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I dont think middleclasstracknicheworld has covered this one yet?
we have a corner of the garden Id like to get one built, probably with a slide on
anyone built their own- any tips, good source of timber etc
cheers
I Built one last year but its not technically a tree house. Its build on an otherwise unusable bank at the top of the garden in amongst the trees. It consists of a 3m x 3.6m decking area with a house in one corner and a the rest is a cantilevered balcony.
I don't think I have any pictures on me at the moment but will post some up later.
The timber is pressure treated and came from a local timber merchant. I think the cost of the timber for the main legs, decking support and decking cost around £600 and then there was the cost of balustrading and other bits and bobs like post mix, coach bolts and decking screws. The house we already had but I plan on building a new bigger one next year with bunk beds.
Well worth it though as my daughter loves it. We sometimes all go up there and have dinner as the views are excellent.
I am also going to add a tower on the other side of the garden with a bridge between and some monkey bars. The tower will have a slide and maybe a zipline down the garden.
You sound like a rubbish Dad </jealous>
The only pic I can get at the moment is a a screen grab of the drawings I did to work out how it was going to go together. The drawings are not finished but it should give you and idea.
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3686/19897997959_589714b889_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3686/19897997959_589714b889_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/wjjryk ]jph[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/andysredmini/ ]andysredmini[/url], on Flickr
Nope but built loads as a kid. One of which over 30 years later you can still see it's centre structure.
Not tree house, but climbing and sliding and hiding place:
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3486/3274406053_7f0e1a4391_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3486/3274406053_7f0e1a4391_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/5ZmbQM ]100_1976[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr
Stick build from your own plan is cheapest - but it still is not cheap.
I picked up a pile of stuff in a sale, and then designed the main structure around that bit of wood, and ordered more to finish. Fixings are a LOT of money, look for joints and things to reduce fixings. Slide is TP, which you can buy without stand. The climbing holds were all second hand from my work. The kids loved the hidden cozy seating below. And climbing on the roof. 🙄
Have a pal to help, and a cross cut saw on a table. This took us one day from flat. We built it as four 'sides' on the floor, then lifted into place.
It is bolted down to two gert big concrete filled holes, as it would have been tippy.
When we left, I tried to take it down, and discovered the wood had swollen and could not removed the huge big screws I had used - bolts would have been better.
FIL and I built one years ago out of reclaimed wood from the local salvage yard.
They had just stripped the boards from an old jute mill and as they were too battered for the trendy floor types,we got all we needed for less than £150.It meant a bit of de-nailing and faffing about ,but well worth it.
Built a pirate ship in the garden.
I was reading recently that Tree Houses can require planning permission, due to the invasion of privacy they can create. Therefore, before doing too much I'd check it out!
[url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/5749382/All-tree-houses-need-full-planning-permission-new-rules-say.html ][/url]
Invasion of privacy? What, like kids out playing? How very dare they!
Kimbers. Shout if you need a hand building
Invasion of privacy? What, like kids out playing? How very dare they!
Well I guess officially it is a structure and would probably be considered in a similar category to sheds (2.5m high within x distance of the boundary). I'd like to think most neighbours wouldn't be an arse about it but there's no guarantee of that.
When we were kids we avoided any such regulations by building a series of foxholes and connecting tunnels in a neighbours garden after watching too many war films and reading too many commando comics. Pretty much took up an entire summer and strangely no adults seemed to think it was dangerous for a couple of under 10's to be working underground unsupervised in the seventies.
[i] by building a series of foxholes and connecting tunnels in a neighbours garden[/i]
I did the same. Great fun and great summer. In the winter the neighbors lawn collapsed into our main 'war room' as the soil softened and the roof collapsed. Not a happy man.