Having your own greenhouse is always an excellent idea. You will have a chance to grow organic vegetables, house plants, and even experiment with exotic plants all year round.
Gardening can be highly beneficial for your physical and mental health. According to studies, it can lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve the immune system in less than an hour.
A year-round garden will also allow you to eat healthily and even save some money in the long run. Once you discover the power of having a greenhouse, you will be able to stop buying vegetables and fruits from the local stores. Growing your own eco-friendly food is not as difficult as you may think.
All you need is to set up a greenhouse. You may want to hire a professional to get this right. It’s an essential step since the climate and location should be examined first. The cost of the greenhouse can depend on various factors. That’s what you need to know about the costs of setting up your first greenhouse:
The climate
The local climate can directly influence the cost of the greenhouse in your area. Before you start setting up a greenhouse, you should take into consideration factors such as rain, snow, wind, and even earthquakes (it’s a huge issue in Mexico, India, China, Japan).
If you don’t live in Spain or Italy (or any other country with a warm climate), the cost of setting up the greenhouse will be higher. For instance, you will need to pay for the structure that can protect the greenhouse’s exterior during a heavy snowfall.
The dimension
Needless to say, the larger professional greenhouse will cost you more than a smaller one. However, you should also take into account the available dimensions of the area. In some cases, it is cheaper to build a big project than one with non-standard dimensions (between existing structures, for instance). Once you go to greenhouse stores, look for the structure with regular shape in order to save a few hundred pounds.
The equipment
You will need to buy the right technology in order to grow a particular crop. To ensure the project success, consider investing in heating, cooling, and ventilation systems. You may also need to get irrigation, artificial lighting, automation, energy screens, shading screens, and hydroponic system.
Materials
You need to calculate the costs of greenhouse materials. The budget list should include things like frames, flooring, and siding.
You should know that the greenhouse floor can not only prevent pests and weeds from entering, but it can also increase the humidity inside the structure. The floor material can affect light transmission and heat efficiency. The experts recommend getting porous concretes for the greenhouse. This option will allow water to drain easily. It can also create a barrier and protect plants from pests.
The structure of your greenhouse can be made from plastic, aluminium, wood, and galvanized steel. The plastic greenhouse is the best option in case you are on a budget.
If you are looking for the best looking option, consider building the glass greenhouse. You can use acrylic or polycarbonate instead of glass for greenhouse. However, make sure to decide on diffusion method for the plants beforehand. The thing is that glass can’t diffuse light.
The type of crop
Another thing that can increase the price of your greenhouse is a crop. Before you get any, make a list of plants and vegetables you want to grow since all of them need different crops. It’s important to mention that every type of crop requires its own special equipment and reinforced structure.
The bottom line
Before you start this project, you need to decide on the size of the greenhouse. The small one will cost you just a few hundred pounds. If you want to have a complete setup with electricity and plumbing, you will have to pay around 20.000 pounds. It is an approximate price on the market these days. But one thing’s for sure – the professional gardening will cost more.
To create a project budget, make sure to take into considerations the costs of materials, the crop, and equipment.
