Hi cpars0ns, I went online and looked at the greenhouse you are considering. The twinwall 10mm polycarbonate seems to be a good choice if you plan on using it year round. And one of the biggest expenses in building a greenhouse is the glazing material( besides the accessories of course). You probably already know the thicker the space between the layers the better the insulation value. I had consider refitting my greenhouse with the twinwall, but it would cost almost as much as a new greenhouse.
Another expense is the platform (if you choose to use a wooden one). I shopped for months looking for a greenhouse that I could afford at the time, and for the money, I am pretty well pleased with what I got.
I wish I could have purchased one that was 13x40. I hope to expand in the future. Who knows maybe I will try one like you are looking at. I would be interested to know how you like it, once you are up and running.
If you haven't considered auto vent openers, I highly recommend them on at least part of your vents, the heat builds really fast on a sunny day even in the winter.
I do like the looks of the Earthcare Grow Smart. My greenhouse uses similiar type hangers that lock into the frame and while they are very useful for hanging shadecloth and lighter weight baskets I wouldn't want to hang very heavy ones on mine.
The great part about a kit is that everything comes to you precut and you don't have to try to figure out how much of this or that is needed. (Probably one of the attractions for your husband)
It is a huge consideration. Build or buy? You didn't say what kind of terrain you will be building it in, mine is in an open area where the wind can get pretty stiff,it has managed to hold up in 60-70 mph with minimal damage. I lost a roof vent during a storm, aside from that nothing major.
It sounds like you have put some careful planning into your choice of greenhouse. For me it has been a great learning experience, kind of a giant science project. Getting the perfect growing environment in a greenhouse can be tricky. I have been at it for 4 years and it is still work in progress. I hope that some of what I had to say is helpful. At the end of the day, you are the one who has to be satisfied with your choice and hindsight is always 20/20 as they say.lol I doubt you would find a greenhouse owner anywhere that couldn't think of improvements they would make to their setup. like I said I am no expert, I am just sharing my own experience.
