Who has a Rion Greenhouse? Or didn't buy one because...?

I have spent days looking at greenhouses, AGAIN, like I do every year. LOL I have caved in and decided (pretty much) to go ahead and get a kit. I typed up a big long post a bit ago and it poofed away during preview. Sigh. Basically what I said was:

What I most dislike about kits is most of them only come with 4mm polycarb unless I want to pretty much double the $$ spent. Of all the kits I have looked at, I am pretty much down to the Juliana or the Rion. The selling qualities for the Rion are that they are 'insulated' and maintenance free resin. The selling points for the Juliana are the looks and the warranty and the name. Both that I am considering have 4mm polycarb and are in the 8x8 range. Both can be added to later. I am leaning more toward the Rion.

Do you have one or did you not buy one after seriously considering it? I'd like to know what you do and don't like about it or why you chose a different brand.

Thanks,
Michele

Okay, so no one has ever considered one of these? LOL

In a search here, the only person that bought one is no longer a member and hasn't answered my email. :(

All of the comments from buyers I have read are 4 and 5 star. The only complaints I have seen are about the instructions.

I am really thinking about getting this one!

I purchased an 8x8 Rion last year and have been very pleased with it. So pleased that I am buying another one to extend my greenhouse to 8x16. It took 2.5 people (1 was a teenager) about 8 hours to put together. My hubby then spent an addtional 2 hours or so finishing up. The insulation is wonderful; the temp dropped to 29 in December and I was able to keep it between 60-64 with a small electrical heater from Wal-mart. During the summer months when our average temp is 110+, I was able to keep it between 90-95 with 50-55% humidity, with additional fans and a misting fan. I have it situated between 2 big trees. I purchased mine from Costco and the base was included, along with 2 roof vents, 2 automatic roof vent openers, 1 louver window and shadenet. HTH!!

Blessings,
Awanda

Thank you! Thank you!! I was trying to decide if no one had one, why no one had one or if everyone was out enjoying theirs! LOL

You sound like every review I have read but it sounds so much better and believable coming from DG. Are you buying a second whole kit or just extending? I am amazed at the difference in prices from company to company! Target even sells them! LOL I am most probably leaning toward the 8x8 but with some of the deals, it would not be too much more to do the 8x12. By the time you do the extention, the price is not much different with the kits. I am going to go back and see what the kits at Sam's and Target include. Buying from Rion direct is the same price as a few of the other sellers. What amazes me is the dif in price from the Basic to the Factory Recommended. The only difference is an $83 louvre window but the price from kit to kit is $148 or more??? Even the Rion people said it was better to buy the basic and window seperate.

Do you remember what you paid at Costco and do you intend to buy there again? You can email me that if you want or don't want to post it. ;) The best price I have found on the 8x8 with no extras, no base is $1074.

Thanks a bunch for your answer!
Michele

I'm a cheapoooo -I bought the HF greenhouse - kinda small 6x8, but man is it cute. I am gonna give it a years trial and if I love it bunches, I am going to buy another one. It's sitting out in the snow looking forlorn right now!!!

You bought the Harbor Freight one? I think it IS really cute. I was looking at those myself. It is killing me to think what I'll spend for a greenhouse but I keep trying to tell me I am worth it and will recoop it in the end. LOL

I've been eyeing the Rions and Juliana as well. Didn't Poppysue buy a Juliana last summer? Did she leave Dave's? I haven't seen any updates to her greenhouse thread. Just wondering...anyway--here are the costco prices. This information was taken from their newsletter/website that they send out to members.

SunGlo The Expert Greenhouse $2,999.99

SunGlo Enthusiast Greenhouse $2,399.99

Rion "Easy" Professional White Greenhouse 8' x 16' $2,199.99

Rion "Easy" Professional Greenhouse 8' x 16' $2,199.99

Rion "Easy" Professional White Greenhouse 8' x 8' $1,499.99

Rion "Easy" Professional Greenhouse 8' x 8' $1,499.99

Rion Mini Greenhouse $369.99

Rion Mini Lean-to Greenhouse $219.99

Rion Clear Acrylic Greenhouse $1,999.99

I am about to call it a night. Thanks for your input and prices. :)

I need to check on PoppySue. I have not seen her around in awhile. I think she got the $$ Juliana in order to get the 8mm polycarb.

Check the price and what is included on the 8x12 at sams. Let me tell you it is darn close to the distributor price!

