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With 4 kids ages 7 and under, I want my home to be as kid-friendly as possible. Part of that involves creating spaces for my kids to be themselves, to have fun, to use their imagination, and to move their bodies.
For YEARS I’d seen my friend Kristin share her in-ground trampoline and her family enjoying countless hours on it together. When quarantine began and I realized we would be at home a LOT this summer, Chris and I decided it was time to up our backyard game and buy an in-ground trampoline.
But did you know that there’s a lot more to digging a hole and plopping a trampoline into it?! Like a LOT more to it?!
Luckily, my friends and longtime partners at Hoffmann Brothers were up to the challenge! They’re my go-to St. Louis company for all things home – heating, cooling, electrical, and plumbing!
Hoffmann Brothers // 1025 Hanley Industrial St Louis, MO 63144 // call or text 314-664-3011
We quickly realized that we would need a sump pump to drain the water from beneath the trampoline since St. Louis soil is a “silty clay” (here’s a map of the US by soil type in case you’re curious!) aka it doesn’t drain super well.
Well, a sump pump requires not only plumbing to drain the water, but it also requires electrical to be run to power the pump. Hoffmann Brothers does both, in addition to both heating and cooling work. So they came out and tackled the trampoline for us! More on that below :).
In the meantime, they had their work cut out for them… ???
Here are all your questions about our in-ground trampoline:
How much did the whole in-ground trampoline cost?
This was the MOST commonly asked question – I get it! The answer is… it’s an investment, for sure! Overall, the project cost about $6k. This would be less expensive if you live in an area that doesn’t require a sump pump to drain the water :).
We purchased this trampoline kit from Trampolines Down Under; the trampoline kit includes the trampoline itself, the safety pad, the wall around the frame that goes into the ground, and the support frame. The total cost on the trampoline itself was around $1,800.
After the trampoline arrives, you have to dig a hole. A BIG hole. We had to make sure we wouldn’t hit any underground plumbing or electrical AND dig a huge hole in the yard, so we hired my friends from Property Pros (they also did our home renovation) to take care of the heavy lifting, literally.
Finally, it became very evident within a few days of installing the trampoline that we would need a sump pump. The hole had tons of standing water, which is a breeding ground for mosquitos. There was still a good deal of work to be done at this point… we needed Hoffmann Brothers to pull permits, dig for plumbing, fill the ground with rock, install the sump pump, install an outdoor outlet to run power from, to actually connect the sump pump, and to have it all pass inspection and be 100% safe.
YES – buying a regular above-ground trampoline would’ve been much less expensive.
Why in-ground instead of above ground?
Honestly, we liked the look better AND theoretically, it’s possibly slightly safer (note: I realize that trampolines are inherently dangerous no matter how far off the ground they are). Also – my youngest kids are still really young. I don’t want them climbing up and down a ladder 74563xs/day OR running under a trampoline.
If I were to buy an above-ground, it would probably be this one.
Why did you need a sump pump?
The clay soil in St. Louis meant that water would never totally or efficiently drain itself from under the trampoline and standing water would be an ongoing issue. Standing water is bad for a bunch of reasons, mosquitos being the biggest concern.
Can you just dig a hole and put a trampoline in it?
I’m not an engineer but I think without a barrier wall around the frame of the trampoline, the side ‘walls’ of soil would eventually settle and sink underneath the trampoline.
What about critters? I’ve heard snakes ? like to be under them ?. Did you put anything under to prevent that?
We didn’t – and now I’m going to do some major Googling! But we don’t live near the woods so hoping that helps?!
What does the underneath look like!?
White rock bottom with a sump pump on one side. The pic below is after the sump pump was installed but before it was actually running – note the water reflection you see… standing water.
Did you do this yourself? I could totally go for this at my house!
We’re not the DIY types :).
How deep does the hole in the ground have to be? That’s all my husband cares about… Trying to convince him!
I *believe* it’s a 3 foot hole. There’s a big list of FAQ from the brand here.
I assume it’s way safer?!
In short, not technically – here’s an article about the safety of in-ground vs above-ground trampolines.
Any other tips?
Double-check that your Homeowners Insurance allows you to have a trampoline!
If you need a reputable, reliable St. Louis company’s help, contact:
Hoffmann Brothers // 1025 Hanley Industrial St Louis, MO 63144 // call or text 314-664-3011
