Researching for a kit

I've decided to take the plunge. I've wanted a greenhouse for a long time and I aint getting any younger sitting here wishing for one. I have discussed it with DH over & over and it usually ends up in an argument and I get discouraged. So I've decided ... phooey on him!... I'm getting me a greenhouse and he just better get used to the idea and like it!!

What I want is a greenhouse kit that can be heated for a good percentage of my zone 5 winter. I'm thinking if I could keep it cool at temps of 40ºF or above for the coldest months I'd be delighted. If that proves to be too costly I may have to shut it down for the coldest months and fire it back up and at the end of Febuary. I'm planning to go 12 feet long and 8-10 feet wide because that is about all I have space for. I'd love it to be bigger but I'd have to sacrifice my garden space in order for it to still be in the sun. The glazing is an important factor because of heating issues and snow load here in Maine. My dream greenhouse would be this one http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/catalog/index.cfm?page=_ProductDetails&ProductId=WT812 But the cost seems totally outrageous. I know the cheapest route would be to construct one ourselves but that just isn't happening. I've been searching for affordable kits that look close to what I want in a price range I can handle. I would rather spend more money now... than be unhappy with what I get two years down the road.

Here's what I've come up with for options so far.

http://www.poly-tex.com/pages/greenhouses/enthusiast/enthusiast.html
This is the Poly Tec Enthusiast Special.
The 8'x6' plus a 4' extension would give me 8x12'. The cost would be $1298.00 and shipping is free. The price seems great but I'm not sure about this "Snapglas" glazing. It looks to me like it doesn't have the insulating qualities I need. The height is a little shorter than I'd like but it comes with vents and a base kit. ---** good price but would I really be happy with this?

http://www6.mailordercentral.com/igcusastore/prodinfo.asp?number=HG-RI-40&variation=&aitem=2&mitem=9
This is the Rion 40 series. I'd want the 8' 6"W x 12' 7"L. Price is $1583.00 and free shipping. The glazing is 4mm twinwall. Okay but I think a thicker twinwall would be better. The height at the peak is 6'10"... a little short but I could live with it. It comes with the two roof vents but other accessories would be additional. This looks exactly like the same model in the Farmtek catalog for $1159.90 plus whatever the shipping would cost would be. https://www.farmtekcatalog.com/lg_display.cfm?page_number=311 ---** price seems good but would I be better off to spend more for somthing with a thicker glazing material?

http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/catalog/index.cfm?page=_ProductDetails&ProductId=GEB812L This one is on special until December 31st at Charley's. Cost is 1625.00 plus the shipping. I'm assuming I could tag on a couple hundred more for the shipping bill. Dimensions are 8'x12' x 7'10 tall... the height is more to my liking. The glazing is 6 mm twinwall which also seems better to me. It comes with 2 roof vents and sliding doors. I'd prefer hinged doors but that seems like a minor detail at this point.

In a nutshell...

Poly Tec Enthusiast - 6'W x 12'L x 6'9"H, Snapglas ... $1298.00
Rion 40 - 8'6"W x 12' 7"L x 6'10"H, 4mm twinwall ...... $1583.00
Charley's Cambridge - 8'W x 12'L x 7'10"H, 6mm twinwall ........... $1625.00 + shipping charge (maybe $200 +/-)

If any experienced greenhouse owners would like to give me some advice or push me in another direction I'd love to hear it. What are the pros and cons you can see from the options I've listed. Of course I'd like to get the best deal for my money, and the best greenhouse to suit my needs. I'm wondering if maybe I should look into 8 mm twinwall ... I'm sure that's going to up the price range quite a bit. If I knew it made that much difference in the heating bills I'd concider it.

Sue, I just finished re-reading an old Rodale book on my shelf, The Solar Greenhouse Book. I was amazed at all the research information presented that will help me make a decision when I am ready for a greenhouse (whether solar or conventional). Things like how the ventilation is placed so the leaves on plants don't get in a micro-airlock... or how to really get enough CO2... and controlling moisture... even placement of beds and hanging things.

It's hard to condense hundreds of somewhat technical (but understandable!) pages into 2-3 sentences, but if I was in the market for a greenhouse and didn't already have this book, I'd try checking the library for a copy to read befgore making a decision.

I've been reading this greenhouse forum for a couple of years now so I did already know a bit about greenhouses, but this book really addressed some things I had never even considered.

This, of course, doesn't answer your querries, but it might help in the long run.

