Used Greenhouse

jjbenson · Jan 4, 2017

Hey everyone, I'm looking at buying a used greenhouse. I'm just not sure what to pay. It's a Decloet, gutter connect. 24x60. The top needs replaced, but the polycarbonate sides all look like they are in great shape. It has two circulating fans that work, and two large fans on the end walls, with louvers at the opposite end, that all work. It also has a garage door. I know at this point I'll need to disassemble, buy new feet(the old are in concrete) buy a new cover, and possibly replace some wiring. I have equipment to do all the work-I'm just not sure what to offer the owner. He started at 10 grand, then went to 5, and now its make an offer. I know at this point, factoring in new concrete and sonitubes for the feet, gravel for the inside, a new cover, and possibly a few sheets of polycarbonate, I'm looking at about 1000.00 in material just to get it weathertight. I'll try

to include a few pictures below. Any ideas on a value? I'm not even sure what a new one costs...

Shaneard · Jan 4, 2017

So basically your buying a shell with 2 fans and you have to spend money to even put it back up and you have to remove it from his place? I would offer $2K max. Yeah, he has way more than that in it but it's not on wheels and isn't easily removed, he has to get past that.

hawkeye08 · Jan 4, 2017

Looks like a nice project... I have been thinking about getting one but don't really have the time currently..

hawkeye08 · Jan 4, 2017

Shaneard said:
So basically your buying a shell with 2 fans and you have to spend money to even put it back up and you have to remove it from his place? I would offer $2K max. Yeah, he has way more than that in it but it's not on wheels and isn't easily removed, he has to get past that.

I would start lower and have a max (I was thinking $1500 max), you already know you have a bunch of work to do just to move it and a bunch more to put it together...

motownbrowne · Jan 4, 2017

Decloet makes a good product. I'd suggest pricing a new frame from them in the size you're looking at. Also, those polycarbonate panels aren't cheap. I wouldn't put much value in the fans and wiring, but the frame and panels are worth a decent amount, even if you have to disassemble it.

For reference, I bought a used poly-tek 30x96 hoop house a couple years ago. I paid a little less than half what a new one would cost, but the poly was only a year old and it had two layers (that's $1000 right there). Same as you, I had to leave the feet behind and buy new ones. One thing I'll mention, is that you could skip the sonotubes. We used a post hole digger and put one bag of concrete in each hole. Also, drilled a hole in the bottom of each ground stake and stuck a nail through it for grip in the concrete. By the way, finding the feet/ground stakes was very expensive. We ended up buying galvanized pipe locally and using that. Saved a lot of money over what the manufacturer wanted for the swaged tubing.

Last piece of advice. If you are going to disassemble the greenhouse yourself, bring along your 1/4" cordless impact driver and the adapter to run sockets. If you don't have that setup already, go buy it. It's worth it. There's lots of fasteners holding that frame together. You don't want to be there with a ratchet all day.

quicksandfarmer · Jan 4, 2017

There are a ton of those around here because you can get a USDA grant to put one up for basically free. The manufacturers promote it heavily. Here's an example:
Understanding the NRCS High Tunnel Program - Rimol Greenhouses

I believe under the terms of the grant you have to keep it up for four years.

Since new ones are essentially free used ones don't have much value.

Spindifferent · Jan 4, 2017

Contact Decloet and ask them for a quote on the same/comparable setup. Go from there. farmtek.com has pricing on their website; maybe you can get a general idea of costs from something comparable there.

I've constructed and disassembled the same 14x36 greenhouse 3 times, and it is a LOT of work. Don't ask why 3 times.

:confused2:

jjbenson · Jan 4, 2017

Thanks for the info motownbrowne! Surprisingly, i have not been able to get Decloet to to price a new one, or get a price on legs for an existing one. They must be busy... I was thinking of skipping the sonotubes actually, I'm glad you mentioned it, it re-enforces my original thought. I will call my local fab shop tomorrow, and get a rough estimate on them custom making 12 feet for the side posts.

motownbrowne · Jan 4, 2017

jjbenson said:
Thanks for the info motownbrowne! Surprisingly, i have not been able to get Decloet to to price a new one, or get a price on legs for an existing one. They must be busy... I was thinking of skipping the sonotubes actually, I'm glad you mentioned it, it re-enforces my original thought. I will call my local fab shop tomorrow, and get a rough estimate on them custom making 12 feet for the side posts.

You betcha. Glad to be of service. I didn't realize that the grooves stakes are 12' long. If I were you what I would do is cut them off at the ground with a sawzall and bring them with you. Then set a slightly smaller pipe into your holes with concrete. Then slide the pieces you cut over the pieces in the ground. You can use a self-tapping screw as a stop on the inner pipe, and then 2 self tapping screws though both pipes. I'd want 18" or more of overlap. That's how mine is done, and it's very solid. I just bought galvanized pipe at home depot, i think it was sold as chain link fence posts.

Also, those NRCS grants are pretty cool. They aren't a guarantee, though. A friend of mine was just declined. Basically there's a rating system for who gets them. Beginning farmers, minorities, etc get priority. Also, if you already have a hoop house erected, you can pretty much forget getting a grant. Worth applying for, though.

jjbenson · Jan 4, 2017

motownbrowne said:
You betcha. Glad to be of service. I didn't realize that the grooves stakes are 12' long. If I were you what I would do is cut them off at the ground with a sawzall and bring them with you. Then set a slightly smaller pipe into your holes with concrete. Then slide the pieces you cut over the pieces in the ground. You can use a self-tapping screw as a stop on the inner pipe, and then 2 self tapping screws though both pipes. I'd want 18" or more of overlap. That's how mine is done, and it's very solid. I just bought galvanized pipe at home depot, i think it was sold as chain link fence posts.

Also, those NRCS grants are pretty cool. They aren't a guarantee, though. A friend of mine was just declined. Basically there's a rating system for who gets them. Beginning farmers, minorities, etc get priority. Also, if you already have a hoop house erected, you can pretty much forget getting a grant. Worth applying for, though.

I've read up on the NRCS grants, but I don't think what I'm looking at now would qualify. I think I read they were for Hoop houses only. I don't believe what I am looking at, which is what I want, would qualify. I need something I can grow trees in, and work on equipment on and off out of the weather.