Summer Houses

Should I Choose An Insulated Summer House in The UK

The summerhouse for your garden is enjoyed traditionally through the warmer months and then, maybe, used as a storage place through the winter. Well, how about being able to use it all year round? By investing a little more and having your summer insulated you can use this wonderful building all year round. Your children can be out from under your feet and they can use it as their own with their computer games, music or chilling with their friends. Mum or Dad could use it as a ‘man cave’ or ‘she den’ for their own hobbies or pastimes. Or an insulated summerhouse could be used as a home office for your business and if so, the cost would be tax deductible against your business which is a ‘win-win’ for you.

Can I Insulate My Summer Building After Delivery?

It’s reasonably easy to insulate a summerhouse in the UK if you have semi-reasonable DIY skills. You would need to buy polystyrene or fibreglass insulation and then cut this and fit it in between the internal framework. The fibreglass insulation will need tacking into place to stop it moving before you fix the inner skin. This can be plywood, hardboard (which you can get with an attractive veneer on it) or even T&G boarding. This is OK for the walls but the roof can be a little tricky as you have to put the insulation into place, but you have gravity working against you, making fitting the inner skin fiddly. You would need 2 or 3 people to do the roof. After you have completed that it would also be a good idea to use cover strips over the joins to finish it off.

What Other Options Do I Have?

We can supply an insulated summer house on all our Platinum summer rooms and garden buildings to suit your requirements. The walls and roof can be lined and insulated enabling you to benefit from all year round use. We normally use a Kingspan quality insulation which is a solid composition with foil backing. There is a range of different internal linings. Before finishing the building it will have internal trims fitted ensuring a delightful finish. With a choice of internal cladding, you can choose one to suit you.

How Much Will Insulation Cost For My Wooden Sunhouse?

All of our Platinum pages have links to the prices of the basic buildings and on the order form, you will see the cost for that particular model. On some, there is even an option to insulate the floor for even better protection from the elements. One of the questions is whether you can afford it. Well, if you would like to use your new garden building all year round then it’s worth working out what this all year round use is worth to you. To be able to have an all year round office or hobby room is a great asset and a little piece of calm away from our mad world. Or call us directly and we will be glad to advise for your needs.

Will My Summer House Be Warm In The Winter?

If your building is insulated either by yourself or through our service then it will be nearly as warm as inside your house. Like your house during the colder spells, you will have to have some form of heating inside. Ideally, an electric radiator, but never a Calor gas heater. Besides the flammability of it – these types of heaters give off a lot of moisture and can make the building damp. Avoid at all costs!

Besides keeping your new wooden summerhouse warm in the winter it will help to keep it cooler in the summer. And this is something which not many people think about. And to be honest I never used to think about that but on our show site we had a normal summer building next to an insulated sunroom and I was checking them over. When I went from the normal one into the insulated one I could not believe the difference in temperature. I had to go back into the uninsulated one to check, so well worth doing.

Can I Receive A Personal Quote?

We are, of course, very happy to supply you with a firm quote for an insulated summerhouse to meet your needs.
Just call us on (0333) 800 8880, use our contact form or visit our display sites near Woking and Farnham.

It’s Easy To Buy a Summer Building – Yes??

It appears to be easy to buy summer houses – just take a look on the internet – see a building which takes your fancy and then search for the best price – ‘a piece of cake’! Well – life’s not like that. This is because there is such a large range of summer buildings available with the quality (or lack of it on many of the cheap ‘make down to a price’ summerhouses) varying tremendously. To ensure you are not disappointed you do need to be very careful and do some homework (sorry).

An Established Summer Building UK Business is Best to Buy From

A company which have been established a long time is a good choice as you can be reasonably sure that they have gained a great deal of expertise in the market. More importantly, by being in business for a long time, they must have listened to their customers. You will find the better-established businesses actually do have ‘bricks and mortar’ site for viewing and the ‘web’ is just a tool to inform the public of their range of products. These sort of companies also tend to employ staff who you can actually talk to (just like in days gone by – how quaint, but nice) and advise you on what will be best for you. Most ‘web site only’ firms expect you to communicate through the modern wonder of email, which is OK but will never ‘actually’ beat talking to a person.

