Fork me with a tadpole!
I thought that the self-assemble of Ikea was bad, but this was a nightmare!
I selected this cheap greenhouse, because I couldn’t buy the materials for the price. It is half the price of other kits, and I thought I could adapt it to our needs. That is replace my previous effort constructed from timber and poly sheet which lacked any insulating capability.
After enduring the debacle of Big W systems when decided to override the delivery address with an old address in a different state from eight years before, because I had to log in to the deceased account to overcome their failure to accept the order. Thank you Big W for not charging for redirection; the stress of getting you to address the problem was punishment enough!
The assembly instructions were quite good, but be warned this is a complex structure of precision, and it is easy to make mistakes with the pre-loading of multiple bolts into the slats. You need to know where these bolts are attached in order to avoid undoing your work to reorder the attached bolts on the slat. This involves searching for all the connections to that slat in the entire manual, but no-one warns you of that.
So you occasionally find there are unattached useless bolts, and worry as they accumulate whether there will be enough for the latter assembly steps. Fortunately there were sufficient spares, but you only discover that after completion; whilst wondering if the surplus is due to some assemblies having been missed.
On that point there were so many components; there was no easy way to verify the delivery was complete, but my doubt in my faith was rewarded by sufficient small components to cover the losses that frustratingly burrowed into the grass after escaping my grip, because I was manipulating pieces into position. An extra hand would be nice, but in the absence of that genetic anomaly, twisting atop a ladder with a mouth full of nuts suffices.
It is strange that some nuts refuse to mate with some bolts, but are quietly happy with others, I wish there was some way to know that before fastening. Oh! Wait there is! Just test their compatibility before, but the instructions on the slotted bolts specifically tell you not to attach a nut beforehand!
It seems a fine structure despite my modifications which were to shorten the structure to fit onto a raised base so that I wasn’t crouching near the walls which are only 1.5 metres, and to reuse my existing door and make the door provided a window. I was disappointed by the sliding door. It has no latch and is so flimsy it could separate in a robust puff of wind or two. Perhaps the single door would be better, but it may impede moving items in and out?
Greenhouses get unusably hot in summer and the two vents provided may struggle with their task especially as they are now too high for me to operate without a step ladder. Maybe the doors will be sufficient? It is a problem for later.
I re-purposed the extra sections to form the lower walls, but there are not enough for completing the lower structure. As clear corflute is expensive and the light is not really necessary some cheap black corflute will be used for insulation. Then some sealing of the associated gaps. Mostly my extensions but some are the original greenhouse like one of the gable panes being too loose.
Although I managed this on my own with a lot of back and forth and innovation at my personal peril; the assembly requires a two-person team. Not an extra person to brace the structure as claimed. A team which cooperates on deciphering the misalignments due to the the sagging of the ridge and twisting of the supporting structure. Perhaps this wouldn’t be a problem if assembling on a perfectly flat factory floor where there is no breeze at all, but even then it would need clear communication of what is going on from the outside bracer to the inside assembler. Partnerships have broken up for lesser reasons.
Finally I took this picture. A panel has blown out. It seems more silicone will be required, once the walls are completed.
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