How to Buy a Treehouse

Treehouses are gaining popularity, and aren't just for kids anymore. Professional treehouse designers construct beautiful treehouses for play, but also as offices, club houses and homes. Whether you are buying a treehouse for your kids, or want an alternative living or office space, purchasing and designing a treehouse requires special planning.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Contract a professional treehouse service to evaluate, design and even build your treehouse. No two trees are the same; therefore, no two treehouses are alike. You can contract a treehouse service to build your perfect treehouse equipped with everything you need, even wheelchair access if necessary.

2. Evaluate and plan the perfect treehouse to buy. A good design service will visit your property and inspect the tree or trees you are considering for your treehouse. It is important to hire a professional evaluator to ensure that you and your family are safe and that your new treehouse will not damage the tree or local flora and fauna. Once you and your evaluation team have scouted the perfect location, the contracted service will help you with the initial design plans.

3. Consult an arborist with your initial design ideas and location. Again, a good treehouse service will provide this professional inspection. It is important that you ensure the health of the trees in order to guarantee they can handle the weight of the treehouse before buying the actual structure or plans. An arborist will also offer recommendations regarding the unique structures the tree will need to support the treehouse.

4. Use the arborist survey and initial design plans to fine-tune your treehouse blueprint. Working with the treehouse service, you can design your treehouse, taking into account the shape and size of the tree, the natural landscape, your needs and all of the construction details. At this point, the treehouse service will enlist the help of architectural services to prepare documents so that your treehouse plans meet the legal requirements and building codes if you are purchasing more than just a kids treehouse.

5. Buy your treehouse once all of the preliminary steps are completed. You have two options for construction--you may further enlist the services of the professional treehouse company or you may build the treehouse yourself, according to your meticulously designed plans. If you have no construction experience or are working in a short time frame, it may be best to hire the treehouse service's construction team. If not, you will be provided with a list of items needed and blueprints for building your treehouse on your own.

Tips & Warnings

• Because each tree is unique and design plans for your treehouse must meet the requirements of the particular tree, it is not possible to buy pre-made treehouses. However, there are alternative purchase options if you are looking for a simpler option. The Treehouse Workshop offers pre-built playhouses that stand on stilts amongst the trees and The Hut Shop offers fun children's treehouses that come with their own tree.

Resources

• Everything you need to know about buying a treehouse.
• Treehouse design and building services
• Pre-made treehouses equipped with their own tree