Well, I just sent an email to the Sales and Mktg man that I talked to. I am just a few clicks or an email away from ordering the 8x12 Rion with most of the accesories. I just need someone to come pry my tight little fingers off the money. NOBODY wants a greenhouse as bad as I do!!! LOL I am just having a hard time letting go of the money. :)

OK, I'm jealous....

Hi Cindy. Nice to meet you. I tracked you back to your welcome post and said hi! Tell us more about you and/or your greenouse, whichever you are comfortable with telling. :) There are tons of good people here. I think you will have fun.

I have my price all set in stone and just have to send payment. I dealt with the people that have the Rion directly and it was pretty fun. The man I was talking to is really nice and promised to make me happy. I told him I would build it, try it and get a review in the watchdog for the company. I had never heard of them, nor could I find any info about their greenhouses other than stuff on the forums. He had never heard of the Watchdog or DG and looked them up while I was talking to him. I told him I was surprised there was nothing on their company. Look for my update later.

Anyone coming to unfurl my little fingers??? Why is it so hard to pay for something that you have wanted for years?

click on 'add to my shopping cart' It's easy to do!!!

Chele, I saw this thread when I was headed to update mine. This sounds like a lot of money, but is it one of those city type greenhouses that look really good when they are done?
The one we are putting together probably wouldn't get much approval in a city setting!
We have spent about $1100.00 so far. I think we have all we need to finish it.
We are using a furnace & a fan out of our oldest house, which is gioing into semi-retirement. That means my May 1 we will be out of room and fill that old sucker up again! LOL!
Good luck with your endevor. Make a good decision because you will have it for a long time.
Bernie

Hi Michele. Funny you should ask about my greenhouse. My husband has been cussing me all day while he tries to put it together. I have a small one 6' x 8' Hobby Grower Enthusiast. We have it almost together but it took all day, and my husband had to put it together and take it apart more than once -he has a hard time reading directions -typical man...LOL. I finally made him call the manufacturer to get some direction -I was tired of all the screaming going on outside -neighbors probably thought whos knows what? Can't wait until tomorrow for him to finish it up and then move it to its location -that should be fun!!!!

Did you hit that "add to basket" button -go ahead it only hurts for a little while. Let us know when you have it, better yet how about a picture?
Cindy

Cindy, didn't you capture your DH's blue streak o camera ? LOL!
Post a pic of the finished product.
Have a great day!
Bernie

Bernie, today's another day -maybe I can catch him off guard. I will sneak up on him. That should be interesting....you may read about my obit, but hey! what the heck. By the way, what does DH stand for? I am thinking dear husband? My post would be R&RH -ranting and raving husband....LOL.
You all have a great day too.
Cindy

Seed.... just do it girl! I know... it's hard for me to part with the green too. But you're worth it!

I'll tell ya what, you will enjoy a GH so much. It will be your getaway, your safe harbor from

insanity. You walk inside on a sunny day, when it's 26 outside, and it's 75, 80 in there,and you

can smell the sweet earth,and it's so quiet you can almost hear your little seedlings popping

up. Heaven!

We have heavy overcast today. Still I was working on the greenhouse. I was cutting the new doorway in the existing one. It's 20º outside, must be 40º inside, with no heat source. Cozy!
Bernie

Michele, go ahead an push that "buy now" button, you'll be happy you did. I am so happy I brought my greenhouse, I call it "My Bethany". Every morning I get my coffee and head out to the greenhouse, it's peaceful, calming and quiet. Hubby doesn't disturb me when I'm out there; I pray, think and enjoy.

Blessings,
Awanda

AAAARRRRRRGGGGG!!!

I am so jealous I had to scream! Sorry about that! I am watching this thread very close. I have been eye-balling GHs for many years now. I don't have a crew to help put it up. My friends who helped me build my garden shed are no longer available. (and not because we had a bad time putting up the shed...which we did LOL)

How can I bribe some one to come to Montana for a visit and help me get a GH built??

Bernie, thanks for your reply. I have gone round and round and back and forth and honestly, yes, it is a bunch of money. I nearly wrote you a few times to question you about the type you build. I have found those very reasonable even if I bought one twice the size I need. I am going to have to hold off for my acreage first though. I would like to be a serious grower someday.

