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Hi,

I am very excited as I am getting a real greenhouse, as opposed to a plastic (Blows away) very small box house!
Has anyone had a green house from Norfolk Greenhouses, they are saftey glazed PVC glazing with a steel frame,1770mm wide x 1980mm high x 2380mm long for £110.00, any good do you think?
I worry about the kids and dog with glass so thinking of this as it is very near my back door.
Cant wait to get it and start sowing....hubby says if I install a small bar he will join me!!!!!!

Sam X

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No experience of it but looks very similar to the basic model I have. Mine is nothing fancy but it does the basic job . I'm sure , like me, you'll have many happy hours in there. If you want hubby to join you, install the bar. If not, just don't tell him it's there.

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Some people on another forum have and are very vehement about never ever wasting their money in that direction again.

Assembly was the main issue.

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I have just been looking around the web for info on this and found 2 posts abut Norfolk Greenhouses and it says avoid like the plague!!!!!! No explaination......can anyone enlighten me...please?????

Thanks Peter,
Just posted as you did.....thanks for the heads up.
Sam

I think you pays your money and takes your chances! You only get what you pay for tho!

Have you tried freecycle or friday adz to see if you can get a free one locally? Thats what we did, and were fortunate enough to get our 8' by 10' for free (tho a lot of work dismantling, moving and errecting, plus glass and clips / nuts / bolts did still have to be bought, but a lot cheaper than £110)

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Last updated 12th September 2008 - updated balance sheet!

I am watching Freecycle like a hawlk at the moment....posted a few times in the local area. I need to rethink the game plan if what I have been told is correct.Gutted!!!!!!
I did go past a local allotment recently and saw a fallen down poly tunnel,just the hoops really but wondered in these cases who do the polytunnels/greenhouses belong to? I dont think the plot is being used and wonder if a trip down to talk to some of the others there would b worth it, or do polytunnels/greenhouses not get sold out of allotments??? Dont really know the etiquette.
Any advice please.
Sam

On our sites the council expects the plotholder to take down any structure when the plot is vacated. I suppose in that instance if you don't it then it can be passed on to the next plotholder or to one who wants it. So effectively at that point it is the council's property to be disposed of as they see fit.

I don't know if that is the case around the country.

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Earthbabe
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Norfolk Greenhouse owner here ! I got mine at the beginning of the season last year.

It was lovely right up until the the New Year gales tore the thing apart.

The roof panels held firm (but no roof vent) but the sides, back and front took direct hits and quite few of the panels are now unserviceable.

Norfolk are a lovely company to deal with though, and if you've got a protected corner of the garden having one should be no problem but imho I'd go with safety glass and traditional construction (wire and s clips rather than screws and plastic channels) .the Norfolk was very fiddly to put up and their bolts need to be longer to accommodate big fat fingers. I bought extra long bolts and more self tapping screws when I was repairing mine and used quite a lot of UV/weather resistant tape.

Black pots are now strategically placed in front of the doors to prevent them blowing off ( ) and there's a bit of washing line to stop the back sliding vent from popping out.

My work colleague had a traditional Hall's type one but with twin walled polycarb instead of glass. He spent NYE chasing panels down the street. The actual weight of the glass helps stabilise the whole construction (as long as it's securely fixed to the floor)!! 3 of my toughened panes dropped out at new year (onto bark chippings), one actually flew a couple of foot into the hedge but all three remained intact!

Time over again, and I'd have gone straight for my Hall's toughened glass one but it's all about experience isn't it.

OK so Norfolk is out of the equation but I am so sad......got no greenhouse!!!
Anyone know is there is such a thing as a greenhouse in the region of 6 or 8 foot new for under £200.00. I am trying the 2nd hand route but hubby is not keen as he got cut to peices taking one apart before and not ready to do it again! I am looking everywhere on line to suit my budget but any advice would be great.
Sam

I have just had a 6x8 polycarbonate one, its still in the house until the weekend so not sure what it is like up.

All of the aluminium pieces feel very strong and well made, bar capping included. The poly sheets feel a bit thin but then they are not secured just in the box. It was £300 (+ delivery) from www.simplygreenhouses.co.uk I think they do a 6x6 for £250 if that helps.

Mandy

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Thanks Mandy,will have a look

Sam

We bought a Norfolk. Took us 8 months to put up, lots of arguments caused by completely inept and indecipherable instructions. A shame, because the actual greenhouse isn't TOO bad for the price...they really should spend some money typing up their construction instructions into decent English.
Having said it isn't too bad...actually not all the bolts go in all the holes, and not all the panes stay where they oughta, and the sliding window never did slide or even stay up at all. And the winds have blown panes out repeatedly and moved the whole thing off its mooring.
So...perhaps not recommended after all!

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Wear gloves !!!

Seriously, I was too impatient to wait for a second hand freebie to pop up, but they often do. Just make sure that you secure it firmly to the base.

Tell him not to be so Clumsy this time

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Tried the DIY warehouses yet?

Homebase's cheapest aluminium is a whisker under £250 for a 6'x4' and a whisker under £270 for an unstated size that looks like a 6'x8'.

In fact quite a few under £300 at http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs...rtBy=2&x=9&y=7

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The three in the middle (with twin doors) look suspiciously like Norfolk builds to me.

I like the £14.99 shelves though ...... hmmmmm tempted !

OH bought me a 6 x 8 from Focus, normal price is 159 Ithink but sometimes they have an offer and we paid 129. Not put up yet but the 6 x 4 'sample' in the store looks okay and they have lots of extras you can purchase too.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

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Just want to say thankyou all so much for helping me out, I am so glad I found this site.
I will have a greenhouse by the weekend I am sure. I am so impatient to get outside.
The Homebase ones look fine and in my price range......
Thanks Again
Sam

Buy a greenhouse?

Is that where they originaly come from?

I don't know anyone who buys sheds or greenhouses.

OK you give the previous owner some beers or Jam but to buy one new.

Freecycle, Friday Free ads, local free paper, corner shop, allotment society. There are always green houses going. If worst comes to worst drive down the road and look in the garden if you see one thats not in use and there are kids in the house, put your card through the door. Most people want shot of them and cant be assed or know how to dismantle them.

If you do have to dismantle one. Photograph it form loads of angles. write the positon of the glass in chinagraph pencil on the pains, take out all the glass Roof first then try to dismantle it in to sections not bits. and take a friend and load of newspaper to wrap the glass.

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Hello Ellasmum,
I just purchased a NORFOLK GREEN HOUSE Ultimate Junior 4 (Think it's 6x8). I am delighted with it. It is anchored to a home made based just incase we have anymore of those high winds. If you want any pics just email me :-)