Sue, I'm not a pro, but I think you'd be happiest with the Charley's Cambridge. The size is more to your likeing, and 6mil twinwall is good. I wouldn't consider that singlewall at all.
Happy hunting!

Sue, I'm with Skyeblu,,,I wouldn't consider the single wall version for your cold zone. My gh is 18X24 poly,,and I've never had snow remain on top of it, and that's keeping the heat on at the lowest setting. I suppose the heat from the greenhouse keeps it melted where it runs off the sides. However, if it were unheated throughout the winter that would be a different deal completely. I know of no easy, cheap way to heat a plastic house. I do think the double walled polycarbonate is better than the plastic poly that I have. However, I do have a double layer of poly with air pumped in between.

I bought mine years ago from Mellingers...
http://www.mellingers.com/shopmellingers.tpl?cart=1068485049100014

you might check what they have to offer.

Morning poppysue -

I love my Charlie's 10 x 12 GH....check with them about the shipping, it can be pretty pricey. When DH got mine at the SF Flower show 18months ago, we saved the price of shipping by buying the show model. Believe it or not a 10 x 12 knocked down with foundation framing fit in and on top of a Cherokee.

It took us the better part of 3 weekends to set it up....not as easy as it looks even with very good directions. Leveling it was the difficult part because it is precisely manufactured and the glass panels fit correctly only if it is perfectly square (don't think this would be quite the issue with double/triple wall). Moving the glass panels into place is definitely a two person job.

The only real disaster was the screwdriver that was dropped on the LAST large roof pane....of course I had already loaded the greenhouse with plants and it took me a day to clean up the thousands of bits of safety glass. :-)

I love the double hinged door on mine, makes it easy to move things in and out.

My wish list would be that it was bigger, but other than that I am very pleased with it. Your situation requires a lot more thought regarding heat in your zone. I didn't do anthing last year, but this year I am using a small space heater during the late night hours to keep it at around 55F.

Because of our hight temps (85-110F) in the summer months I installed a misting system. It lowers the GH temps by a full 20degrees as it cycles on and off and provides some much needed humidity to our dry air.

Keep us updated, it is so exciting and I know you will be like a kid in a candy store once you make a decision.

A shipping quote from Charley's came to a whopping $458. That blows the Cambridge out of the water for me. I'll have to find a source on the east coast that has something similar. I'd much rather sink the money into the product and not the freight fee. Back to searching....

Sue, that Rion 40 looked pretty good too. Or you could go with an inflated poly. Have you checked out Farm tek?

I don't want to deal with the poly sheeting. I'm ready to fork out the money for something with the polycarbonate panels. I do think the Rion does look like a good deal but I'm still leaning toward the thicker twinwall glazing. I think the extra expense would be recouped within a year or two of heating cost. The Juliana and the Classic Hideaway are two models I've been focusing on. Of couse, the cost is a lot more....

Well, good luck in your search. Will your hubby help you put it up?

If you get those short models your DH will never be able to walk in it!LOL

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? ...giggle

I know you don't want the poly but I never had the snow stick to the roof as long as it was inflated(and remember,I am in HEAVY lake effect)and it got down to -27 last year a few times and I didn't loose anything.The heat(propane) was not that expensive,considering.But it was heating the house too....

I agree,I'd love to have glass,or polycarb,but I keep hearing all these outrageous prices and I would rather have the bigger GH than the poly and have a tiny one....just talked Chuck into adding a 20 or 30 foot extention to mine in the spring(I have no room in the 10x20...lol...and had to bring plants in the house)

My plan worked......

CC - you bratt! I'd rather have a bigger one too but I just don't have room for it. I know I could fill one no matter how big! - Lol.

Since heating cost seem to be something you would choose remain as low as possiable you should consider triple wall.

If your ground freezes hard consider digging a trench around the perimeter and putting a wall of foam insulation around to keep the ground cold from moving horizontaly and cooling the inside.

I have twin wall if I had it to do again I would go triple. Regards ernie

I got a sample of some new greenhouse covering in the mail a while back, of course I never throw anything out. Here is the web address on it; www.farmwholesale.com. I checked the site. Some nice houses, also a page that figures your heat requirements. I like the looks of the Sunshine house, it has a redwood frame. Most of their products are free shipping!
Bernie

This message was edited Nov 12, 2003 11:14 AM

Actually, it looked to me like the Econo Kit is the only one with free shipping. I considered one of these, when I was searching, but the shipping charges scared me off.

