Possible Add-On....Bouncy Castle....

[StarZSoundS]

For our Kids Parties...

They are pretty easy to buy at the moment.I actually have been asked to supply a couple shortly and rather than farm it out to a mate who does it I may invest.

Does anybody else offer this as an add-on???

And then the BIG question......PLI.

I'm with Liability Guard at the moment...but don't know where I would stand.

[Spirits High]

Something I contemplated a while back. Have a read of the link and you should find it interesting ;)

http://www.biha.org.uk/

[StarZSoundS]

Something I contemplated a while back. Have a read of the link and you should find it interesting ;)

http://www.biha.org.uk/


Thanks Paul...I will read with interest tonight...


However....I'd still like an opinion from somebody actually doing it now!!



Things are going TOO well at the moment...and I don't want to drop a :Censored: .

Its the possible claims aspect that is freaking me out.:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Vectis]

The very fact that Paul contemplated it and didn't jump in would be enough of a warning shot for me :o

There's literally thousands of small companies doing this for a VERY small take (often silly sums like £40/50 a day including delivery, setup, teardown, insurance etc.) plus repairs, cleaning costs.... I suspect it would be extremely difficult to make a reasonable margin unless you were supplying dozens of the things. The churn rate (companies setting up and then disappearing again) is huge so it can't be that good a number.

You also have PM with a bit more about what I know about this industry but it's probably against forum rules to post here.

[paulg]

We considered it but decided to push it out to a third party - whilst we don't make any money from it, the association is good in that we can offer a fuller package and the bouncy castle hirer will come to us when a disco is needed along with the hire ( www.barts.moonfruit.com ) . You're struggling to get 50 quid a day for bouncies so the return is not great. More than a disco in Barnsley though.

Thanks for posting - it made me realise that part of my webpage is incomplete

[rob1963]

The very fact that Paul contemplated it and didn't jump in would be enough of a warning shot for me :o

One of my former bank colleagues resigned & set up a business hiring out bouncy castles.

I don't know what he charged, where he advertised or how many bookings he took, but I DO know that within a year he was turning over between £4,000 and £5,000 a month.

[StarZSoundS]

Can I just say I'm thinking of buying one Bouncy Castle to compliment the Kids Party side of my Disco Business....

I'm not looking to diversify completely!!


But if it is complicated or expensive insurance wise I may not bother!!;) ;) ;) ;)

[Vectis]

Can I just say I'm thinking of buying one Bouncy Castle to compliment the Kids Party side of my Disco Business....



Then be clear with the hirer re: the provision of supervision. You can't do both jobs at the same time, and the expectation will be that if you're on-site you're also supervising.

[StarZSoundS]

Then be clear with the hirer re: the provision of supervision. You can't do both jobs at the same time, and the expectation will be that if you're on-site you're also supervising.


Thanks Martin....good point!!


We are two handed most of the time.The Castle will be up and down all through the party....we've done it before and it works well....

Do you get clobbered for Insurance!!:confused: :confused: :confused:

[DJ Jules]

Thanks Martin....good point!!


We are two handed most of the time.The Castle will be up and down all through the party....we've done it before and it works well....

Do you get clobbered for Insurance!!:confused: :confused: :confused:

Yup, you will - I haven't done Castles for a couple of years now, but we used to expect to pay about £240.00 for the first castle and about £45 per castle thereafter (that is - having one castle is generally not cost effective, it usually only becomes economically viable with 5).

However, if you scale up the operation it can make serious money, but the business is very seasonal so you'll make £4-5k/month for 5 months of the year, and very little for the remainder!

Julian

[StarZSoundS]

Yup, you will - I haven't done Castles for a couple of years now, but we used to expect to pay about £240.00 for the first castle and about £45 per castle thereafter (that is - having one castle is generally not cost effective, it usually only becomes economically viable with 5).

However, if you scale up the operation it can make serious money, but the business is very seasonal so you'll make £4-5k/month for 5 months of the year, and very little for the remainder!

Julian

Thanks...Jules...

Thats what I was after!!

[CRAZY K]

Thanks...Jules...

Thats what I was after!!

The Insurance I think would have to be an annual policy separately and a separate issue--the H and S is pretty heavy I would suspect-=there was a nasty incident in the courts a while ago over who is responsible for accidents--people can suffer permanent disabilites so it gets mega expensive if theres a claim.:eek:

Lots of websites offering Insurance on the net by the way, expect a nasty excess.

