Cedar Park designer makes old play sets new
What started as a home-based business of refurbishing aging playscapes for one Cedar Park entrepreneur has grown into a full-service enterprise of installing custom-designed playscapes and treehouses complete with just about any comfort imaginable.
Centex Playscape Refurbishers owner Colin Saunders began working on discarded play sets at his Cedar Park home in March 2013. In addition to refurbishing, Saunders also offers on-site assembly, relocation and custom design of playsets.
"I would get [old] play sets for free and restore them, and [the playsets] were pretty much sold from the first day I had them," Saunders said.
By summer 2013, Centex Playscape Refurbishers was ready to expand, he said. In September the business opened in Cedar Park, on a lot owned by Callahan's Feed and Pet Supply, and showcased Saunders' designs and refurbished models.
Saunders said a steady rise in work orders has allowed him to hire two employees to help him with projects, which include simple backyard play sets and large playscapes for apartment complexes.
In addition to playscapes, the business installs treehouses and zip lines.
"A lot of times we'll do [a line] from the treehouse down to the ground or tree to tree—it depends on the age of the kid, too," Saunders said. "You can have [zip lines] with seats on them, you can have them with brakes on them; it just depends on the age of the kid."
For families looking to invest more in backyard entertainment, Saunders said he can add several amenities to make a treehouse feel like a vacation home.
"I've done treehouses with air conditioning and cable TV—even for my kids at the house," he said. "We'll do everything from $500 to $500,000."
In Elgin, County Line Homeowners Association Director Horace Taylor said Saunders overhauled the HOA's $25,000 playscape after vandals attempted to destroy it last summer.
"The best thing about Colin is his professionalism—he has a real passion for his work, and the whole board was impressed by his passion," Taylor said.
Saunders said the quality construction materials he uses in custom design ensure stability and reduce the need for follow-up maintenance. The business offers a two-year warranty on custom design projects.
In addition, Centex Playscape Refurbishers sells accessories such as slides and swings and offers free removal services for play sets that have outlived their usefulness.
"I just found a niche and so we just kept going with it, and now we've gotten pretty big. My wife says I'm pretty much a kid at heart, so it's pretty hard to stay away from that kind of stuff," Saunders said.
Ordering a custom play set
Centex Playscape Refurbishers owner Colin Saunders said the process for creating a custom playscape begins with a free site consultation.
"We'll go look at their site, see what they have to work with, and then I'll go back and start drawing and give them some rough drawings and rough estimates," he said.
Work commences once the homeowner has approved the project. Features can include enclosed slides, rock walls and monkey bars, Saunders said.
One of the company's biggest projects to date is the restoration of a communal playscape for the County Line Home Owners Association in Elgin. Photos of the playsets can be found at www.houzz.com/photos/products/centex-playscape-refurbishers.
Centex Playscape Refurbishers, 218 Old US 183, Cedar Park, 512-431-2627, www.centexplayscaperefurbishers.com, Hours: Call for an appointment