Before Buying – Always Try to View Summer Houses for Sale

With the internet, with its flashy web pages and, possibly if you are lucky, a glossy brochure you can never really know what your proposed summer house will be like in ‘real life’. This is why it’s crucial, BEFORE delivery, to try to view any potential summer building. This will ensure that you can see and check for yourself how well it’s been made, that there is enough height inside and you can see that the doors and windows are solidly made (and not nasty, cheap and flimsy). As well as that you can check what quality of timber which has been used. It’s claimed by many summer house firms, who only operate on the ‘web’, that it’s best to buy online and that you can save money. However, it’s never possible to be sure what you will actually get. You need to be VERY wary if they are not prepared to let you see their buildings beforehand. It’s a fact that the best value building is not always the cheapest one.

Check That the Timber Used is the Best for These Summer Houses

It’s possible that you can save money by selecting one of these cheaper summer houses but you do need to ensure that only the best and correct materials are used in your new building. This means only using timber which comes from the colder parts of Europe such as Sweden, Norway, Finland where it grows very slowly. This cold weather means it has the greatest density ensuring it remains very stable even in varying weather. The cheaper summerhouses are made using faster growing cheaper whitewood trees meaning it is likely to have more movement in your garden. Which is not good in the long run.

For Safety Insist on Toughened Glass in Your New Summerhouse

To cut costs the cheaper buildings will use horticultural glass (which is in essence – seconds) or worse still, plastic. This is actually ‘second-grade’ glass and you will normally be able to see defects in it. Away from the busy activity, it can be just about OK but on buildings which are being used regularly is it not better not to take any chances? If horticultural glass smashes it breaks into jagged pieces and you certainly would not want your children or grandchildren getting hurt. Horticultural glass does reduce the cost of the building but is it worth the risk? However, the better summerhouse manufacturers will, as standard, use toughened glass. A very good choice as well as peace of mind.

Do You Want a ‘Run of the Mill’ Garden Building or Are Your Special?

Standard sizes and layouts has the advantage that it can help to keep the cost down, but what if you would like a size to suit YOUR garden or you would like doors and windows in a different place then you would be out of luck. This is why it’s good practice to talk to a garden building company who can actually make your summerhouse to suit YOU. It may be a little more expensive but the extra cost can make the difference between ‘putting up with the available options’ or getting the best use for YOUR garden.

Are All Summer houses Sections Pre-Cut to Shape

I find it amazing that any company would consider supplying a building not finished but there are some factories which will do so. Unbelievable! These cheap summerhouse manufacturers supply panels or floors which need to be cut by you. This saves money but means more work for you and the possibility of mistakes. Always ensure that all the panels are supplied cut to shape and size.

Check Out Feedback From Customers of Summer houses

The advantage of the ‘web’ and social media means that any ‘bad apples’ or companies selling bad buildings can quickly be isolated. So this is one way to find out a little more about the company from whom you be thinking of buying a summerhouse. Can be very enlightening and can help to put your mind at rest. Check out independent feedback sites such as Independent Feedback.

Check Out Summer Houses Buying Advice

The advantage of long-standing businesses is that they share good advice about buying summer buildings This helps you to make the correct decision for you. You will find they will always offer advice which they have gleaned over many, many years and never forget that you may be in the market for another building later in the future.

The key to buying a wood summer house or even a garden workshop is to ensure you do your homework, ensure you know who are dealing with as well as trying to get the best value building for your home. And at face value, this is not always the cheapest price.

Written By Robin - Expert in Garden Buildings For 39 Years.
Hi, I'm Robin Antill, founder of 1st Choice Leisure Buildings, and I use my expertise gained over 39 years in the garden buildings industry to understand that each customer is different. With my manufacturing, retailing and customer service experience my articles help people choose their ideal shed, garden workshop, summerhouse, log cabin or garden office needs to suit their requirement and that is key to satisfaction. And what do I do when I'm not writing? You may find me following Grimsby Town Football Club or riding roller coasters - so plenty of 'ups and downs' in my life.

Help With Planning Permission For Summer Garden Buildings

If you need help about planning permission take a look at our page about planning requirements for garden summerhouses in the UK on our web site or go direct to the Planning Portal Official Site

General Help And Advice for Buildings in the Garden

If you need help and buying tips for your new wooden building then take a look at our page with advice about buying on our web site or go direct to the Which Garden Shed UK Reviews

How Qualified Are We To Offer Advice?