You were right on about the city type greenhouse though. My lot is only about 1/4 of an acre. Where I am situating the greenhouse,it will be in plain view from the house and not easily missed by my neighbors. LOL I figure if I get a couple of years out of it, I'll be happy. My kids can always use it for a playhouse or something after that. It will be big enough for what I want to do and maybe not horribly ridiculous to heat.

I mostly want to start seeds NOT in the house, get a bunch of cuttings going and maybe even overwinter my tropicals if I can keep it warm enough AND feed the girls. :)

I am getting the GHO46 with most of the accesories and not that price. LOL I'll probably still have to cover it with 6 mil plastic or something if I intend to use it in the winter. http://www.riongreenhouses.com/products/hobby-greenhouse.html

Cindy! Glad you came back to talk to us. I like the greenhouse you got too! That 'snap glass' feature looks really neat. Hmmm, hubby is cussing huh? I thought that one was supposed to be easy to put together too. Now you are scaring me. LOL

You guys are funny. If it was as easy as just pushing the 'add to cart' button, it would be on it's way. I have to write back to the guy at the company with my finalized order or call him back with my credit card. Then there is all that arguing (with me!), "should I?, no, it's too much, but you really want one, but I don't want to spend that much....." I guess I'll just email the whole thing off when I can get my baby off of ME and daughter number 2 off my other computer. LOL All the 'what if's' and 'should i's' are killing me. I think I should just be done with it.

BBell, you might want to look into this one. It is all plastic, snaps together, requires no tools and comes with the hardware that you need. You would have to probably get help with the roof though. I am just going by what I have read. I may change my tune after I put the thing up. hahahaha I'd offer to come help you as I have never been to Montana BUT if it is really all rolling land, horses and cowboy stud muffins like in the romance books, I may never leave. :)

OK, it is all done. The directions said it would take from 3-6 hours to set this up. Yeah right!!! After 2 days, it is finally done and in place. I have to say I do love it, and aside from the directions being -let's just say not that good and leave it at that, it sure does look good. Hubby did have to call the manufacturer 4 times to get clarifaction and installed a couple of things wrong and had to do over again, but overall (after the screaming and ranting) it went fairly well. I am still alive and the greenhouse is in 1 piece. LOL. Haven't removed the plastic from the panels yet but still looks good. Now I need some shelves. Anyone know of a good cheap place to get some shelving? Michele, don't forget to post your pic when you get yours.

Cindy
p.s. See the tree that I had hubby cut down last week so I would have more sun...

He really must be a "DH" LOL.
Bernie

Cindy, are you still alive? Did he let you live? LOL It looks really, really nice!
So what are you grow in there? Will you start seeds and what kind?


I want you all to know I did it. I paid! It will be shipped out tomorrow. Yeeee haaaaw!!

Hello,
I just found this thread, I bought a Rion last spring and I love it !! We bought the 8x24, it didn't take long to put together once we figured out the first section and then it was just a matter of repeating the process. I think it took about three days of me doing it by myself. The hardest part was putting in the weather stripping around the panels, I would wait untill it is warmer that would make this step easier.

good luck,
Lisa

Here is one more picture of the inside.

Lisa

And one more !!

Wait?? Are you crazy? Do you know how long it took me to turn over my credit card number? LOL

Your's looks awesome! Do you have it on a lumber base? What size lumber? You got a REALLY big one! :) I am so glad to hear that you are happy with it.

Do you put weatherstripping around each sheet of poly carb? Is that something you could do say inside and take them out and put it all together at once? I did read one review somewhere where a person said they actually had blisters from the weather stripping and that there had to be a better way. One more question because some pictures have me wondering. Do you build each four foot section including the roof or do the roof in one section and add it? One section at a time seems the easiest but I have seen pictures with the whole roof assembled.

Congrats on yours. I am REALLY looking forward to mine now. Thanks for sharing.

One more question, did you heat yours for the winter? Are you sorry you answered my post? LOL

Michele: HOORAY she clicked the purchase button. I know you won't be disappointed. It looks like a great one to buy. Yes, I am still breathing...none the worse for wear. I kick myself everytime I ask him to do anything for me -that is the Irish in him. He thinks he has to cuss at it before it will work. When I call him on it, he says "See it works now!" OK, as I roll my eyes. I have my heart set on grape tomatoes and a couple of other tomatoes. I have some Santa Sweets seeds that are just waiting for me to plant. I am waiting on some of those plastic seed starting boxes. I ordered a couple of self watering ones from Gardeners and am impatiently waiting their arrival. I also have bought the stuff to make a homemade grow box following the directions from the tomato forum that someone was nice enough to post. We will see. I may end up just buying some Earthboxes. They are a little pricey for me right now. Be sure to come and tell us how "easy" the GH was to put together.

