Ordered our greenhouse today!!!

Post by **CoronaCactus** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:27 pm

We've been wanting to get a greenhouse for awhile now and with our tax return, we were finally able to click the order button

Just 10 mins ago!

We chose a Rion hobby kit 8.6W x 6.10H x 16.8L (GH48) for we liked the green color of the frame and the overall shape/appearance of it. And it looks (and from the reviews we read) to be a good quality GH. We found the best price at Greenhouses.com, which was a good $500-700 cheaper!!!The warranty is pretty good, at 7 years on the polycarbonate panels and 10 years on the frame. Being in SoCal, i hope it stands up to the relentless sun rays

Not overly happy with it being only 6.10' tall, only gives me 8" of headroom. Might not be enough when i jump for joy when flowers appear

But I read about one guy who used a small cinder block wall/base to raise it another foot and he modified the doors to match. He said the doors use the same parts as the frame, so it was just a matter of getting a few extra parts. I'm thinking of possibly doing the same, will decide once i have the actual parts in hand and can see what modifications are actually needed.

I'm very excited, but it's gonna be alot of work to get it all setup, but hopefully it'll go smooth.

Here's a link to the page description
http://www.greenhouses.com/rionhobbygreenhouse.html

tumamoc · Post by **tumamoc** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:34 pm

I can't remember what stage of cacti madness you have just entered in to. Looks like a good investment. I think the cinder block mods will be worth the extra effort and expense in the long run.

peterb · Post by **peterb** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:35 pm

wow, very nice indeed. re: height-- I've also seen greenhouses placed over a 2.5-3 foot "subfloor" (i.e., hole) dug in the ground. There are supposed to be temperature moderating benefits to having that extra below ground space. A few simple steps down and you have slightly over 8 feet of headroom. The ones I saw had black painted water barrels (old oil drums) along both walls, full of water for passive solar heating, and a brick lined floor.

anyway, looks great...if I lived near I'd come over for the barn raisin'!

peterb

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:39 pm

looks great, you alrady have it up!

TimN · Post by **TimN** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:44 pm

Congrats! Looks like a great GH. I like the sliding doors instead of door-hinged panels.

Tim

hob · Post by **hob** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:58 pm

does it come with auto openers for the windows ?? if not i would get some, it can get very hot very quickly in mid summer if you forget to open them you can get them from the same shop.

http://www.greenhouses.com/Halls%20Auto ... pener.html

peter · Post by **peter** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:24 pm

Thats nice! I guess you need a foundation.

Post by **daiv** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:38 pm

Darryl,
That looks like a really nice setup! I think Peter's Idea of a sunken floor is your best bet. That is what Gunnar did with his - check it:

http://public.fotki.com/gunnarhatletveit/greenhouse/

That is a really good size too. I was thinking 16 x 8 when I built my homemade job, but the long boards that I had at my disposal were 14feet so I went with that.

Daiv

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:45 pm

Awesome Dude!
Oh man am I jealous, thats going to be so sweet!

cactusveda · Post by **cactusveda** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:41 pm

thats a good selection! wish you happy cacti planting.....

Post by **CoronaCactus** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:10 pm

Thanks alot guys
I can't wait to get started!!

I have some thinking to do about the best way to go about this.

The area we have for it, it'll sit half on current concrete and half on dirt. (we shortened the garden to allow for a bigger GH)

Plan A: Pour new slab to join with the current one and build the block wall up 12-16" above ground level.

This is more cost and time effective. And i could do it all myself.

Plan B: Cut away current slab, dig hole, pour complete new slab, build block wall up to ground level.

This is the better setup, but cost will be much higher. I'd probably have to hire a contractor to cut the old slab properly (it's part of the walkway, so it has to remain visibly appealing) I'd also have to rent a cement mixer, I can't see myself mixing that much concrete in my little wheelbarrow

Nor do i see myself digging a hole that deep and that big with one shovel. If i did, i might have the GH up sometime in 2010!

Ya, it's a screwy location, but it's the best one we have...so gotta make the best of it.

hob; Yes, the kit comes with the auto vent openers

peterb · Post by **peterb** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:32 pm

yeah, the up front labor and cost of digging a 2.5 foot deep hole and setting a foundation is much higher. Raising it will work just as well in your climate anyway. I think the subflooring is to deal with colder temps.

peterb

ihc6480 · Post by **ihc6480** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:42 am

Nice going darryl

Your definitely moving right along. What next, "Coronacactus Cactus Center"

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:26 am

Wow very cool Darryl!

Mark

Post by **CoronaCactus** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:11 am

Thanks fellers

I think a small 2 block high wall to sit the GH on will look nice and will be quite the solid footing to secure the GH to.

I done this kind of thing before...concrete and walls. But i need to see the actual frame part and how it mounts down and it's dimensions to finalize my plan.