Show us your tree houses/dens/climbing frames.

[Bill]

I'm looking for inspiration for something for the bottom of the garden that'll occupy the miniBills...

Currently there's a Wendy house (aka The Posh Shed) and a few tired trees. The apple (1) and lilac (2) trees are in next door's garden and have suffered for years under a huge amount of ivy that's now been hacked back. The cherry (3) is in our garden and has also struggled. We're going to hack back the bush at (4) which should recover well and probably the cherry.

At the right hand end of the lower platform there's a raised patio (for want of a better way to describe it) in front of the garage. The apple tree will curve over the lower platform forming a den.

I'm after inspiration, ideas for construction and any potential pitfalls

And you should be aware that my woodwork skills are substantially better than my Paint ones



And the longer view.

[Fork in hell]

expensive, but check out tp toys...

very modular, but metal.

might give you some ideas if nothing else!

and theres generally loads of it on flea-bay too....

[Simpo Two]

Bill said:

I'm looking for inspiration for something for the bottom of the garden that'll occupy the miniBills...

Gardening?

Nice mown grass, fresh veg, and you don't have to leave your armchair!

[MoonMonkey]

Something like this...??

[Simpo Two]

I can see the local Planning Officer salivating at the prospect...!

[Bill]

It'd be ok under permitted development though, no?

[deckster]

Bill said:

It'd be ok under permitted development though, no?

Nope. I've just done this (not finished yet, or I'd show you some photos) but since 2008 any structure with a platform over 300mm needs planning permission. 4 elevations in quadruplicate, two area plans showing proposed location, the works. They'll also be very interested that you don't damage any trees (I had to send them a plan of every single tree in the garden, swearing on my grandmother's grave that I wouldn't damage so much as a bark chipping). Cost me £200 and 2 months to get the permission through, a total pain in the arse.

Or you could just do it, claim ignorance if anybody complains and submit retrospectively.

Re: the construction - no real pointers, I'm just making mine up as I go along. So far, it's four 8' 4x4 posts concreted into the ground, some 2x6 to form the sides of the platform, then more 2x6 attached by dirty great big hangers to form the joists, all with some decking screwed on top. Now I just need to actually build something on top of it. I don't know how old the mini-Bills are, but my two (5 & 8) are well into it and keep coming up with ideas. So far they want a slide as well as a ladder, a firemans pole, and a bucket-on-a-pulley so that I can send doughnuts up to them. Oddly they weren't too interested in the big-screen TV and beer fridge

[stemll]

Fork in hell said:

expensive, but check out tp toys...

very modular, but metal.

might give you some ideas if nothing else!

and theres generally loads of it on flea-bay too....

TP do far more wood than metal. We have one of these

[ShadownINja]

MoonMonkey said:

Something like this...??

Isn't that a house with a tree infestation?

[NikB]

I've had a couple of erections in the garden now.

Have a look at Waltons, they have some pretty good playhouse and could be a good base for building something like this.

[Bill]

deckster said:

Nope. I've just done this (not finished yet, or I'd show you some photos) but since 2008 any structure with a platform over 300mm needs planning permission. 4 elevations in quadruplicate, two area plans showing proposed location, the works. They'll also be very interested that you don't damage any trees (I had to send them a plan of every single tree in the garden, swearing on my grandmother's grave that I wouldn't damage so much as a bark chipping). Cost me £200 and 2 months to get the permission through, a total pain in the arse.

Or you could just do it, claim ignorance if anybody complains and submit retrospectively.

I can't decide if you're taking the piss or not... If you are you've over done it

[leeeeshad]

NikB said:

I've had a couple of erections in the garden now.

[Bill]

Bill said:

deckster said:

Nope. I've just done this (not finished yet, or I'd show you some photos) but since 2008 any structure with a platform over 300mm needs planning permission. 4 elevations in quadruplicate, two area plans showing proposed location, the works. They'll also be very interested that you don't damage any trees (I had to send them a plan of every single tree in the garden, swearing on my grandmother's grave that I wouldn't damage so much as a bark chipping). Cost me £200 and 2 months to get the permission through, a total pain in the arse.

