[JayG]

The greenhouse arrived at 0800 yesterday much to my surprise (24 hours early; I was still in bed!)

One long package containing all the frame materials, and a very heavy crate containing the glass. Was told I have 2 weeks to report any missing or damaged items (why do they make you sign for goods as "received in good condition" when there is no way the delivery man is going to stand there while you unpack and examine dozens of sheets of glass and check all the frame parts?)

Started assembling the frame yesterday; the instructions are in the usual minimal/multi-language diagram format which looked a bit daunting until I realised that every piece is labelled with a number which corresponds to the numbers on the diagram.
Used to love Meccano as a kid and it's quite good fun!

I'm hoping to mount the greenhouse on a breeze-block base to give a bit of extra height.

The plan is to cement the breeze blocks to the existing concrete hard-standing, but I am a bit concerned about how strong that bond would be; although the greenhouse will be bolted to the breeze blocks I could picture the whole lot detaching itself from the hardstanding if the wind was strong enough?

Has anyone reading this any experience of building a base in this way?

[codheadred]

Hi there

As mine was secondhand I didnt get a base, it was bolted onto a breezeblock base and very sturdy it was too when it came to taking it down.

The breezeblocks were cemented into what looked a concrete floor. It had been insitu for some time with no problems

I now have it sat on a brickbase on flags and some of the bricks (corners and doorway are gobbo'd in) Seems to be ok I'll know more after the winter.

Steven     

[mumofstig]

Maybe being facetious
but when builders lay a row of bricks on mortar onto a concrete base to build a conservatory,  it doesn't blow away, does it? 

[Lardman]

The greenhouse arrived at 0800 yesterday much to my surprise (24 hours early; I was still in bed!)

Warned you 

[Dave Mack]

Jay if your going to put breeze blocks onto flat concrete you will have to key the concrete with a angle grinder to score the concrete first ... this will give the breeze blocks grip to it , if you dont ... the cement will crack at the base of the breeze block  if you get any wind on the greenhouse .

[JayG]

Thanks guys!

Mum: you are probably right but then again conservatories have the house to help hold them up whereas my little greenhouse will be stood all on its little ownsome! 

Lardman: I dusted off my alarm after your comment but never thought I needed to set it a whole day early!  (Was it the same guy who delivered yours: a very cheery Gloucestershire "boy" with lots of straggly hair and a very hairy face; just what you need when you have just jumped out of bed!?!)

Dave Mack: Got a nasty feeling you are right (nasty because I don't have an angle grinder; might have to think about drilling a few holes to drop something in to help key it all in!)

[Dave Mack]

Yeah i've just got some 2x2ft paving slabs for when i do my 6x8 greenhouse , the way i'll be doing it to get a extra 6in of height , lay the slabs ... then get some 8ft  6x4 inch treated fence posts and make a frame , fasten the frame with bolts to the slabs ... then scew the greenhouse to the frame , this way there will only be a 6in step over going through the door of the greenhouse 

[codheadred]

Dave

That was my preferred option but I was dissuaded by the father in law "the wood'll rot" etc etc - what finally swung it was the pile of left ofver bricks i had at the time. As I havent scored the flags lets see what happens, its been plenty windy a couple of nights in the week 

Steven

[snowdrops]

Hi I'm new to this forum thing so bear with me. I'd been wanting a new greenhouse for years & after lots of research decided on a 8x10 Rhino from greenhouses direct. They do baby rhinos 6x8 & lots of other sizes. It was expensive but by the time I decided on it we had moved house so I was able to have the next size up & sadly my dad died & had given me some money before & was a gardener as well, so it seemed fitting to spend it on the greenhouse. I am so pleased I did.Toughened glass  came as standard & more opening lights with openers as well I ordered it at the gardeners world show & got show offers as well.It is also taller than most others so no chance of banging your head & there's no step into it as I used to trip up regularly on my old one.

[Ma Lowe]

We bought our first greenhouse last week. Altogether we spent £155

Greenhouse 8 x 6 £90

5 new panes of glass @£4 each = £20

Automatic windo opener  £25

4 x lengths of wood for base frame £20

We are very happy with it an it looks great.

[JayG]

Looks good Ma Lowe! (Just hoping it's not frightened of daylight though!) 

Mine is now assembled on the lawn awaiting the building of the base which is taxing me somewhat as the concrete hard-standing slopes (in 2 directions!  )

Readers might be interested to know that the same greenhouse is now available with a 20% discount at Homebase (rather than the 15% discount I got; typical!!) 

[Lardman]

Mine is now assembled on the lawn awaiting the building of the base which is taxing me somewhat as the concrete hard-standing slopes (in 2 directions!  )

Only 2 ? You must have had good builders  If its only out an inch or so you can fix that with a course of block or brick (just use a thicker blob of mortar at the low point. If you're not keen on that get some 4x4 treated posts and bolt those down level, they'll take years to rot away.

[JayG]

Only about a 1" difference across the short side, but about a 4" fall across the long side (a bit more if you add the mortar depth for bedding in the concrete "breeze" blocks I am using as a base.)

I think 4-5" is a bit much for a mortar course; my on-line crash-course in cement and concrete use continues.........................!

[Lardman]

I think 4-5" is a bit much for a mortar course; my on-line crash-course in cement and concrete use continues.........................!

Thats a bit too much to lose isn't it.... mmm. If you have a table saw (or a friendly timber merchant) you could create a wedge shaped length of wood to level it off. If you want something more permanent shuttering and concrete are a better option.

[JayG]

Thanks Lardman; I've boxed myself into a corner really because I've already fetched most of the concrete blocks and there's no way I'm loading them back in the car and taking them back! 

Current big idea ( ) is to level the site off using some concrete and very basic shuttering then cement the blocks on top of that.

(The concrete hard standing follows the slope of the garden and presumably was not meant to be level although what it was actually used for I've no idea!)