“Selection I wanted to replace my existing old shiplap shed with something more substantial. I was fed up with thin, leaking roofs that needed new felt every few years and warping walls that let in the elements. As a result I decided to go for a log cabin, having seen several at garden centres but been unimpressed by the prices. I therefore spent some time on the internet and eventually came across Tuins website. There I found an extensive range of log cabins, very reasonably priced and a wealth of information on how to assemble them and what to look out for. The reviews were all good so Tuin seemed to tick all of the boxes. Ordering and delivery I decided to get some advice so called Tuins sales team and the lady I spoke to was extremely helpful. I had an idea what size I was looking for, around 10ft by 12ft, and on her recommendation eventually settled on a Lulea which is 3m by 4m, together with the flooring. Ordering online was straightforward and apart from a small hiccup that a phone call soon sorted, quickly received the confirmation for delivery about 5 weeks later. The later delivery was my choice, it could have come much sooner. In the weeks before delivery I spent the time online trawling through the many pages of instructions, tips and videos. Be sure you do this as it will save you a lot of time later and ensure your construction runs smoothly. I had ordered the tanalised foundation beams so looked at the extensive diagrams to work out what size concrete base I would need. Good edge support is needed for the heavy walls yet still have the edges of the foundation beams overlap the base edge so that water drains away. Remember it is a floating floor so the log cabin is built on the concrete base not on a wooden floor like a normal garden shed. Although only a 4inch thick base was recommended (as a minimum) I went for a 6in thick base reinforced with mesh and a double mesh layer around the edges. I also put a damp course membrane under the concrete. Remember to take care to get the base perfectly level to save problems later. A few days before delivery I received the invoice and once Id paid received the delivery instructions taking particular note that the delivery would be on a pallet about 1m by 4.3m and the sort of access that the fork lift would require. We are fortunate enough to have enough space but suspect that many would need to have it left outside their property and would therefore have to unpack it quickly to avoid blocking the pavement. This is not something that will be done in 5 minutes. I was then given a couple of hours time slot and a telephone number to call on the day for delivery queries. As promised I received a phone call from the driver about an hour before he arrived and then an enormous articulated lorry turned up. Fortunately opposite the drive to our property is a bus stop lay-by so he could park there without blocking the road. Luckily no buses came along that I saw while he was parked! We had cleared the cars from in front of our house so after an initial access inspection the driver quickly unloaded his fork lift, took off our pallet, trundled in and was gone, all in about 15 minutes. Be prepared for rubber wheel marks on your drive, forklifts turn on a sixpence and the wheels will leave marks. The driver told me this beforehand and its no problem, they easily come off with a jet wash. Although I had help I could call on if needed, I had decided to do all of the construction myself including the unpacking. Im reasonable at DIY, can cut a straight line, drill a hole in the right place and use an electric screwdriver. If youve had children and enjoyed Lego then youre set, little else is needed. Having said that, me being nearly 70 didnt help. Over the next few days I would ache everywhere, go out and buy some knee pads and sleep like a baby. Anyway it did me good and kept me agile. I was in no hurry and enjoyed it, however another pair of hands would have probably helped complete the task in under half the time as when you are by yourself a lot of time is wasted going up and down a ladder. Construction As suggested I unpacked, sorted and identified all of the items in the pack before starting construction. This took an hour and a half, there are a lot of parts. Beware the very thin ends on the eves roofing section. It was pointed out in the notes that they snap of easily, they do! In moving it off the pallet I caught one end on the ground and off it came. No problem though, with some wood glue and clamps it was easily mended. The first thing to do was assembling the bottom beams and then cut and position the foundation beams underneath, not the other way around. This is easier said than done when you are working alone. Cutting them is easy but if you then decide to screw the foundation beams to the bottom beams as recommended you have to get under the beams to drill and screw them. Not easy with a 4m x 3m frame moving arou”
“I am very pleased with the product and all the supports that I have received from Tuin. in particular my installers, Warren and Stuart were amazing. I would recommend Tuin to anyone in the future.”
“Delighted with the Lulea cabin. My carpenter declared it very good quality, and said he would use Tuin himself when he needs a garden building. Good value for money and looks lovely.”
“Delivered as expected. I then booked Philip Osario (recommended by Tuin) to come and erect the cabin. They arrived and in less than six hours the cabin was up and they had gone. Although all the blurb says they are easy to erect ( and it looked fairly easy) you do need to know what you are doing. You need more than just a rubber mallet . An electric saw and a few other bits of kit make the job easy. Philip and Roger do this every day and it was money well spent just getting the cabin up promptly. I am now painting the first coat of Wood preserver to ensure a long life. The cabin ticks all the boxes for us.”
“Great little log cabin. Delivery was first rate. We live in a small village and an artic lorry would not get to us but the driver took the fork lift all the way down the lane to deliver to us. Quality is very good and assembly was very straight forward. Was missing a few bits and Tuin sent them out very quickly so no problem. Would definitely recommend!”
“Fabulous quality, beautiful cabin, arrived a day earlier than planned. Perfectly wrapped package left safely on my driveway. Great company to deal with when I had an ordering query, easy to pay for by cheque. 3 of us managed to build it between 9am and 4pm, very clear instructions, beautifully planed wood, we spent another 2.5 hours the next day fitting the optional, internal floor. I got the roof shingles nailed on myself (5'2" female) over the next couple of evenings following online instructions from Tuin's site. The door and window seals are midge proof which is essential where we live. Couldn't have asked for better in any way, would recommend 100%.”
“After a lot of searching, I finally came across TUIN website and was instantly sold on the idea of buying from them. The delivery was spot on with ash extremely helpful driver. It was an extremely large pallet however after sorting out the various sizes of wood, the build could begin. It went together easily and with no twists, warps or anything horrendous. Once piece of wood for the window had been manufactured up side down!! However after a quick chat on the telephone it was soon sorted, thankfully an extra length had been included in the original consignment which meant the project could continue after a wee bit of jigsaw work. Overall very pleased with my new workshop.”