Or you could just do it, claim ignorance if anybody complains and submit retrospectively.

I can't decide if you're taking the piss or not... If you are you've over done it

You're not and there's no such thing as a temporary structure. Ahem.

[Bill]

In which case how does this sort of thing stack up?

http://www.tptoys.com/Outdoor-Toys/Wooden-Playhous...

[deckster]

Bill said:

Bill said:

deckster said:

Nope. I've just done this (not finished yet, or I'd show you some photos) but since 2008 any structure with a platform over 300mm needs planning permission. 4 elevations in quadruplicate, two area plans showing proposed location, the works. They'll also be very interested that you don't damage any trees (I had to send them a plan of every single tree in the garden, swearing on my grandmother's grave that I wouldn't damage so much as a bark chipping). Cost me £200 and 2 months to get the permission through, a total pain in the arse.

Or you could just do it, claim ignorance if anybody complains and submit retrospectively.

I can't decide if you're taking the piss or not... If you are you've over done it

You're not and there's no such thing as a temporary structure. Ahem.

Believe me, I wish I was. Nobody else can quite believe it when I tell them either, so you're not alone in your incredulity

Bill said:

In which case how does this sort of thing stack up?

http://www.tptoys.com/Outdoor-Toys/Wooden-Playhous...

Honestly I have no idea, although you would hope that common sense would prevail. To be fair the platform of my treehouse is over 2m high, plus we have a history of...issues...with a near-neighbour who objects to everything, so even though it's almost 100% hidden from all the adjoining gardens we wanted to be 100% squeaky clean for when he (inevitably) comes knocking.

If you asked the council, I suspect the answer would be that if it has a platform over 30cm high, then it needs planning. Equally, if you didn't then what are the chances of anyone caring...?

[jardinec]

Bill said:

In which case how does this sort of thing stack up?

http://www.tptoys.com/Outdoor-Toys/Wooden-Playhous...

we have this (bought as a pressent to the grandkids, along with matching swings) - it was pretty painful to build for veteran DIYers (seriously) and the quality is not that great. If I had the chance now i would self build with thicker wood.

[Bill]

deckster said:

you would hope that common sense would prevail.

Cheers guys, particularly for the less than glowing review, it all helps persuade SWMBO that self-build is the way forwards.

We had a hack about yesterday and have created a pretty big space for the right hand platform and my current plans involve a lower platform at ground level on the left with a bridge to the righthand platform behind bush and a rope bridge back to the left top platform.

I will have a chat with the neighbours that it backs onto though to decide how to stop it being an eyesore for them and to prevent the miniBills staring at them

The total height should be 7ft or so with the top platform at 4ft. It'll be about 6 ft deep so I'm planning a cantilever arm off the top left corner for a swing or rope ladder.

(MiniBill1 is 2 1/2, MB2 and 3 are three months btw.)

ETA: Deckster I'd love to see some pics and plans even if it's not finished

Edited by Bill on Thursday 24th June 10:58

[DavidY]

I built one (my design in conjunction with my children), quite large, bought all the swing climbing fixings from a company in Anglesey (cost about £200, but included swing, monkey bar, rope ladder, firemans pole, basketball hoop, climbing wall fixings and single rope swing (slide came from our old ELC frame)) added to that about £400 for treated wood and decking, £65 of concrete and cement and about £50 worth of bog bolts, screws etc. Two days labour and here we have it.

Its now in it's third year been abused by loads of children, and is still being abused on a daily basis, the best thing is nothing has broken. At a conservative guess I reckon I've saved around £2K

[Bill]

That's smart.

And I've found evidence of planning issues...

[Duke Thrust]

DavidY said:

Lovely view you have there, very pretty indeed