Hiring guide

How much space do you need for a bouncy castle?

How to work out whether a bouncy castle will fit your garden, covering the space around it, the route in, the ground, anything overhead and the power supply.

The size on the website is only the starting point

Castles are usually listed by their inflated base, for example 12ft by 15ft. That figure tells you how much ground the castle itself covers. It does not include the blower, the anchor ropes, the safety mats at the entrance or room for an adult to stand and watch.

Hirers set their own clearance rules, and they are not all the same. The simplest approach is to ask each one for the total area their unit needs, then measure your garden against that figure rather than the headline size.

What the published guidance says

There is no single official clearance figure for every castle, but a few points are set out clearly:

Rother District Council's guidance says the blower must sit at least 1.2 metres from the inflatable.
King's Lynn and West Norfolk Council's guidance says blowers should be at least 1.2 metres from a walled side and 2.5 metres from an open side.
Advice from PIPA, published by PTA+, suggests asking the supplier whether the unit will still fit your site with the blower set 1.2 metres away.
HSE says there should be safety matting at the entrance so users can get on and off safely.

Measuring your garden

Measure the length and width of the flattest area at ground level, in metres or feet to match the hirer's listings.
Note anything along the edges: walls, fences, sheds, greenhouses, ponds, trampolines, barbecues or raised beds.
Look up and check what is above the area (see below).
Measure from the area to the nearest outdoor socket.
Take a few photos from different corners and send them with your measurements.

Getting the castle into the garden

A packed castle is a large, heavy roll, usually moved on a trolley or sack truck. The hirer needs to know about anything that could make that awkward.

Measure the narrowest point between the van and the garden, which is often a side gate, an alleyway or a gap beside a bin store. Count any steps and mention steep drives, gravel, narrow doorways or a route through the house. If the only way in is through your home, say so at enquiry stage, because some hirers will not do it and others will want to plan for it.

The ground

Advice from PIPA, published by PTA+, says an inflatable should not go on a slope of more than 5% in any direction. That is a gentle gradient, so if your lawn visibly falls away, tell the hirer and send a photo. Merthyr Tydfil Council's guidance asks for level ground free from potholes and loose stones.

Grass: the usual surface. The castle is staked down with metal ground stakes.
Patios, block paving and tarmac: stakes cannot be used, so HSE calls for a minimum of 163 kg of ballast on each anchor point, plus impact-absorbing material where users could fall on hard ground. Ask whether the hirer brings weights.
Artificial grass: stakes may damage it or may not go through the base beneath. Tell the hirer before the day so they can plan to use weights or another spot.
Decking: ask the hirer whether they will set up on your decking at all, and tell them how high it is off the ground.
Dirty or abrasive ground: Rother's guidance says a ground sheet should be used.
Buried pipes or cables: if you know where these run, point them out before any stakes go in.

Look up before you book

Castles are taller than many people expect once inflated, so ask the hirer for the height of the unit you want. Then check what is above your chosen spot.

Tree branches, including ones that will droop lower when wet.
Rotary or line washing lines, which are easy to forget.
Gazebos, pergolas, sail shades and hanging baskets.
Overhead power or phone cables crossing the garden.

Overhead power lines

Rother's guidance says inflatables should be sited well away from overhead power lines. HSE does not give one fixed distance for these; it says the safe clearance must come from the electricity distribution network operator. If a line crosses your garden, tell the hirer at the start and let them decide whether the site is suitable.

Power and cables

The blower runs continuously, so it needs mains power or a generator for the whole hire. Merthyr's guidance says cables and connections must be rated for outdoor use and covered so nobody trips over them. NICEIC advises that outdoor sockets should be protected by an RCD and that long extension leads for mains equipment should be avoided because of the risk of overheating.

Tell the hirer how far the socket is from the castle. They can then say whether their lead will reach, whether you need a closer spot, or whether a generator would be better.

Questions

Will a 12ft by 12ft castle fit a 12ft by 12ft space?

Usually not. You also need room for the blower, anchors and entrance mats. Ask the hirer for the total space their unit needs and measure against that.

Can a bouncy castle go on a sloping lawn?

PIPA's advice, published by PTA+, is not to set one up on a slope of more than 5% in any direction. Send the hirer photos if you are unsure.

Can a bouncy castle go on a patio?

It can if the hirer anchors it with ballast weights instead of stakes and adds protective matting. HSE sets the minimum at 163 kg for each anchor point.

Sources and further reading

This guide is general information for people hiring inflatables in the UK, not legal or safety advice. Your hirer is responsible for safe set-up, so always follow their instructions. Last reviewed November 2026.