Lisa, enjoyed the pics -looks very cool.

Cindy

LOL My husband and I work very well together. I come up with the ideas, he does all the technical, electrical and plumbing stuff then I stand there and tell him how it would be better. LOL He is not an idea man but he sure can build things or put them together. :)

I imagine I will clean out my seed box and plant as much as I can find the energy and seed mix for. hahahahaa I usually start about 400 kinds of seeds inside but I have never had this much room before and not had to worry about getting dirt on the floor either. Yippee!

I will be ready to go as soon as I can get the GH set up. The only two luxury items I may need are a heater and/or heating cable. I am wondering how warm it will stay inside without extra heat. Usually February is the worst of the cold here. Hmmm, I think my neighbor has a potbelly stove sitting out on his porch still. I may have to go begging. Someone gave it to him and it is still just sitting there. If I trash a panel to vent the stove, it won't be a big deal because I can order an extra one or get a roof vent or whatever.

I am most excited that I will be able to get my tropicals started early.

Hello,
Thanks for the compliments !! Now I will try to answer all of your ??'s The weather stripping has to be done once you have the whole thing together. For me the easiest way to put the g/h together was to do as the instructions say and lay out all of the parts first, all of the same parts in one pile. We used 8x8 lumber as the base. We then put the sides, front and back up. I found that because mine was so long that there would be no way to put the roof on in one piece. Once the sides were up we put on one roof section at a time.The instructions are very confusing, but once you have the first section figured out it goes pretty fast. A rubber mallet comes in real handy.Your hands will get very sore, but in the end it will be worth it.The little wood "tool" they send along is a little helpfull for the pins and the window glazing(weather stripping). The g/h also comes with some foam stripping that is used to fill the spaces near the walls and the roof, I think that some spray foam insulation would work better.As for heating , I did have an electric heater running for the month of November, when we got the $200.00 bill I decided not to heat. I think I will separate the g/h and only heat a small portion next year, maybe use a propane heater. I mainly got my g/h to extend the growing season and to get a jump on it earlier in the spring. G/H specs- 8x24, 6 roof vents all with auto openers(only 4 openers installed) 2 louvered windows at the back. We made some very simple screen doors for the front , we replaced the solid doors with the screen ones for more ventilation when it was getting up to 90 inside. I also installed a misting system, works great to lower the temp about 10 degrees. I will look for more pics if you want to see the doors or how I did the misting system.
Congrats and good luck !!!

Lisa

Hooray! You're going to love it!

Bad I know you will expect to hear this from me Bigger is better go go go Bad go now you can buy Hubby a boat next lol. Ernie

LOL Ernie. You are so bad! Lucky for me, hubby doesn't want a boat. Also lucky for me, hubby has no big expensive hobbies. When I spend money for plants, I keep telling him I am improving our property and adding to the value. hehehehe I don't think he really believes it so it sure is a good thing that he enjoys seeing all the different colors and forms of things I grow. LOL By the time we get off this cramped up 1/4 acre, I should have plenty of plants to fill a real space by planting at proper spacing. :) Oh yeah, and the beauty of this GH is that I can purchase 4' sections until it gets to be 24' long. HA! ;)

Bad hubby is without expensive hobbies?lol what about all those kids lol last time I checked each of mine I paid dearly for lol. Happy for you I know you will enjoy it. Ernie

Congrats Badseed, you are going to be in hog heaven! Well, I sure hope you plan on posting pictures when you get all set-up? :-D

Congratulations! You are so lucky! I'm so envious....I'm sure you're going to love it. Don't forget pictures when the construction part starts up! Enjoy!

I just found this thread so I know I'm late at telling you. We bought a 8 x 12 Rion last spring. My dh followed the instructions on putting part together which he did in the garage. He only needed help putting the roof on.

I have no complains about it at all. We have been below 0 temps several times this winter and I've not had any problems. I am using an electric heater to keep it warm.

You will enjoy the greenhouse.

Nancy

Thanks a bunch! It took me a long time to make up my mind. It also caused me great pain to spend the money. I have wanted it for a very long time and keep telling myself not to feel bad. Hey, maybe I can grow veggies in it year round or something and not feel quite so bad. LOL