Spring is in the air and even though you're secretly hoping that your kid's forgot the deal you made if they earned perfect grades, they certainly have not. Every year, parents find themselves making good on their promise to build that treehouse that their kids have been begging for all year and a large percentage of them fail, are injured or succeed and end up having to remove it a year later for safety issues and poor materials.
If your children are going to be in a treehouse, it better be safe! Not to mention, you also have to consider their friends will also be up there who could be injured, something you certainly never want to face! Before you start thinking that a professional builder will be far out of your price range and that you can handle this project yourself, you need to consider just how large and dangerous building a treehouse can be. There are a lot of variables to consider, you could be hurt and so could your children. However, even though you need a builder who will probably charge by the hour doesn't mean that there aren't steps you can take to reduce the cost of your bill.
Why This Project is so Difficult
If you still think you can tackle building a tree house just because you did an outstanding job on your kitchen cupboards, there are many reasons you should be aware of as to why this is such a hard project, below are just a few:
- Wood Choices - Structural beams need to be safe. Knotty pieces need to be avoided and although reclaimed wood is an environmentally-friendly option, you have to inspect each piece for rot, decay, splits and insect attack.
- Bolting Beams - Larger trees can generate an enormous amount of pressure near the ground. The last thing you want is to risk bolts snapping in high winds. Flexible joints must be utilized in appropriate places to stop this from happening.
- Arsenic Poisoning - Are you aware of the risk of arsenic poisoning associated with some treated timber products?
Reduce Your Bill
The cost of hiring a builder to erect your treehouse can either be downright frightening or quite economical. Taking the proper steps can cut your bill at least in half!
- Precise Plans - Be sure to have precise plans of the design ahead of time that you and the builder agree upon. This will eliminate any confusion of them not understanding your needs and offering a quote that ends up being increased. Be realistic and understand that if you do change plans halfway though and decide you need an extra window and a deck, it is going to cost you.
- Prepare the Site - There is no point waiting for the builder to arrive to start preparing the site or worse, leaving it for them to do. Excess branches should be pruned away ahead of time if possible and cleaning up landmines from the dog that have been left over from the winter thaw is certainly always appreciated.
- Buy Materials - Here's where you're going to save the most money on your bill. If you can make a list of everything you'll need and then buy the raw materials yourself, you will save a substantial amount of money. Even if you're not comfortable choosing the proper timber that will provide the most safety, you can still purchase anchors, nails, waterproof supplies, etc. Place your receipt in a safe place and anything you have leftover at the end of your project can be returned.
Building a treehouse is the perfect gift you can give your children, it certainly will keep them out of the house all summer! However, before you embark on this potentially dangerous project, you need to think about the consequences of faulty construction. You can save money on your bill when you hire a professional builder by properly preparing and you'll gain a lot of peace of mind knowing that your children are safe.
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