Topic: Someone's going to die!

[wahaj]

OK...i'm just trying to calm myself right now....because i'm just really frustrated!

I've been trying to build my bloody greenhouse for weeks! and i've done the 2 sides...and the back.....and soon i'll be doing the front end. but i just can't get the bloody base sorted. They sent me the wrong base to start with....which god knows when they're going to replace....so i thought F that....most people don't use those optional bases. So i thought i'll just build it straight onto the soil....but that's all soft to step on and it doesn't take pressure very well without sinking. so then i thought i'll put some concrete slabs on there and then just put the bloody greenhouse on it and hope for the best...

But! the ground isn't level enough for the slabs to go on...and i can't seem to hammer the mallet onto them to make them level....only now i've cracked one of the slabs in 3 because i was hammering too hard.

so now i'm back at square one....no base...and nothing to put the greenhouse on. I've tried to ring all the local builders and none of the buggers have their phones on and go to voicemail so i can't even get a quote for someone to make me wall...and then one guy's coming tommorow morning to give a quote but he was worried that there isn't a concrete base...and that it's just soil.

So i know it's either going to cost me a lot of money to have a wall built....which i don't have......or i'm gonna make the greenhouse on an unstable bit of soil and the glass is going to crack....maybe not tommorow or the day after.....but very soon it's going to crack.

so i don't have an option...i'm just not going to have a greenhouse!

[calendula]

I used breeze blocks for the base of my greenhouse onto which I (actually my other three quarters) then bolted down the greenhouse base, then built it up from there - a bag of quick set mortar could be used to uplift and settle that area that isn't level

another way I saw someone use was to dig a trench the size of the base, i.e. depth and width etc, cement the base into this trench, then pile back all the soil up to the rim of the base and then build it up

you have to secure that base somehow mainly because of winds

it will happen but first you need to take the pressure off yourself, forget about it for awhile  :)

[MrsKP]

i laid my optional base on an all round trench of about 4" of gravel that way you could pile a bit more under each bit that needed it or take a bit away to get it level.

I think if you could wait for the base, you'd be happier as the custom clips are ideal for holding the g/h to the base.

get on the phone and start demanding your rights for the new base coming, or tell them they can come and uplift the whole d**n thing !

chill baby chill.  two steps forward, one back, you know how it goes.

 ;D

[Barnowl]

We used the trench with concrete in it method - it's fairly easy to level while it's setting.

Sorted out the floor later (or to be honest will do one day - presently cardboard and empty compost sacks).

[wahaj]

thanks for the advice peeps :)

[cleo]

Well OK I now have a custom built greenhouse with a brick base but in earlier years I did build one myself.  The trench filled with hard core and concrete sounds daunting but it`s not so bad. Once it`s leveled and has hardened you can bolt on a base and from there it`s easy(ish)

[Garden Manager]

Hi, wahaj

I sympathise with your problems, i had a bit of trouble too when i installed my greenhouse.

My problem was that my garden is sloping and finding a flatish site for it was difficult to say the least. in the end i dug up and moved some raspberry canes in the fruit patch, since this was one of the flattest parts of the garden. Once clear the soil was firmed down as much as possible, Then I still had to dig away soil to make the base level. But using pegs, a straight peice of wood and a spirit level i got it level enough for the greenhouse.

The greenhouse fortunately came with a built in base and bars which had to be secured to the ground to anchor the structure. For these i dug pits at each corner of the greenhouse so that i could concrete the anchor bars into the ground. This was a straightforward job bt before that i had to get the frame level and glazed and the frame square and true. This proved difficult. I had to remove most of the glass a couple of times before i got it right - no joke doing that i can tell you even with toughened safety glass! The clips were a nightmare - painfull to remove and a b****r to replace!

But i did get there in th end and now i have a very usefull addition to the garden. Lost track of the number of plants i have raised in there already! (had it since December 2004 - nearly 2 years now, gosh how time flies).

BTW, the soil soon became nice and firm, remaining level within the structure.

My advice is not to loose heart. Persevere and you will get there. I dont know what your soil is like but can you not get it good and firm like I did? it is normaly quite possible (unless the soil is very wet and boggy) to have a soil base to a greenhouse. I also dont know what sort of greenhouse you have, but if it has anchor bars or similar metalwork to anchor it, can you not do like I did? dig a hole in each corner (or whereever the anchor points are) and concrete them into the ground?

Without knowing what the site is like or what the green house is like I cant help you any more i am afraid.

[MrsKP]

 and concrete them into the ground?

don't go there !!!  something might get thrown !

 ;D

[Garden Manager]

 and concrete them into the ground?

don't go there !!!  something might get thrown !

 ;D

What do you mean? Like i said in my earlier post, i have had the greenhouse in place for 2 years now with no problems.

[MrsKP]

lol, nothing that you said GC wahaj had "issues" with a corner of non-setting concrete !

hmmmmmmmm wonder if it's set yet !

 ;D

[wahaj]

no....the silly thing hasn't set....so i've pulled the base out. i pulled it out of "set" concrete. if i can pull it out with my bare hands then a really heavy greenhouse would take no time in sinking into it.

The soil i have rob is really claylike and really difficult to dig. and it's basically under a layed patio where i've lifted the slabs all round the edges to put the base in.

I've actually given up on this project for the time being till i can either get someone else to do it...or pay someone to do it when i can afford it. god knows how much someone's gonna charge to put it up.

I've really tried hard on it...i've spend so many evenings after work and weekends trying to do it.....i just have to realise that not everyone can do everything.

right now my project is to put the manure into all my beds.

thanks for the advice though rob. i'm now going to go and cry in a corner lol