need to speak to different broker to get the best deal on insurance.

I am based in Hampshire.

 

[MikeJ]

Purely out of interest (I've no desire to get into this business, honestly)...

How much would you be looking at for a bouncy castle? £100? Then there's the compressor and other stuff I guess.

 

[jimjamuk1]

The quotes I have been given for a bouncy castle / inflatable for commercial use start at about 895ish but thats for a fairly small one going to up to about 1200 to 1700 depending on size etc.

 

[owas]

I know that one of them, 18ft x 13ft which is quite large for bouncy castles cost 2k to buy.

 

[WHARTY]

I looked into this a while back. The manufacturer i looked at in the UK were these guys.

http://www.beetee.com/

They have some lovely castles but they are rather pricey.
I considered buying from China but i was concerned about quality.

 

[jimjamuk1]

beetee are very helpful, I spoke to them.

I think personally with bouncy castles I would source from within the uk

 

[MikeJ]

The quotes I have been given for a bouncy castle / inflatable for commercial use start at about 895ish but thats for a fairly small one going to up to about 1200 to 1700 depending on size etc.

Thanks. That's much more than I'd have guessed, but I've never really thought about it. I'd have said somewhere in the £3-500 range, but that's a pure guess.