No – we haven’t suddenly become wealthy.
But a playhouse for the kids – that had to happen.
This playhouse was originally designed and built by a friend for his children.
Half a year later, he moved away and faced the decision: dismantle and take it along, abandon it, or find a buyer. His housing cooperative did not want/could not take over the playhouse because it was self-designed and therefore had no official safety certification.
Since his wife knew we wanted to buy a playhouse for our kids, the solution was close by. Although more expensive than planned, this self-built house is made from solid wood.
Last November, my father and I planned to assemble and dismantle it within one week. Well – in the end, there was only enough time for the dismantling because we had to unscrew everything piece by piece. The original plan was to have part of the house lifted out by an excavator. However, all the companies we asked declined. So we moved everything to our plot (about 300 m (328 yards)) by wheelbarrow and by carrying.
The week before Easter, we started the reassembly: setting everything new, digging in foundation stones, and raising it up. During Easter and the following three days, my father was relieved by his father-in-law and brother-in-law. We then worked (in bad weather) on the swing beam and the roof.
After that, it was quiet for a while because the help was gone and I was a bit puzzled over the sandpit puzzle. How to install the pond liner, create drainage for the sand, and build the cover frame for the sandpit (so the cats wouldn’t turn it into a giant litter box).
Well – this weekend I finished the project. The kids are happy, and I’m finally done. Especially my head is pleased, which received quite a few dents during assembly and dismantling. When beams meet head, the beam usually wins. I also landed hard on my backside twice, like in a comic. It’s a miracle I didn’t have wide, bleeding wounds on my forehead – thanks to what a baseball cap can protect.
Dimensions:
Playhouse post size approx. 2 m (6.5 feet) (matching the sandbox dimensions)
Playhouse including surrounding platform 3.50 x 3.50 m (11.5 x 11.5 feet)
Playhouse (upper section) 2.00 x 2.00 m (6.5 x 6.5 feet)
Swing and climbing beam: 5 m (16.5 feet)
Entry platform 0.5 m (1.6 feet) with railing
Total height approx. 4.50 m (14.8 feet)
Now my wife can finally focus on the lawn that’s still missing after 1.5 years. It has been an eyesore for her for a long time.
Attached are three photos. Take a look:
But a playhouse for the kids – that had to happen.
This playhouse was originally designed and built by a friend for his children.
Half a year later, he moved away and faced the decision: dismantle and take it along, abandon it, or find a buyer. His housing cooperative did not want/could not take over the playhouse because it was self-designed and therefore had no official safety certification.
Since his wife knew we wanted to buy a playhouse for our kids, the solution was close by. Although more expensive than planned, this self-built house is made from solid wood.
Last November, my father and I planned to assemble and dismantle it within one week. Well – in the end, there was only enough time for the dismantling because we had to unscrew everything piece by piece. The original plan was to have part of the house lifted out by an excavator. However, all the companies we asked declined. So we moved everything to our plot (about 300 m (328 yards)) by wheelbarrow and by carrying.
The week before Easter, we started the reassembly: setting everything new, digging in foundation stones, and raising it up. During Easter and the following three days, my father was relieved by his father-in-law and brother-in-law. We then worked (in bad weather) on the swing beam and the roof.
After that, it was quiet for a while because the help was gone and I was a bit puzzled over the sandpit puzzle. How to install the pond liner, create drainage for the sand, and build the cover frame for the sandpit (so the cats wouldn’t turn it into a giant litter box).
Well – this weekend I finished the project. The kids are happy, and I’m finally done. Especially my head is pleased, which received quite a few dents during assembly and dismantling. When beams meet head, the beam usually wins. I also landed hard on my backside twice, like in a comic. It’s a miracle I didn’t have wide, bleeding wounds on my forehead – thanks to what a baseball cap can protect.
Dimensions:
Playhouse post size approx. 2 m (6.5 feet) (matching the sandbox dimensions)
Playhouse including surrounding platform 3.50 x 3.50 m (11.5 x 11.5 feet)
Playhouse (upper section) 2.00 x 2.00 m (6.5 x 6.5 feet)
Swing and climbing beam: 5 m (16.5 feet)
Entry platform 0.5 m (1.6 feet) with railing
Total height approx. 4.50 m (14.8 feet)
Now my wife can finally focus on the lawn that’s still missing after 1.5 years. It has been an eyesore for her for a long time.
Attached are three photos. Take a look:
EveundGerd29 May 2016 22:37IKEA is not far from us. We also have coffee. 😉
EveundGerd schrieb:
IKEA is not far from us. There’s also coffee at our place. 😉That’s when I can finally break free from the endless IKEA machine.
I always dread going to the furniture store (IKEA) with my wife to pick up a shelf. Every single time, we get routed through every department so that I end up seeing things I didn’t even know I needed, which suddenly seem really important but in the end just become dust collectors.
The same routine happens all over again on the floor below.
By the time we leave IKEA, my wife is happy, and I’m annoyed and a bit on edge.
H
HilfeHilfe30 May 2016 11:07f-pNo schrieb:
That way, I can finally free myself from the endless IKEA machine.
I always dread going to the furniture store (IKEA) with my wife to buy a shelf, only to be funneled through every department again, so I end up seeing all sorts of things I didn’t know I needed, which suddenly seem crucial but just end up as dust collectors.
Then the whole process happens again one floor below.
When we finally leave IKEA, my wife is happy, and I’m annoyed and a bit frustrated.Just leave your wife at home :p 😎
Mycraft schrieb:
Your second house is really spacious...
Ours looks like this from the front and also has everything that makes kids excited.
Since the manufacturer is based in NRW, it might be more common in your area.If I’m seeing this correctly, you also have the sandbox underneath – also with a cover.
The kids found it quite amusing when I explained in "visual language" why the sandbox has a heavy lid (to keep cats out). I also found the kids’ reasoning funny as to why such a heavy lid might not be enough: “But if several cats stand side by side and lift the lid with their paws, then they could still go and leave their smell in the sand.” Anyone who can draw cartoons, please feel free to illustrate this 😀.
I always thought a steering wheel like that was great. My father-in-law suggested just last Friday attaching an old wheelbarrow wheel to a piece of rebar as an axle. I’m still unsure how this might affect durability. Ideally, the “steering wheel” should be mounted on one of the strong (load-bearing) posts. But every hole would be a potential entry point for moisture and rot.
Hehe, yes, the sandbox underneath also has a cover... however, ours is only 1.80m x 1.80m (5 ft 11 in x 5 ft 11 in).
You can buy the steering wheel like that, costing between 10 and 30 euros depending on the version. For the kids, I would prefer to use something ready-made rather than rebar, etc.
You can buy the steering wheel like that, costing between 10 and 30 euros depending on the version. For the kids, I would prefer to use something ready-made rather than rebar, etc.
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