The page I looked at says 8 X 12 Sunshine Greenhouse, $2999, with free shipping in 48 states.
Bernie

Are you sure there is no where around that perhaps is a supplier?
I was surprized when I went back to a seed & feed store in Syracuse and asked them if they knew anywhere local that sells GH parts(was looking for the automatic window openers)
Turns out thats their side line,they supply GH parts to commercial GH's in the area.

have you asked any of the commercial GH's where they got theirs?
Make like you are starting a sideline business........so you'll be "professional"

Its not like you don't have enough plants to put everyone around you out of business...LOL

CC has a good point - AFTER we built ours, I found out our local co-op had a double or triple poly-carb model (it was a bit smaller than I would have liked) that they couldn't offload, and I could have picked it up for a FRACTION of one via mailorder (and not much more than I paid for my PVC frame and poly sheeting :(

and so...waiting with baited breath......

I've decided. I'm going to get a Julianne 9 x 14 with tripwall panels. It's more money than I wanted to fork out... but it's going to be with me for a long a time. I think I'll be able to heat this one at least for cool winter plants. DH talked me into the longer one... I was planning on the 12-footer. I'll have to squeeze it into the spot and maybe even take out my grape arbor to make it fit. I'd rather buy grapes at the grocery store and have a greenhouse at home ;).

I haven't ordered it yet but I plan to within the next few days. I want it to get here before we're covered in snow. We'll start the set up as soon as possible in the spring.

Sue check this url https://www.farmtekcatalog.com/lg_display.cfm?page_number=309 try to navigate the place. who knows u may find something. hth

I was suprised to see that the Juliana are now for sale at Sam's Club! I'd love to know what price range you are considering for that one, even if privately. Here are the ones I found surfing Sams. http://www.samsclub.com/eclub/main_results.jsp?main_search=1&t=a&n=0&BV_SessionID=_SC_1671850690.1069372851_CS_&BV_EngineID=cccfadcjmgelhdmcfkfcfkjdgoodflg.0&ftv=&search_string=greenhouse

Cele, at first I thought that was a great price. But looking at the greenhouse ... it's not the same model I'm considering. That looks like the Julianna "Basic" http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/basic.shtml
They don't give a lot of details on the website. I wonder if the have them in the Sam's Club stores to look at? It looks like it might come with the base but it doesn't say that in the description.

The one I'm looking at is the "Premium". What sold me on this one is the fact it can be upgraded to tripplewall polycarbe. http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/premium.shtml

Actually the 12 footer looks like the Juliana "Compact 9.9" wich goes for $2,099


This message was edited Nov 20, 2003 8:45 PM

Badseed your eyes are growing very sleepy.

I see your vision, now think triple wall.

You are checking prices that is a positive sign, Regards Ernie

Thank you Sue. And Ernie, you hush! LOL I would darn near give up limbs to get a nice greenhouse! BUT, baby number six is officially half done now. On a good note, having that many kids, we are technically poor and get a good tax refund. LOL I'd just hate to spend a lot on a greenhouse then move and have to leave it. SO, I am trying to weigh all my options. Truthfully I am pretty tired of all the plants in the house. There are too many bodies (live of course!) to squeeze in 400 tropicals every winter. LOL Wanna give me a low interest loan? SLY GRIN :) You know, the other thing.....hubby and I are very good at building stuff and it would be cool to build one and probably cost a lot less, the then I think WHEN??? Kind of hard NOT to slap up a kit. geeze Someone help me. hehe

Afternoon Badseed -

DH and I are also good at building things and before he bought me my dream greenhouse, we constructed a leanto type temporary setup that worked really well. We used redwood lumber and the twin wall solid polywhatever. It only took a few hours to build (well it took more than a few hours in total because of design issues and whose ideas would work better. The gardener (me) won out and the builder (DH) agreed in the end.) It was located on the patio with one side being the house wall, one side a 6' slider that adjoins the sunroom (the sunroom adjoins the house with french doors and sliders making up the other 3 walls). So it was about 8' x 8' x 10' at the peak.

It worked really well, was meant to be temporary and I took it down that Spring in about 30 minutes. It was built in sections, so could have been reinstalled in probably an hour. We anchored it to the house with lag bolts and into the ground with rebar. It never moved an inch in our high winds, did its job and taught me a lot.

I didn't heat it at all here in 9b, also didn't vent it and should have. I had meant to use the slider as ventilation and I did part of the time, but would forget and did have some mildew problems on some of the succulents, but that was my error not the greenhouse itself.

If you are just looking for a cozy spot for your tropicals during the cold months you might consider something like this.

