Costs of building a cable park: Expenses related to the property

The property is one of the factors that significantly determine the cost of building a wake park. Not only location and size, but also soil conditions, topography, condition, previous use and development are criteria that can have a direct or indirect impact on how expensive the construction of a wakeboard facility and a wakeboarding cable park will be in the end. 

In this blog article, we look at the property as a factor influencing the cost of a cable park. We will present the most important cost factors emanating from it in more detail and tell you what to look out for if you are planning to build a wake park.

Ownership or lease?

The costs that can arise when building a wake park depend first of all on whether a plot of land is already owned or must be purchased or leased. If you want to buy a plot of land, you usually pay not only the price per square meter, which can vary greatly depending on the region in your country, but usually also incidental purchase costs. These include, for example, notary fees, broker commissions and land transfer tax, which are levied in Germany and many other countries. 

If you lease a property, you can use it, but you don’t own it. It remains the property of the lessor. Accordingly, you do not pay a purchase price with real estate transfer tax and other incidental costs, but a rent that you agree individually with the lessor. The rent can be fixed in regular amounts or linked to your turnover. If it is contractually agreed that the lessor may increase the rent, you must take this into account in your financial planning. Ideally, you already own a plot of land so that you do not have to buy or lease it.

In this blog article, we look at the property as a factor influencing the cost of a cable park. We will present the most important cost factors emanating from it in more detail and tell you what to look out for if you are planning to build a wake park.

Water body, soil and terrain

The characteristics of the land have an impact on the overall cost of a cable park. If there is an existing body of water that can be used for the construction of a wakepark facility, it saves the need to build a new lake and therefore saves money. However, this does not mean that the property must necessarily have an existing body of water. Building an artificial lake can bring benefits as well, even if the process initially involves expenses. 

It is important to know whether the property offers the possibility of supplying water to the lake, that is, whether it provides groundwater at an accessible depth or is located near another body of water from which water can be drawn. If it is necessary to sink a well to access the groundwater, this is accompanied by further costs. In addition, there are usually strict regulations for the use of groundwater and specifications for the maximum drilling depth that must be adhered to. 

The soil quality of a site is another factor that influences the cost of building a cable park. If a body of water must first be created for the wake park facility, specific measures are required for this, depending on the type of soil. While clayey soil usually requires earth to be excavated to create a lake, volcanic rock, for example, may require earth to be piled and the body of water to be built on top. In most cases, the lake is lined with a special foil to prevent water from seeping through and to keep the water clean. In the case of clayey soil, the laying of foil is not mandatory, because its composition allows it to create a natural seal.

The terrain of a site is also relevant to the cost of building a cable park. Slopes and inclines, for example, have an enormous impact on the volume of excavated soil. The more earth has to be removed, the more work has to be done and the more expensive it will be in the end. If it is a property with a slope, it may be better to refrain from building a wakepark, as you will have to deal with a cumbersome site setup and invest a lot of effort in securing the terrain (measures to prevent slipping).

Condition and redevelopment of property

Condition and previous use of the land are other issues that can cause costs when building a cable park. If you have purchased a plot of land that was formerly used for industrial or military purposes, the soil might be contaminated with harmful substances like heavy metals, toxins, mines or munitions that need to be removed. As a property owner, you are obligated to pay for the associated costs. In any case you must have a soil survey carried out when you purchase a plot of land. It may also be that the property has been used as an illegal landfill. In this case, you are obligated to dispose of the waste properly.

Further costs may arise if the land is reserved for a specific use and must first be rezoned in order to be able to build on it or obtain a building permit. This is the case, for example, with agricultural or forestry land or arable land. If a piece of land is to be used for a purpose other than that for which it is intended, permission is required from the relevant authority and an application must be submitted in this regard. Some countries (e.g. Germany) require compensation for the conversion of natural land. The way in which this has to be done varies from country to country. 

It is easier if the land is already designated as a sports or recreation area. But even then, you do not automatically have the right to make changes to the property. For example, if you want to clear wooded areas or even just cut down individual trees in order to build on your land, you need a felling permit in Germany and many other countries – even if you own the land.

Development 

The development of a site is the be-all and end-all when it comes to building a wake park. You cannot build a wake park without supply to water, sewage, electricity and telephone networks as well as gas or geothermal energy. You will need the appropriate media for the operation of the facility and for all peripherals such as sanitary and catering facilities. If the connections are located directly at the site, the costs are kept within limits. However, the further away these supply connections are, the longer the supply lines have to be laid, which is associated with higher financial expenses. 

It is easy to underestimate the costs that arise from the land alone for the construction of a cable park. This makes a comprehensive site analysis and detailed planning all the more important. We will be happy to advise you if you are interested in building a cable park. Contact us and tell us about your concerns. Together we will develop a solution that suits you.

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