The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Buildings & planning => Topic started by: mattswanathome on February 16, 2014, 05:40:34 pm
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Hi,
I'm planning to get a polytunnel (size about 14' by 48') and would welcome any advice on where to buy it.
First Tunnels (http://www.firsttunnels.co.uk/ (http://www.firsttunnels.co.uk/)) seems popular but quite expensive - nearly £1000 even without the optional extras (crop bar, sliding door, ground fixing kit etc)
Direct Plants (http://www.directplants.co.uk/ (http://www.directplants.co.uk/)) offer a similar sized one for about £700, much cheaper! It seems the piping is only 26mm diameter compared to First Tunnel's 35mm, I don't know if this is really significant?
Anyone had any experience with either of these suppliers or any others?
Or do you have one you'd like to sell me? :-) I'm based in mid Wales.
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You gets what you pays for! False economy to go for a cheaper option but accept lower spec. The flimsy hoop diameter means that in a big wind your tunnel can fold up in a twisted heap past resuscitation. If you live somewhere very sheltered which doesn't get wind, or you are getting a tiny 8'x10' model, then fair enough. I live in a windy area where my Northern Polytunnels tunnel (7m x 14m / 21' x 42') has survived 100mph winds. We have all the extras to make it as strong as possible, obviously including the chunky hoops. We also have crop bars which add some stability as well as being useful, plus corner bracers and triangular bracers from the roof ridge down to the sides at each end. The bolts need to be checked after every big wind, especially for the first couple of years.
You can economise by making your own doors and louvres, which is what we did, but I understand that now all doors are aluminium as opposed to wood so probably no advantage to make those.
You could have mesh which rolls down instead of doors but really only practicable in summer, so you would need doors for the winter anyway.
The real cost of a polytunnel is from all the bits and pieces. The frame itself is a fair price, the cover is not too bad, but all the hinges, clips, antihotspottape, louvres, doors and so on multiply the cost up a whole lot.
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We are really impressed with our first tunnels tunnel. We are in north wales 1000ft+ up on a very exposed hillside we had minds of over 80mph on Wednesday last week and our tunnel didn't move! We went for all the extras, storm bars,upgrade, crop bars etc and were glad we did. When we had only just put it up we had 3ft of snow fall - it survived! We built ours ourselves and it wasn't difficult and the customer service from first tunnels is great. We have now bought a second one - that's how much we like it!!
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Another thumbs up for first tunnels. We bought one of their commercial models and put it up last year. Great product, great customer service, reasonable instructions!
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yet another satisfied 1st tunnel user here. We also went for all the additional support figuring it's the kind of thing you only really do once, so may as well do it right. While not as exposed as some, it's still pretty exposed but hasn't budged an inch in the 2 years we've had it.
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Defiantly first tunnels.I got the thermal skin and after 5 years not showing any UV or weather issue, only holes are those caused by me. I even installed it on my own.
Just wish I went for the widest option.
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Just wish I went for the widest option.
^^ This. We did go for the wider (16ft commercial) one and it has a much better profile than the domestic models, with more upright sides, and you get 50mm tubes rather than 35mm tubes.
Yes, it adds to the up-front cost, but spread across a 20 year lifespan for the frame it's buttons per day.
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Hi
I am another first tunnels enthusiast.
We had a 14 by 28 with all the bits. Good instruction manual. Good website. No problems to erect or since. Has been up 4 years.
SV.
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A vote for First Tunnels here too. I actually have one for sale at the moment but probably a bit far to ship it. Hopefully upgrading to a larger version.
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Another first tunnels vote :thumbsup: .
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blimey I thought First Tunnels was popular but this is ridiculous! Are there any dissenting voices at all out there?
Thanks everyone for all your thoughts so far. If they really are so far ahead of the competition then I guess I'd better start breaking the other piggy banks.
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Just taking advantage of the momentum here...
Does anyone know if it would be legally possible to build a walipini or pit greenhouse in the UK?
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After recommendations I opted for Northern Polytunnels. It is only a small version (10x8 ) Wasn't disappointed at all. it has withstood full force winds and not budged.
It was a TAS member who praised them for storm sturdiness. Only on the 2nd year so far but still as new in a very exposed position :thumbsup:
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A vote for First Tunnels here too. I actually have one for sale at the moment but probably a bit far to ship it. Hopefully upgrading to a larger version.
so where are you, what size and how much? (please)
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We went with first tunnels years ago. A couple of years back we decided to add crop bars and I mentioned that I needed some more anti-hot spot tape as not enough had been supplied when we bought it. They sent me two rolls FOC, even though I was fully prepared to pay for it because it was seven years since we bought the tunnel and I believed I should have told them at the time. They also sent me two free books about polytunnel gardening!
Their after sales and customer care is second to none and their product is outstanding, don't waste your money on any other brand if you are buying new.
