Best Value and Melcourt Play Products

Which would you prefer:

'Cheapest Price today' or 'Best Value over time'
 

The answer depends on your relative place in the hierarchical ladder, i.e. client/play provider, project designer or specifier, contractor or product supplier.
 

You also need to carefully consider your overall play objective. It is far better to spend your budget to obtain maximum 'play value' rather than install expensive or over-specified surfacing.
 

As a result of restructuring within the Local Authorities during 1980/90, together with the introduction of Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT) and the demise of the Clerk of Works, in the Public Sector and the increasing competitive pressures, the focus on cost rather than value and the frequent use of the words 'or similar approved' in Tender Documents, many potentially exciting play schemes have failed to reach the designers' or children's expectations.
 

Best Value in its widest sense should start to overcome this situation and re-focus on value and not solely on cost.

How does 'Best Value' apply to Melcourt's products?

Consider two play products, Melcourt Playbark^® 10/50 and Melcourt Kushyfall^®

Product Name	Cost per m³ Delivered	Minimum Installation Depth	Settlement after 30 days	Durability
Melcourt Playbark® 10/50	£33.10	300 mm	10%	4 - 6 years
Melcourt Kushyfall®	£21.10	300 mm	15%	2 - 4 years

Although Melcourt Kushyfall^® has a lower cost per m³, when you take into account the initial spreading depth, natural settlement and life expectancy, Melcourt Playbark® 10/50 represent far better value for money.

Taking the 'whole life' cost into account, the relative costs per m² are:

Melcourt Playbark® 10/50	£1.71 per m2 per year
Melcourt Kushyfall®	£1.82 per m2 per year

When you then add into the equation

• Melcourt Playbark^® 10/50 is more windfirm on exposed sites and more stable on steeper slopes than Melcourt Kushyfall^®
• Melcourt Playbark^® 10/50 has a higher 'play value' than Melcourt Kushyfall^®
• Melcourt Playbark^® 10/50 has a 'second-life' and can be successfully used as a bark mulch or organic soil ameliorant after its play surface life has expired

then.............the 'Best Value' decision is obvious.