We, being a family business, have been involved in the manufacture of quality wooden summer buildings for sale since 1979 when Robin started his first production unit. Craig, Robin’s son, joined in 1990 and trained at Guildford College in joinery. And for over 20 years we ran one of the largest UK wooden building companies in the south of England and made the conscious decision to only deal with quality materials which we knew would last the test of time. This ethos probably comes from our upbringing. Robin’s father and grandfather were Master Butchers in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire and Quality and Customer Service was always the keyword behind their businesses.

Craig is a key member of the business and is helping 1st Choice to embrace the challenges of the 21st century. And with his two children, Daniel and Rebecca, the future looks very promising. So as you can see we are not just salespeople selling a range of products who know nothing of little about the products. We have the history behind us to ensure that when you choose ‘1st Choice’ then the summerhouses for sale which we offer actually will be ‘1st Choice.

Written By Robin - Expert in Garden Buildings For 39 Years.
Hi, I'm Robin Antill, founder of 1st Choice Leisure Buildings, and I use my expertise gained over 39 years in the garden buildings industry to understand that each customer is different. With my manufacturing, retailing and customer service experience my articles help people choose their ideal shed, garden workshop, summerhouse, log cabin or garden office needs to suit their requirement and that is key to satisfaction. And what do I do when I'm not writing? You may find me following Grimsby Town Football Club or riding roller coasters - so plenty of 'ups and downs' in my life.

Finding Summer Houses For Sale in the UK has never been easier.

If you are interested in a new traditional, modern, contemporary, large or small summer building for your home – whether it’s for sitting out in the garden on a sunny day, or for using it as a recreation area or hobby room or somewhere to store your leisure equipment or gardening supplies – then you find will find a large range on offer on our 1st Choice Leisure Buildings web site.

Our summer houses delivered and installed in your garden are the ideal stress free answer for you and your family. All these buildings are ideally suited from small back gardens right up to very large gardens and can be used for domestic, recreational or professional use. To suit the needs of you all our buildings, which include insulated sunrooms, wooden summerhouses and timber sun house can be fully bespoke, both in size and design, so it meets YOUR requirements. Why settle for anything less? We always strive to ensure we are your 1st Choice for your garden buildings

Can I view the Summer Buildings Before I Buy?

The internet is a wonderful tool for seeing what is available and it can be very easy to purchase a wooden summerhouse for your garden online sitting at home in England & Wales. With just a few clicks you can have made a decision, paid for a new summer house or sunroom and before you know it your new garden building will on its way to your home in England & Wales. The fact that it is so easy and quick means sometimes the decision made is the WRONG one.

There are many manufacturers who are making these buildings down to a price and not to a set quality and this is where trouble can occur. Your new sunroom will have to stand up to the full force of our British weather and any shortcomings in the materials used will expose your summerhouse through its weaknesses.

So how can you tell? The best way to tell whether the summer houses on offer are likely to be made to a good standard is when the retailer actually gives you an opportunity to view it before buying. If they don’t then you really need to be very cautious before spending your hard earned money on a building which could let you down.

You will find that the majority of outdoor summer houses retailers on the web do not offer an option to view beforehand. At 1st Choice, after being involved in manufacturing since 1979, we set up a display area back in 2003 to demonstrate to our customers the high quality of our range of buildings. Even if our showroom is a little way from you and you may decide it too far to go, the fact that it is there should give you the confidence in the ethics of 1st Choice.

Don’t make the mistake when buying a summer house, which others may have done, ALWAYS, if possible, ensure you see your new summer building before pressing that final click on the Checkout page. It’s very easy to rue that mistake afterwards and wish that you have been a little more careful. So, if possible, take a drive from your home to view the great range of buildings which we have for you to view. At the last count, we have about 80 various buildings which show how commitment to displaying the very best. This will ensure you have made an informed and wise decision. It’s always worth checking out previous customers feedback, but only on independent sites.

