Piggie Mansion - Shed or Summerhouse?

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ghostbusterbunny

ghostbusterbunny

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I've been eyeing up sheds for a while now for my birthday to house my ever expanding herd in, but one thing my mum's mentioned recently is light. Most of the sheds in our price range are rather skimpy on their window allowance and I don't want my pigs living in the dark all the time!

So I've started looking at summerhouses too, though I'm not too sure whether they'd be suitable for housing my piggles in. I'd like something like the one I'll link below:

http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Summerhouses/BillyOh-Lucia-Summerhouse

I'm not sure whether they're suitable for putting heating/lighting in either... definitely not my area of expertise! What do you guys think? :)
 
I couldn't open the link for some reason.

When I lived in Lincs I had 2 kitted out sheds, but being a rescue and having permanent pigs and buns too I quickly ran out of space. When I'd moved in there was a summer house there already. It had a window to the left, then had 2 large opening doors with glass panels down both of the doors which came 2/3s of the way down. I had hutches built into the back, so that they were opposite the doors. In the summer I had a mesh construction that went across the whole of the front, with the doors open, and it had a door built into it, sort of like an aviary panel if that makes sense. Then in winter the doors were shut and I pinned bubble wrap over the doors to keep the drafts out. Hope that helps?
 
All0about0the0animals said:
I couldn't open the link for some reason.

When I lived in Lincs I had 2 kitted out sheds, but being a rescue and having permanent pigs and buns too I quickly ran out of space. When I'd moved in there was a summer house there already. It had a window to the left, then had 2 large opening doors with glass panels down both of the doors which came 2/3s of the way down. I had hutches built into the back, so that they were opposite the doors. In the summer I had a mesh construction that went across the whole of the front, with the doors open, and it had a door built into it, sort of like an aviary panel if that makes sense. Then in winter the doors were shut and I pinned bubble wrap over the doors to keep the drafts out. Hope that helps?
Click to expand...

Hmm, the link opens for me... Here's a picture:

18030n2.jpg


The only problem I have looking at it is keeping drafts out, but if bubble wrap worked for you we can do that no problem! I was also thinking of something like tubular heater things to keep it warm, or at least keep the worst of the cold out. I don't know how realistic it is to get power to something like this...

I do like the look of them though and it's certainly nicer than a shed! Especially if I'm going to spend a lot of time in there too with my piggies.
 
I think its as much where the shed/summerhouse is located, as much as how many windows it has? I have a shed and along one side are windows, due to its location this allows loads of light and I leave the door open (with a mesh inner door) to allow extra light in the summer. They are fine with this.

I have an oil heater for the winter which is extremely efficient.

The only comment I would make is that windows can make the whole summerhouse very hot in the summer. My shed is pretty cool in the summer due to the limited windows and open door. I have also lined all the walls, door and ceiling with aluminium wrap (insulation stuff you get from placdes like B&Q) which helps keep heat in in the winter and keeps it cool in the summer. It does look a bit space age though :))

Hope that helps?
 
doglovinpiggylover said:
what about a potting shed? they have more light dont they?

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.210-099...campaign=GSF_TescoDirect&utm_content=210-0998
Click to expand...

I do like those, but they're too expensive :(.

Guinea Slave said:
I think its as much where the shed/summerhouse is located, as much as how many windows it has? I have a shed and along one side are windows, due to its location this allows loads of light and I leave the door open (with a mesh inner door) to allow extra light in the summer. They are fine with this.

I have an oil heater for the winter which is extremely efficient.

The only comment I would make is that windows can make the whole summerhouse very hot in the summer. My shed is pretty cool in the summer due to the limited windows and open door. I have also lined all the walls, door and ceiling with aluminium wrap (insulation stuff you get from placdes like B&Q) which helps keep heat in in the winter and keeps it cool in the summer. It does look a bit space age though :))

Hope that helps?
Click to expand...

The summerhouse/shed would be going where my pigs are currently housed; it only gets morning sun in the summer and it's protected during the day by two massive trees we have in the garden.