I should have mentioned that the reason I didn't use the sunroom as a greenhouse as I had for the prior two years is because I'm very messy gardening inside....so move forward to this year and my Charlie's greenhouse is packed full and I've decided to be messy, so the sunroom is packed full too! LOL

This message was edited Nov 21, 2003 4:17 PM

Badseed think used sliding glass doors they are free to cheap if you look around a bit. If the boss is game you can build a lot bigger one for the same money as a small one you buy. Mine is 16 x 32 and has four 3x6 sliding thermo pane windows and four 6 foot sliding doors. Built with twin wall polycarbonet off the south side of my shop. Concrete floor, electric including fans and controls cost about five thousand. I could build the same space again with out the concrete and a couple structural changes for three thousand and If I had used more sliding doors the price would have been even less.Thats the way it is you can always do it cheaper, faster, better the next time.

As we speak the wind is and has been going about 10 to 15 all day the temp is 30 degrees and I have a small electric heater going and the temp in GH is 50.2 but will probably fall to 44 by morning. So you see it is pretty cheap to heat.

Did you ever go back and get the wagon? I have my order in for wheel barrows with a friend who chases garage sales.Regards Ernie.

Okay, first thing here, let me wipe all the slobber off the keyboard......LOL Happenstance, you know I am always impressed with your pics and ideas! I'd love to do a lean to and we have talked about it. That is where the situation of my home comes into play. The most idea place to put it where it would get morning and early afternoon sun would be dead smack in the driveway, on the front of the house, right in front of one of the garage doors. :( I have not totally written that idea off though. LOL That would make it nice and easy to get electric and water to it, but I am not sure how it would look. I'd also maybe have zoning blah blah to deal with. Second best place would be the end of the house, which only gets very late afternoon sun before the house next door blocks mine. Again though, it would be real convenient to water and electric and the heat of the brick, but little light. I live in a ranch home and the sun comes up on one end, goes all the way across the front, then goes down at the other end. That kind of makes the best, out of the way place, the back yard. That means 50' of hose and wires. Ack.

Ernie my friend, you are an instigator! LOL You know though, the sliding glass door thing would work. If we go back up and read what I said about how the sun hits my yard..... Well for the most part, the back wall could be anything, maybe better if it was reflective. The back wall would not even have to be glass so I could get off cheap there. Have you ever seen those shed type greenhouses that are all wood with a roof that only slants one way and it is all glass? I could go really well off that set up, just change the front to glass. Wanna here something funny?? I like most people, had the vision of a full glass greenhouse and forgot trees and no light would be behind mine! This sort of changes things huh?? :) As it is, my veggie beds are terraced into the hillside. They run lengthwise, about 25'x8'. Thanks for the idea....I may have to play with it in a bit. Gee

Gosh Sue, sorry about stealing your thread! As if zone envy isn't bad enough, now it is greenhouse envy! :)

I'm waiting with baited breath for poppysue to come to a considered decision. Can't wait to hear what she decides...so I hope we are just filling in a pregnant pause in the conversation and not stealing her thunder.

No pressure poppy, just keeping this at the top so we can hear and see the good news. Old man winter is coming on fast so have my fingers crossed for you.

COLD & NIPPY this morning here in 9b at 40F at 8AM, no frost, checked all the in ground Brugs and they are holding up well....so far. The greenhouse dropped to 50F last night with various thermometers registering between 50 and 57, so the space heater seems to be doing it's job.

I will email information about a guy that makes greenhouse kits who is located in Maine. We bought one, I think you will like them. It is a 12FT by 20FT we paid $488.25 with tax. He also delivers them!

Kertra
I would be really grateful if you would send me the info also.
Thanks
Alice

Kertra, are you also in Maine? Is yours covered with polycarb or plastic sheeting? Last question, do you heat it all winter?

Hey Sue where did you go? Did you decide on the last Juliana that you posted?? Come back and tease us some more! :)

Yes! I ordered the Juliana. Estimated delivery date is Dec. 3rd. UPS dilivered a couple boxes of the accessories yesterday. I'm so excited! :o)

poppysue -

Hurry hurry little brown truck! .....it must be getting cold up your way.

Take pictures as you go....I got so excited and involved in helping DH set up my GH that I never even thought to take pictures over the 3 weekends it took us to get it set up.

Congrats! Too bad you are a zone colder with a small yard like mine. Otherwise I'd considering knocking you off. LOL

Poppy sue if you are going to heat your gh it will heat eaiser if you go to the trouble of insulating down from the edge of your outside perimeter. This if done properly will stop the freeze from entering sideways.Ernie.