When choosing a timber building, you need to check the specifications to ensure it will have the strength to last. So always check out the thickness of the timber, whether it’s made from redwood or the cheap inferior whitewood, how thick the framing is etc. Are the doors and windows joinery made, meaning they will last a long time? Does it has toughened glass for safety or imperfect horticultural glass, plastic or perspex? All important questions.
On many of the buildings available on the web, you will find that they will deliver them to your house and leave them for you to build. You can save a little money this way, but you will have to build it yourself. That’s OK if you are a good DIYer, but it will still be hard work. The best option is to take advantage of 1st Choice’s FREE assembly option on the Diamond and Platinum buildings. They will do all the hard work – all you need to do is build a level base for it to go onto. And they can even arrange that for you as well if you wish. This way, you can be sure your new building will be built correctly, and all you need to do is enjoy it.
We have a large range of
garden shed sizes for you to choose from and in several styles. However, we specialise in making buildings to suit your needs. Whether it needs to be taller, extra or fewer windows, the doors and windows moved, we can do that for you. Ensure you buy the building to suit you and your family with no compromises. Give us a call on (0333) 800 8880 or visit our showroom and discuss what you would like. We are happy to provide a quote to suit you with no pressure.
To make the most of your new building, it’s a good idea to have it
lined and insulated to get the most use out of you all year round. Doing so will keep the building cooler in summer and warmer in winter. It’s possible to do this yourself if you feel confident. However, there is an option to do this for you on all the
Platinum buildings. It can be seen as a luxury, but you will be glad you did on those hot summer days or cold winter days. Just contact us, and we will arrange a free quote for you.
We provide 12×4 sheds with a protective treatment but why not consider a building painted with Sadolin (Diamond Buildings) or Valtti (Platinum Buildings) paints. Both are available in a range of colours so you find a colour to suit you. You can find more details about
painted sheds here. Or, just contact us, and we will arrange a free quote for you.
Sadolin Superdec 'Clover Leaf'
Free Fitting Included
Sadolin Superdec 'Sea Step' +
Free Assembly Included
Sadolin Superdec 'Four By Two'
Free Fitting Included
Sadolin Superdec 'Outside'
Free Installation Included
Tikkurila 'Sage Green' Wood Stain
Free Assembly Included
Tikkurila 'Chestnut Brown' Stain
Free Assembly Included
Tikkurila 'Charcoal Grey' Wood Stain
Free Assembly Included
Tikkurila 'Oakwood' Wood Stain
Erected Free Of Charge
Before deciding on a new 4×12 shed for your garden, you should always do your homework (sorry!) as it’s very easy to be taken in with a flashy website leaflet or colour brochure. Try to find time and make a trip down to our showroom where you can examples on view. By doing so, you will then be able to decide what you may be buying. We have a large collection of wooden buildings that you are welcome to view. We will be delighted to show you the different buildings and answer any queries you may have. We can provide quotations as well. Another thing to do is to take a look at the
feedback from previous customers which can be enlightening.
All of our timber sheds which we sell are not the 'cheap and cheerful' buildings you can buy online made from inferior materials and down to a price. After 40 years in the business we know what is important in making a quality garden shed - one that will last and will look good in your garden.
Don't risk buying a 'bad un'. Do your research and always, if possible, go and look at your intended purchase before signing on the 'dotted line'. Don't end up in the situation - if only! Visit one of our show sites and see for yourself how good our sheds are. You won't regret it.
Photo Gallery
Diamond Sheds
Free Assembly Included
Platinum Sheds
Free Installation Included
Bespoke Options
With the water shortages and hose pipe bans of last year (which was hard to believe when it turned out to be one of the wettest years on record) it is important that we make the most of this natural resource. Without it we would not exist and the garden depends on this water to enable it to thrive and grow. Many people nowadays are using the garden for growing vegetables, fruit and flowers which helps to save on the household budget. Beside the money saved the taste of fruit and vegetables from your garden is second to none. And knowing you have grown this lovely produce can give you a satisfying feel.
Even if you don’t use the garden for growing the garden lawn always looks so much better when it looks lush and green. This is where water plays a part so you need to ensure you make the most of what we get even though we complain when it is raining.
The garden shed, summerhouse or garage, even as small as a 12×4 shed, can play a part in helping with this problem by the simple addition of gutters, down pipes and a water barrel or two. This will catch the rain which falls on the shed roof and will then be channelled down the gutters and into the barrels. From there you can spread this water over the vegetables, fruit, flowers and garden and this will help it to grow and flourish.
This in itself is a relatively easy job to do. All you need to do is to screw the gutter brackets onto your garden shed, ensuring that each one is a little lower than the next one. This will ensure that the water will flow off your shed roof, along the gutters and into the down pipes before discharging into the water barrel. This barrel can often be put alongside the shed so it is out of the way however many people like the barrel to be next to the shed door. It’s your choice.
An even easier option is the RainSaver gutter system and will fit most of their garden sheds and summerhouses. With this you don’t even have to screw brackets onto your building as it utilises special brackets which just screw on by hand. The 3 inch gutters then clip into place before adding your own pipes into your water barrel. Could not be any easier. And the great thing is than even on a 12ft x 4ft garden shed you can collect over 1800 litres of water per year on each side. That’s over 400 gallons available free and not being charged through your water meter.
Over in the States Concordai College had created a special water saving garden called the Cornucopia Garden. In this garden they have a garden shed which collects and harvests rainwater and this helps to demonstrate self-sufficiency in the garden. This is part of a larger scheme of how to grow food in a sustainable manner.
They have shown that their skinny garden shed with a barrel which collects the rainwater will collect 50 gallons of water which can be used in the garden. The co-president, Shane Sessions, declared that the students have established a self sustain system and was being used to grow tomatoes, onions and other crops which are then sold at farmers markets. They have also grown beans, corn and squash in the traditional Native American way. They have also be keeping a blog about the progress in the garden called ‘Fresh Dirt’.
Clearly there are only positives from collecting rainwater both for the environment and also for smaller water bills.