Shepherd Huts – Self-Build Vs Pre-Made?

Shepherd Huts – Self-Build Vs Pre-Made?

If you’re looking for a shepherd hut, you’ve likely come across a variety of options – from complete DIY instructions and flat-pack kits/bundles to pre-made frames and fully fitted huts ready for guests. With so many choices available, finding the right solution can feel overwhelming.

In this blog we explore some of the key factors to consider when choosing between a self-build or pre-made shepherd hut.

Self-Made Vs Pre-Made Shepherd Hut Considerations

When buying a shepherd hut there are plenty of considerations to bear in mind. Here are some of the top aspects to consider when deciding between a self-made or pre-made hut.

Customisation

If you are a building a hut yourself and purchasing your own materials, you get total freedom to choose whatever materials, style, decoration and overall aesthetic you desire. Shepherd hut bundles may restrict your customisation in terms of sizes, style or materials, but post-build personalisation is simple.

Pre-made shepherd huts usually provide a level of choice for customers to pick and choose components, styles and materials to their liking. Additionally, bespoke builds, commonly offered by shepherd hut manufacturers give customers the chance to get an original hut, with a specific vision in mind.

Examples of stunning pre-made shepherd huts >

Components

Sourcing components to create a self-build shepherd hut can be time-consuming and expensive. Aspects such as iron wheels, corrugated roof sheets or authentic stable doors are notoriously troublesome to find. Hut bundles help to remove some of this hassle as the majority of required structural pieces are included for customers. However, it is common for windows, furniture, insulation, interior cladding and more to be left out.

In contrast, pre-made huts come with everything you need and usually even more such as underfloor heating, effective insulation and double glazed windows, for example. In the initial consultation, customers get the opportunity to explore options and request components they want as part of their pre-made hut.

An additional consideration is material quality; bundle components made for self-build may compromise quality for ease of construction, for example using thinner planks for slot-in construction. In contrast, here at Greendown Shepherd huts we use locally sourced oak to create striking and extremely solid huts.

Timescale

Depending on how urgently you want your shepherd hut, the amount of free time you have, and the complexity of you hut, a self-made hut may be a good fit for you. The construction of a self-build hut can be surprisingly fast overall, however delays in material deliveries, key components and the addition of insulation etc., can massively add to timescales. Piecing together the frame is only the beginning, and from there there is still plenty to do.

The usual lead time of a pre-made shepherd hut from initial consultation to delivery is about 8-weeks. During these weeks, while the hut is being crafted, customers can gather furniture and finishing so the hut can be plugged in and ready the same day as delivery!

Cost

Self-build shepherd huts are generally cheaper than pre-made huts as customers just pay for parts. Something to bear in mind when buying a hut bundle or individual components is that costs for additional parts can quickly add up so setting a budget is advisable.

Pre-made shepherd huts are more costly as customers get more for their money; aside from an expertly constructed hut using quality materials, customers are more likely to get the security of warranties, detailed additions, bespoke aspects and personalised consultancy with pre-made hut manufacturers.

Lifetime Durability

Self-build shepherd huts, when well-constructed with quality materials, can be extremely durable and last many years. Similarly, pre-made huts should last many decades, especially as the manufacturers who built it will have liability to ensure the hut lasts. Because of this responsibility, manufacturers of pre-made huts commonly offer warranties and give added protection that self-build kits don’t. For example, The Herdsman hut at Greendown Shepherd Huts comes with a 10 year warranty to assure customers that their investment is made to last decades.

Craftsmanship

A great appeal of shepherd huts is their skilled craftsmanship, something a handcrafted pre-made shepherd hut provides.

Self-build huts can also offer sublime craftsmanship, likely depending on whether customers use a mass-produced kit or a more bespoke, unique bundle. Builders or carpenters may excel with self-build huts, able to add their own expertise to a standard hut. Using instructions and guides provided, self-build huts are manageable by first-timers too.

Safety

The actual stability of the shepherd hut is the basic, most important aspect of the build, however other aspects are crucial too. Self-build huts present risks in terms of poorly installed electricals, wiring hazards and water connections etc. For those inexperienced in these fields, it is advised to consult an expert to reduce risks.

Pre-made huts are crafted to a certain standard and delivered only once quality has been assessed. Manufacturers would not run the risk of anything going wrong and therefore ensure expert installations.

Satisfaction

Those who enjoy DIY projects, self-build shepherd huts offer the ultimate project with a great sense of accomplishment once complete. Equally, with a pre-made hut, owners get a sense of pride in knowing they own a quality piece of craftmanship. The main objective of the hut is to bring satisfaction from the finished product, with self-build huts bringing an added sense of joy during the build.

Get Started with Greendown Shepherd Huts

If you are looking for a stunning pre-made shepherd hut, check out Greendown Shepherd Huts. Handcrafted in our workshop, our range of shepherd huts are perfect for any needs. From fully fitted accommodation huts to large glamping huts and bespoke builds tailored to specific visions, we specialise in crafting beautiful shepherd huts.

Get in touch today >

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See more: Shepherd Huts with a Shower – Things to Think About