[DazzyD]

We were offered an inflatables business including equipment a few years back for the measly asking price of £3,000. I did a bit of background research and decided against it as, like Jules said, it's a very seasonal operation. Not much call for inflatables in the winter although you can make nice amounts during the summer at pub fun days, church/village fetes, school functions, etc.

But the over-riding factor for me was the cost of insurance (which at the time was quite high) and the maintenance costs of the equipment. Oh, and the fact that there was so much gear we would've needed to rent a lock-up and get a big van to transport it all!

But, for Martins idea of a single bouncy castle as an add-on to kids parties, providing you comply with H&S legislation, you can pick up second hand equipment quite cheap (so long as it's for professional and not domestic use - don't fall in to that trap!). There could well be a few bob extra to be made here and there.

[StarZSoundS]

But, for Martins idea of a single bouncy castle as an add-on to kids parties, providing you comply with H&S legislation, you can pick up second hand equipment quite cheap (so long as it's for professional and not domestic use - don't fall in to that trap!). There could well be a few bob extra to be made here and there.


That was my thinking Dazzy.....They are easy to buy at £200/300 quid now.I already have two bookings with Castles as add ons.

Would it really be £240 a year for one??Going to research tomorrow!!;) ;)

[DazzyD]

That was my thinking Dazzy.....They are easy to buy at £200/300 quid now.I already have two bookings with Castles as add ons.

Would it really be £240 a year for one??Going to research tomorrow!!;) ;)

Be prepared for the worst, Martin.

I've just searched 5 different insurers for £5million PLI cover for 1 x "Children's Activity Castle" (Bouncy Castle to me and you!) and the cheapest quote for the year is £222.60 for the year.

I have my full disco business insured for less than half of that!

[StarZSoundS]

Be prepared for the worst, Martin.

I've just searched 5 different insurers for £5million PLI cover for 1 x "Children's Activity Castle" (Bouncy Castle to me and you!) and the cheapest quote for the year is £222.60 for the year.

I have my full disco business insured for less than half of that!

Thanks for doing that Dazzy............:beer1: :beer1: :beer1: .

[A1DL]

Whilst my experience with inflatables is limited to the capacity of power provision, have you covered this aspect off in your calculations, Martin?

I.E. you will need a suitable generator and should allow for generator fuel when working out your hire costs. If you intend to operate multiple inflatables at one site, you will need either multiple generators or sufficient yellowjacket and HO7, which will add significantly to your capital outlay.

[StarZSoundS]

Whilst my experience with inflatables is limited to the capacity of power provision, have you covered this aspect off in your calculations, Martin?

I.E. you will need a suitable generator and should allow for generator fuel when working out your hire costs. If you intend to operate multiple inflatables at one site, you will need either multiple generators or sufficient yellowjacket and HO7, which will add significantly to your capital outlay.



My Mates been doing it with really long extension leads,Tony.:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

[A1DL]

My Mates been doing it with really long extension leads,Tony.:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

oh dear, oops, I mean OK, but...

- where does the power come from?
- how long is "long"?
- what type of extension leads, i.e. what cable & connectors (CSA, BS & IP ratings)?
- how does he get power to the middle of a field if the inflatables are away from the perimeter
- how does he manage mains cables in public areas?

[Vectis]

silly sums like £40/50 a day including delivery, setup, teardown, insurance etc


You're struggling to get 50 quid a day for bouncies so the return is not great.


My Mates been doing it with really long extension leads


- where does the power come from?
- how long is "long"?
- what type of extension leads, i.e. what cable & connectors (CSA, BS & IP ratings)?
- how does he get power to the middle of a field if the inflatables are away from the perimeter
- how does he manage mains cables in public areas?

... I have a sneaky suspicion you already know the answers to most of these questions Tony :eek:
(and I'm sure Tesco are unknowingly contributing in some small way... )

[CRAZY K]

My Mates been doing it with really long extension leads,Tony.:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

Talk about red rag to a bull

:Laugh: :Laugh: :Laugh: :Laugh: :Laugh:

[StarZSoundS]

Talk about red rag to a bull

:Laugh: :Laugh: :Laugh: :Laugh: :Laugh:


:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: