Small Gallery of Customer Summer Houses We’ve Built
Explore our gallery of summer houses supplied and installed for customers across the UK. From peaceful garden retreats and hobby rooms to stylish spaces for relaxing and entertaining, discover how the right summer house can transform your garden.
Customers Summerhouses Supplied
Create a welcoming space in your garden with the Platinum Fleet Apex Summerhouse. Its 10ft x 10ft footprint gives you room to relax, entertain or enjoy a quiet retreat, while the classic apex roof adds a distinctive finish. Supplied to one of our customers, this summerhouse shows how a dedicated garden space can make the outdoors feel like an extension of home.
One of our customer's recently installed Platinum Kingsclere 16 foot x 8 foot summer house that our painter has just completed painting in Demidekk Cleantech "Sandsten" with the paint purchased from ourselves also.
A lovely photo to receive of our customer's building in their sunny garden in Woking! This is one of our Platinum Bursledon corner summer houses 8ft x 8ft and with some really good upgrades; roof and floor insulation and walls lined with 12mm vertical T&G, EPDM rubber roof, double glazed PVCu windows and door frames "White" internally and "Agate Grey" externally and painted in a Valtti Plus Kesto stain.
One of our Platinum supplier's recently installed Kingsclere 14 foot x 8 foot summer house. The customer upgraded to have the building fully insulated with double glazed PVCu windows and door frames with the building painted in Thorndown Agate Grey with Agate Grey PVCu windows and doors also. The customer also included black felt tiles for their roof and laminate floor in Light Grey Oak.
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Which Range May Suit You?
| Range | Main advantage | Why choose it? |
| Fleet & Odiham | Double glazing and wall/roof insulation included. | Choose these when you want those features included from the outset, with an apex or pent roof. |
| Hamble & Bursledon | Corner layout. | Choose these when an angled entrance and corner footprint suit your garden better than a rectangular building. Insulation is optional. |
| Highclere, Kingsclere & Twyford | Choice of appearance and specification. | Choose these for a glazed garden retreat with optional insulation, rather than paying for an insulated specification you may not need. |
| Winchester | Larger listed sizes and Georgian styling. | Choose this range when you need more space or prefer Georgian windows. Listed sizes extend to 28 × 16ft; insulation is optional. |
| Royal | Wall, roof and floor insulation plus PVCu double glazing included. | Choose this range when a comprehensive insulated specification is your priority for regular use through colder months. |
On smaller screens, swipe sideways to view the full table. Heating and ventilation are still needed for comfortable colder-weather use. Confirm the specification, size availability and installation requirements of your chosen model or we can help.
Choosing the Right Summer House for Your Reading Garden
After working with garden buildings since 1979, I have learnt that choosing the right summerhouse starts with deciding how you actually intend to use it. A peaceful garden retreat for warmer weather has very different requirements from a home office, hobby room, studio or building you expect to use regularly during colder months. If you are comparing summer houses in Reading, decide on the intended use first and then compare the size, construction and specification needed to suit it.
I also recommend measuring the available garden space carefully before ordering. Mark the proposed footprint on the ground and allow sufficient room around the building for installation and future maintenance. Consider where the doors will open, which way the windows will face, and what you will see when sitting inside. A well-positioned summerhouse can be far more enjoyable than simply choosing the largest building that will physically fit.
What Should You Look For When Buying a Summer House?
My advice is to compare construction rather than headline price alone. Two summerhouses can look remarkably similar in photographs but be quite different when you examine the timber, framing, wall construction, floor, roof, doors and glazing. These details often explain why one building costs more than another and whether the additional specification is worthwhile for the way you intend to use it.
It is also important to establish exactly what is included. Professional assembly is included or available on applicable principal ranges, subject to the individual building, delivery area, suitable access and base requirements. Check the individual product specification before ordering so you understand precisely what you are buying and what preparation is required.
Which Type of Summer House Is Best for Your Reading Garden?
Traditional Summer Houses
A traditional timber summerhouse can be ideal if you mainly want somewhere attractive to relax, read, entertain friends or enjoy your garden during warmer weather. You can compare different styles, sizes and specifications in our complete summer house range.
Insulated Summer Houses
If you intend to work from your garden building, use it as a studio or hobby room, or spend significant time inside during colder periods, insulation becomes much more important. Our insulated summer houses include options designed for customers wanting greater comfort and more frequent use throughout the year.
Corner Summer Houses
A corner summerhouse can be a good choice where you want to make use of an otherwise awkward part of the garden while retaining more of the central lawn or patio. The angled frontage can also provide attractive views back across the garden. Browse our corner summer houses if this layout suits your Reading garden.
Painted Summer Houses
A painted summerhouse can complement your home, fencing, planting or garden furniture and help the building feel more integrated with its surroundings. Our painted summer houses include a choice of colours and designs depending on the individual range.