Every year I wash the inside of the cover with a soft broom and washing soda to remove any algae growth and it comes up looking like a new tunnel. Buy the anti-fog covers because they don't go cloudy and stay nice and clear. The annual washing ensures maximum light levels for a longer growing season, which we need up here in Banffshire.
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Our First Tunnel (smallest commercial size) has been up for over 7 years now, it gets pretty windy here, but no problems at all. Still the first lot of plastic on it, no tears only a few holes in the bottom where the rats/mice/voles have decided to make an entrance >:(, but yes would go for them again, and we went with all the possible stabilising bits and pieces we could get. Ours survived the two heavy winters recently where we had a good few feet of snow dumped on it, and many in the area just collapsed.... but really wind and actually snow is your biggest enemy - stronger bars mean it doesn't buckle quite so quick.
So spend the money now and then you can relax.
PS.: Make sure you get it put up properly though!
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And another happy customer :thumbsup: .
We bought a secondhand First Tunnel, and even managed to save and re-use the cover (so mean ::) ). They supplied all the extra bits we needed , great service.
I can't believe it has withstood the recent storms, we are on the top of a hill less than 1 mile from the coast.
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I am so sending this thread to first tunnels, we all deserve a commission :D
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Hi
We bought a second hand First Tunnels, 20 foot model in the Autumn. We had to dismantle it and rebuild it at home. The installation we removed, we thought was a bit over the top, with the ground tubes wedged and screwed into sunken lengths of scaffold pole. Removal was hard work, to put it mildly!
We put it up just before the Great Storm in October on a slightly sheltered part of our place, just as we had removed it. We bought some odds and sods from First Tunnels after studying their free installation videos on their website. They were a joy to deal with and the videos, superb
The tunnel has survived some horrific storms since then and i cannot recommend the structure highly enough
Good luck with your research
Bob
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Thanks everyone for your suggestions! It certainly seems that First Tunnels come out top based on this sample. I will be choosing them.
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I'm finalising my polytunnel specification and wanted to open up this thread one more time to see if any company other than First Polytunnels gets a look-in. I haven't looked into their range yet, but had short listed two other companies.
Highland Polytunnels do a range of extra strong tunnels that have 50mm hoops and are clearly aimed at those of us who expect strong and frequent winds throughout the year. They supply their kits with everything I think I need plus a choice of covering.
Premier Polytunnels offer theirs as a basic that you select options for, and although they use thinner hoops, they do offer double sliding doors, and adding all the extras puts them up to a similar price as Highland.
Does anybody have any experience with either of these?
I'm considering a 14' x 30' at the moment, although I might go a little bigger. It's just for extra growing, not commercial crops.
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In the first reply to this thread I mention that mine is a Northern Polytunnels. It has done us proud and we can get some scary winds here.
I have no experience of Highland but their spec sounds similar to NP Go for the sturdiest you can get.
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I had read the whole thread but Northern got lost in the tidal wave of First customers. I'll go have a look at them as well.
We get the wind coming down off the Cairngorm National Park so you can imagine what'd happen to a 25mm garden variety. I was planning on nothing less than 40mm.
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I'm considering a 14' x 30' at the moment, although I might go a little bigger. It's just for extra growing, not commercial crops.
I think the 14' wide domestic tunnels from FirstTunnels use 35mm hoops. The others in the domestic range use 25mm I think. Commericals are 50mm.
We live in a bit of a wind tunnel ourselves but have found the 14' wide from FirstTunnels to be have lasted well. We do get a fair bit of movement in the frame but no sign or damage or premature wear and tear. Having said that we are planning to re-site them this year for other reasons, and when I do I will add some additional braces similar in design to their commercial model to add a bit more rigidity.
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Yesterday i finished construction of our commercial range 24 x 72 premier polytunnel and i cant say anything other then that i am very pleased with it. It's rock solid. Having never built a tunnel before i couldn't say if it's better or worse then any other but i can't see how any tunnel could be stronger then this. We went for a timer base rail, upgraded cover, crop bars, storm strengthening kit and triple ridge kit. I took pictures throughout the process if anyone wants any further details? For what it cost (circa £3k inc vat) it seems very good value for money too.
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I saw the photos of the frame going up. Big job, eh?
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Being in the market for two commercial sized polytunnels I had looked at several suppliers, thanks to all the positive testimonials First Tunnels will be getting another customer, thanks
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Yup. I spent an hour last night doing a comparison, and with the resounding contentment of the customers on here it looks like First will be getting my business too. The only one that came close was Gighland with their 50mm frame tubing, but the reality is that with a good anchoring and an extra couple of ridge bars 35mm should more than cope with a couple of winter gales. Thanks to everyone here for their input.
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Hi DP,
just reading through this thread and wondering how you got on with your poly tunnel purchase? Did you go with First Tunnels and are you pleased with it?
Just researching as hoping to buy in next few weeks.
Thanks
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I took a good look at the Haygrove Tunnels stand at the Royal Three Counties last year- looked solid as a rock.
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Thanks, will take a look ????