How do you choose a splash pad contractor?

Splash pads sit at the intersection of plumbing, electrical, civil concrete, and recreational equipment — most general contractors lack the expertise. Look for a contractor who is a factory-authorized installer with at least one major splash pad manufacturer (Vortex, Waterplay, Empex, Aquatix, RainDeck), has 10+ completed references you can call, and carries the right specialty licenses in your state (commercial plumbing, low-voltage electrical, sometimes pool-builder). Verify their EMR safety rating is below 1.0, check their bonding capacity is at least 2x your project budget, and confirm they offer a 2-year workmanship warranty on top of the manufacturer's equipment warranty. Walk a recently completed pad with the operator to ask about post-construction issues and responsiveness on warranty calls. Avoid generalists, lowest-bid pool contractors, and out-of-state firms without local knowledge of permitting and soil conditions.