Most projects don't go exactly as planned, and treehouses are no exception.
In this video we'll go over the more abstract lessons that I've learned along the way while
building a treehouse.
Although this advice is not as hands on as the other videos, in many ways it's the most
important.
I originally mentioned the idea of a treehouse to my kids in passing over five years ago
without giving it much thought.
It's something that I wanted to do but I wasn't making any effort to actually make it happen.
Fast forward to a few years later when I see an old home video of my oldest son telling
his soon to be born baby brother that he looked forward to playing in the treehouse with him!
I realized I had become that dad.
The type that promotes an awesome idea to my kids and gets their hopes up when I don't
do anything to accomplish it.
It was then that I decided to get serious about building a treehouse.
Like most of my projects I started doing huge amounts of research to learn how I was going
to build a treehouse.
I pictured boards pinned to a tree and had a dollar figure in mind for the total cost
of the project.
After discovering GLs, stainless steel bolts, and deciding to build stairs I ended up coming
in at six times that original estimate.
We then had to take a step back and figure out how we would pay for all of this.
The last thing we wanted was for the treehouse to be a financial burden to our family.
If you've looked at the cost of GLs and their associated brackets and were turned off, let
me suggest you do what we did.
We decided that everyone in the family would get a bolt or bracket for their birthday until
we had acquired all the needed hardware.
The kids got really excited about seeing the hardware come together over the course of
a couple of years.
We all learned a lesson in patience and what it's like to save up for something versus
going in debt.
And now the treehouse isn't a sore subject but its rather a source of joy.
We also had to learn how to push pause on the project.
After deciding to build stairs we put the project on hold for three months.
The kids finally had their treehouse and they couldn't go in it.
During that time I learned how to cut stair stringers and how to build stairs.
We also had to wait for the finances to be in place for that as well.
After all, stairs are not cheap!
Be willing to push pause throughout the planning and building stages of your treehouse.
You don't want to rush something and have to live with the less desirable consequences
for years to come.
Although it may seem like overkill, I highly recommend you have an arborist inspect your
build site.
We had a free analysis done by a large nationwide arborist company.
They pointed out how the trees I planned to build in suffered from codominance and would
eventually split and cause huge problems.
Also recent land clearing had caused major root damage and soil compaction.
The second site had much healthier trees with beautiful root flare and a natural forest
floor.
These trees are much better hosts for our treehouse.
This next tip is one you're probably already aware of or you wouldn't be watching this
video.
There are some great tutorials on YouTube that can teach you do almost anything.
Prior to building this treehouse I'd never had any real construction experience.
I had no clue how to cut angles on rafters, how to calculate and cut stair stringers,
or how to attach deck posts.
I'll put the links to my favorite tutorials on these topics in the description.
Another critical aspect to a successful treehouse is tree health.
You wouldn't build a house with a poor foundation and you shouldn't build your treehouse in
poor trees.
To help in this portion of the project we asked an arborist to come out and inspect
our first choice location.
He quickly pointed out many problems with these trees including major compaction of
the soil, codominance issues, and some pretty severe root damage.
The trees otherwise looked healthy and without his expertise I would have made a big mistake.
We took a look at our second choice location and the arborist was much happier with the
health of these trees.
Being on the edge of the woods and having a more natural forest floor was a major benefit.
If you're serious about building a treehouse definitely call an arborist to come inspect
your trees.
We ended up working with a large nationwide company that provides free consultations so
we had nothing to lose.
Something that’s easily overlooked is building codes.
Be sure to check the zoning and building restrictions in your area before you begin the build.
Not following these restrictions can cause you a lot of heartache.
In our state there’s an exception in the building code for treehouses.
As long as the structure is solely supported by trees you don’t have to get a building
or zoning permit.
All the more reason to invest in strong GL’s so you don’t have to use posts to support
your treehouse.
Depending on where you live, you should probably also make your neighbors aware of your treehouse
project.
Building something that obstructs their view or makes them think that you’re able to
see into their yard better may be a source of conflict.
Discussing these issues beforehand could save a lot of headache.
Once all your planning is complete and you get your build scheduled I suggest you make
it a party.
Having a bunch of friends over for a treehouse raising is my idea of fun.
And with the amount of work and heavy lifting to be done, having some extra backs around
is a great idea.
I certainly wouldn’t have completed my treehouse anywhere close to the amount of time it took
had it not been for the help of several close friends and family.
And although it will take a little more time, try to include the kids when you’re able
and it’s safe to do so.
Letting them put in a few screws along the way will create memories that will last a
lifetime.
Thanks for coming on our journey to build a treehouse that’s safe for your family
and the trees.
Although this completes our treehouse series for now, I’m sure there will be future videos
of ziplines, fireman poles, and other fun treehouse additions.
If you have any questions I didn’t cover feel free to leaves those in the comments.
If you’ve enjoyed this video please give it a thumbs up and consider subscribing if
you haven’t already.
And now that the treehouse is complete, it’s on to the next adventure!