That side of the garden is relatively dark, so I don't think a shed would let in quite enough light. I'd have a mesh door for the summer, so I could open the main door.

Whatever I get will be protected from the sun, so I want to get as much light into it as possible. I can get insulation boards and line the inside to protect as much of it as possible from cold in the winter months. :)
 
I think it looks fab - and a brilliant price too.

Although I have no experience with the summer house set ups - I'd be tempted to get something similar next time I need to upgrade the rabbits playhouse.

What I have done with the playhouse is took the plastic windows out for the summer, and meshed all windows to let in lots of fresh air. Mine is also insulated so it's not bad keeping cool, and they have a catflap straight out into their run. Then as it gets cooler I pop the plastic windows back in.
 
Hi i am having a purpose built shed made for my herd with a run attached as my pigs will be free range. I am moving them from their giant Molly Mansion hutch because i really want to keep them warm during the winter months and i can not put any kind of heating in a hutch so i hipefully going to buy a heater, similar to a dog kennel heater. My shed will cost about £700.00 to build but that is with top quality wood. Can you not look aroung shed building businesses to look into having a shed built to your requirements?
 
ghostbusterbunny said:
Hmm, the link opens for me... Here's a picture:

18030n2.jpg


The only problem I have looking at it is keeping drafts out, but if bubble wrap worked for you we can do that no problem! I was also thinking of something like tubular heater things to keep it warm, or at least keep the worst of the cold out. I don't know how realistic it is to get power to something like this...

I do like the look of them though and it's certainly nicer than a shed! Especially if I'm going to spend a lot of time in there too with my piggies.
Click to expand...

I insulated the whole thing, then just pinned double thickness bubble wrap over the windows. Mine was similar but didn't have 2 panels on thesides next to the windows of glass.

Power is easy if you know how, you should be able to run it from the house. I'm lucky in that my grandad was an electrician and so he taught my dad how to do all the sort of jazz, just need a fuse box in there too.
 
I have a shed from Argos and then insulated it inside, it has 3 or 4 windows that can be placed on either the left or right pannel.
shed025.jpg

this is the light that my piggies get coming in, and in summer my brother in going to attatch a new mesh pannel door.
 
Guinea-wiggles said:
I have a shed from Argos and then insulated it inside, it has 3 or 4 windows that can be placed on either the left or right pannel.
shed025.jpg

this is the light that my piggies get coming in, and in summer my brother in going to attatch a new mesh pannel door.
Click to expand...

Do you not find that it gets really hot with lots of windows that don't open? Even with vents and stable doors on all my sheds I've had over the years, I've found that lots of windows make the place like an oven unless air con is added. This time I'm having the middle window made so that it opens, vents at the back and then of course the usual 1/2 door and adding air con anyway just incase.
 
I have thermometers up in several places so I can regulate the temp if needed.
A few weeks ago it was really really hot so I had the doors undone and a big wire grid zip tied to the inside door frame to stop any predators from getting in.
Luckily where the shed is situated is quite handy as it's behind a garage in a corner where the sun doesn't directly shine, so it gets light but not a tremendous amount of heat, it's warm but not unbearable, which is why I've insulated it ready for winter.
My brother is looking in to finding a way to open and shut the windows.
 
If you do decide to do the windows the best way is to take the bits off on the outside and move them over if you're only make it one open, if making more open you'll need to replace with thinner battons. Basically so that its flush to the frame. You then need to measure the inside of the window, and make a 2 frames per window. Then take the wooden frame down to a glass supplier and get the glass cut for the frame, then pin them together with the glass sandwiched between. Then add hinges, attach to the shed and voila - done :) Fiddily, but worth it once it's done. I must admit, I saw a great improvement when I did that on my last shed.
 
hi I'm looking into getting a summerhouse too.my hutch is outside but after last winter i worry about them.so i thought to have a summerhouse for us in the summer and then put the hutch in there in the winter.just got to find out about planning permission now.hope i dont need it.i really like the one in the link that you have picked I'm sure you will be happy with that one.michelle x
 
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