Click Here For A Walk Through Of Our Display Site

Platinum and Diamond Summer Buildings Available

On our 1st Choice web site, you are able to spend time looking at our extensive range of garden houses, sun rooms and home offices and to view all the detailed specifications of all the ranges. You can even download the relevant leaflets and price lists from our web site. Our range of buildings, sunrooms and cabins from the Platinum and Diamond ranges have been sold throughout England & Wales and surrounding area for a great number of years.

To back up our claim of being the 1st Choice we are proud to have been involved in the manufacture of them since 1979, nearly FOUR decades. Overall this time we have followed the ethos that quality is always first, even if the price is a little more than some of the ‘cheap’ ones available on the web. At the end of the day we have to live with our conscience and being a family firm, ever since we started, we believe in fair play. With the latest two grandchildren on the scene, this is more important than ever for their futures as well as ours.

Our display centre showroom also showcases our selection of summer buildings, summerhouses and cabins, all made in the UK and all built to last.

Summer Houses For Sale To Enjoy With Your Family

The home is the epicentre of our lives and where we normally feel most comfortable. And by looking at the available summer houses for sale it can make it even more special. When this is combined with a garden, if you are lucky enough to have one, then we have to count our lucky stars. This is because the garden allows us to have our own piece of Britain where we can relax and enjoy time with our family in the open.

Because it is OUR home we normally will take even opportunity to improve it, whether it’s a coat of paint, a complete revamp of the bathroom or kitchen or indeed many other things around the house. This is where the garden can help improve your home and, in particular, the garden summer room or shed. The common garden building and in particular, summer rooms are so versatile that they can be used for a great many different purposes. This can include general storage, as a workshop or hobby room, or a space to have a den away from the family or a place for relaxing and enjoying the sum. In all instances these garden buildings will play its part in the overall home experience.

And it you utilise these versatile buildings for storage of items which would otherwise be in the house, this will reduce clutter in the house making the home even more appealing. This action will improve the atmosphere in your home as well as the general outlook so is well worth considering.

The garden shed or summer house will give you the opportunity to sort out various tools and then store them ready for when required. This freeing up of internal space will be a great boost to the home and its occupants. But it’s important to ensure that the building is kept tidy which is easier said that done sometimes. It’s so easy to bung everything in the building as an quick option and this action will come back to bite you when you re looking for that special tool or piece of garden equipment. So beware.

This is just one of the reasons if you are choosing a new sun room or garden store to ensure you choose as large as one as possible. This is because the one you buy nearly always ends up not being large enough. If you already have a garden building then take the conscious decision to spend a weekend or two going through and throwing all surplus items including the many items kept ‘just in case‘. It may be that the items you throw away will be needed the week after but the chances are is that they won’t and your only worry then is who to leave them to in your will.

Don’t allow your summer building or shed to becomes a dumping ground and an unloved object. Don’t just allow it to be a tatty building at the bottom of the garden, make it work for you. Give a little priority and it will pay you back in spades and help your home become a more organised area for you and your family. Failing that take a look at the many summerhouses for sale and which will enhance your garden.

If you are in the market for a new garden building then ensure you do your homework. Steer clear of ones which use chipboard, OSB board on the roofs and floors. Ensure that the framing is a good thickness, ideally 2×2, and that the cladding (the planks of wood on the wall) is T&G.

Even more importantly is take a look at your proposed summerhouses in the flesh, so to speak, at a display site such as this one. If you are unable to see the product beforehand then just hope for the best but prepare for the worse. That will reduce any disappointment which may come your way.

The garden by its very nature lends itself to being modeled to suit its environment, the natural aspect created by all living things is limitless, with the only limitation being the human mind. Think like a garden designer who can often work miracles by taking existing trees and bushes into account along with basic garden design and working with what is available before looking at summer houses for sale and outdoor buildings.

This usually involves sitting down and working out what is important for your needs and you will find that nearly everyone has their own ideas and ideal garden. From the practical such as somewhere to store garden items, maybe in a garden shed, or small timber store, to what sort or area is needed for relaxing in the garden such as a summer building.

Also it is needed to consider how much ‘hands on’ they want to be, are they keen gardeners or are they looking for a low maintenance garden. With the answer to these basic questions a garden designer, sometimes a landscape gardener, will be able to sit down and work out some garden designs to meet their customers requirements. They also can recommend the best summer houses for sale if required. By taking the time and visiting a show such as the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park you will find many ideas coming to you from the inspiration they create.