Summer Houses With Shed Storage
If you need somewhere attractive to relax but do not want to lose valuable garden storage, a combination building can be particularly practical. Our summer houses with shed storage combine leisure space with a separate area for tools, bicycles, garden furniture or other equipment.
Why My Experience With Garden Buildings Matters
I’m Robin Antill, founder of 1st Choice Leisure Buildings. I left school at 15 and started my first garden building business in 1979, trading as Marina Sheds. Those early years gave me practical experience of timber buildings. They taught me that the specification behind a building matters much more than an attractive photograph or a cheap headline price.
I sold Marina Sheds in 1990, although unfortunately I did not receive all the money I was due from the sale. It was a difficult business lesson, but it certainly did not end my involvement with garden buildings.
In 1992 we expanded beyond sheds by adding summerhouses, garages, garden rooms and log cabins. That broader direction led to a name change to Titan Garden Buildings. My son Craig joined me in 1992 after studying carpentry at Guildford College from 1990, bringing practical woodworking knowledge and a strong understanding of timber construction into the business.
We sold Titan Garden Buildings in 1998. In 2000, Craig and I decided that rather than manufacture everything ourselves, we would retail quality garden buildings from selected manufacturers. That decision led to the formation of 1st Choice Leisure Buildings and allowed us to offer customers different manufacturers, specifications and price points instead of trying to make one range suitable for everybody.
Today Craig runs the day-to-day business, and I am there to support him and the team as required. More than four decades around garden buildings has taught me to understand what somebody wants from their building first, explain the differences clearly and help them choose an appropriate specification rather than automatically recommending either the cheapest or most expensive option.
Can You See Our Summer Houses Before Buying?
Yes, and whenever practical I recommend doing so. Photographs and specifications are useful, but they cannot properly show the feel of the floor, the strength of the framing, the construction of the doors, internal headroom or the overall quality of a garden building. Seeing representative buildings at full size makes those differences much easier to understand.
Customers from Reading are welcome to visit our Surrey garden building display site at Sutton Green, near Guildford, Woking and Ripley. We cannot display every model, size and option available, but seeing representative buildings can help you compare construction and specification before making a substantial purchase.
Summer Houses Reading – Quick Answers
Do You Supply Summer Houses in Reading?
Yes. We supply a wide selection of summer houses to customers in Reading and surrounding parts of Berkshire, including traditional, contemporary, corner, painted and insulated designs. Professional assembly is included or available on applicable principal ranges, subject to the individual building, delivery area, suitable access and base requirements.
Which Areas Around Reading Do You Cover?
Depending on the individual building and delivery arrangements, we can supply customers in Reading and nearby areas including Wokingham, Henley-on-Thames, Maidenhead and other parts of Berkshire. Always check the delivery details for your chosen model before ordering.
What Size Summer House Should I Choose?
Choose a size that provides enough usable internal space without overwhelming your garden. Mark the proposed dimensions on the ground before ordering and consider furniture, movement inside the building, door opening, installation access and future maintenance. The largest summerhouse that physically fits is not automatically the best choice.
Do I Need an Insulated Summer House?
That depends on how you intend to use it. A conventional timber summerhouse can be ideal for relaxing and entertaining during warmer weather. If you plan to work inside regularly, use it in colder periods, or want greater comfort for more of the year, an insulated model is usually worth considering.
Can I Order a Bespoke Summer House in Reading?
Bespoke options are available on selected ranges. Depending on the particular manufacturer and model, alterations may be possible to the size, doors, windows, layout and other features. This can be especially useful if your garden has an awkward available space or you have a particular internal arrangement in mind.
Are Your Summer Houses Professionally Assembled?
Professional assembly is included or available on applicable principal ranges, subject to the individual product, delivery area, suitable access and preparation of the base. Always check the specific product specification and installation requirements before ordering.
What Should I Compare Before Buying a Summer House?
I recommend comparing the complete specification rather than simply the advertised price. Look at timber quality, framing, wall construction, floor, roof, doors, glazing, treatment, installation and precisely what is included. These details often reveal significant differences between summerhouses that initially appear very similar online.
Who Is Robin Antill?
I am the founder of 1st Choice Leisure Buildings and have worked with garden buildings since starting Marina Sheds in 1979. I later developed Titan Garden Buildings before Craig, and I formed 1st Choice Leisure Buildings in 2000. Craig now runs the business day-to-day, and I continue to support him and the team with the knowledge and experience I have gained throughout my working life.
Need Help Choosing a Summer House in Reading?
If you are unsure which summerhouse will suit your garden, start with how you intend to use it, the amount of available space and whether you need a conventional or insulated specification. Browse our full range of summer houses, visit our Surrey display site or contact us if you would like help comparing the available options for your Reading garden.
We also supply summer houses across nearby areas, including Windsor, Basingstoke, Farnham, Guildford, Woking, Reading, Slough, Henley upon Thames, Wokingham, Maidenhead in Berkshire
From £3928