The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Buildings & planning => Topic started by: suzi on February 13, 2025, 04:20:30 pm

Title: kit builds
Post by: suzi on February 13, 2025, 04:20:30 pm
has anyone used kit builds and can say of they are any good please?

i think i had a very poor experience. i dont think it was the norm.
im looking to buy something alone these lines and wondered if anyone else has bought and had a good experience from them. and the building has lasted well
Title: Re: kit builds
Post by: SallyintNorth on February 13, 2025, 10:21:08 pm
One of the holiday cabins on our site was bought as a kit.  What is included was fine as far as it went but it needed additional insulation and weatherproofing.  With that done, it has lasted reasonably well, but the folks who run the holiday business say they feel they didn't end up saving any money vs self-build from scratch, but it did save quite a bit of time.
Title: Re: kit builds
Post by: suzi on February 14, 2025, 08:44:10 am
sorry i should have been clearer. i meant this company called kit buildings https://kitbuildings.com/pages/agricultural-buildings
there isnt a lot of information online i can find about them
Title: Re: kit builds
Post by: chrismahon on February 14, 2025, 11:10:29 am
I clicked on the link and was very surprised when the site loaded in French. All the dimensions are given in 'pieds' (feet) with the metric sizes alongside in brackets. I would assume from that they not a little back-street Company. No experience of using them though, so I'm not being terribly helpful.
Title: Re: kit builds
Post by: suzi on February 14, 2025, 01:52:53 pm
that very strange it opened in french. mine is in english. very strange
i have heard a bad experience. but that sounded like an its just gone wring rather than the norm.
Title: Re: kit builds
Post by: Bywaters on February 15, 2025, 10:43:57 am
I, too, have clicked on the link - all in english and purports to be an english firm

However, I was concerned by their statement that no foundations were needed nor was there anything to suggest how these buildings were fixed to the ground. That would put me off straight away
Yes, they are designed to be erected on an existing 200mm think concrete base, but with no refrence to fixing, folk might assume that all is hunky dory by virtue of weight alone, which is tosh. I am a bit sensitive to these things as I am (was) a Civil Engineer, though.....
Title: Re: kit builds
Post by: suzi on February 16, 2025, 09:00:15 am
im glad i asked. that didnt even enter my head!
thats a huge concern. especially as im looking to put a small head of cattle a couple of ponies and sheep in them (i was looking at multiple).
i will be re thinking.
thank you again :)
Title: Re: kit builds
Post by: Fleecewife on February 26, 2025, 11:39:21 pm
that very strange it opened in french. mine is in english. very strange
i have heard a bad experience. but that sounded like an its just gone wring rather than the norm.

Chrismahon lives in France, so that's actually super clever, isn't it?
Title: Re: kit builds
Post by: doganjo on March 11, 2025, 09:56:58 am
I clicked on the link and was very surprised when the site loaded in French. All the dimensions are given in 'pieds' (feet) with the metric sizes alongside in brackets. I would assume from that they not a little back-street Company. No experience of using them though, so I'm not being terribly helpful.
Some websites have automatic translation set up. Because you live in French it may have done that
Title: Re: kit builds
Post by: doganjo on March 11, 2025, 09:58:28 am
sorry i should have been clearer. i meant this company called kit buildings https://kitbuildings.com/pages/agricultural-buildings
there isnt a lot of information online i can find about them
If you click on the arrow beside Kit building in the united kingdom it shows which countries it's translated to
Title: Re: kit builds
Post by: doganjo on March 11, 2025, 10:09:48 am
I, too, have clicked on the link - all in english and purports to be an english firm

However, I was concerned by their statement that no foundations were needed nor was there anything to suggest how these buildings were fixed to the ground. That would put me off straight away
Yes, they are designed to be erected on an existing 200mm think concrete base, but with no refrence to fixing, folk might assume that all is hunky dory by virtue of weight alone, which is tosh. I am a bit sensitive to these things as I am (was) a Civil Engineer, though.....
I cant see that anywhere.  Looking at the buildings I'd have assumed that it would be up to the buyer to have the base done before delivery
Title: Re: kit builds
Post by: Penninehillbilly on March 11, 2025, 11:24:18 am
im glad i asked. that didnt even enter my head!
thats a huge concern. especially as im looking to put a small head of cattle a couple of ponies and sheep in them (i was looking at multiple).
i will be re thinking.
thank you again :)
Email them and ask how it's fastened down?
They do look useful.