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Health & Fitness

Playhouses and Tree Houses

Custom Building Heads Outdoors in South Tampa

By Lana Bingham

Amazing custom craftsmanship doesn’t have to stay indoors. Just as a child can take their playtime to the backyard, a builder’s work can venture outside. While a child’s creativity is used to plan and play, a builder can use theirs to create and construct. Adding a custom built playhouse or tree house to your home’s backyard will spark a child’s imagination.

Planning to build a play structure is similar to a custom home, yet on a much smaller and less detailed scale. The three main stages include budgeting, design and construction.

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Price: Cost can range from minor to grand, depending on the size and quality of the structure. If you plan to DIY make a list of materials and tools needed for your project. Basic carpentry tools will include a saw, hammer, level, electric screwdriver, screws, fasteners, and a measuring tape. Once you have established a budget you can determine the design plans for your play structure.

Plan: The imagination and creativity that goes into a custom built play structure can be as extravagant as you desire. Pick a theme: A sprawling three-story castle, a shipwrecked pirate vessel, the Swiss Family Robinson replica. Think outside the sandbox. Branch out by adding on ladders, zip-lines and rope bridges. You can even add electrical and plumbing by connecting to your house’s power outlet or utilizing solar panels. Pay close attention to local codes and other things that may impact your building. Just like the custom home planning process, size, style, height and features need to be taken into consideration before construction begins.

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Produce: Just as Tampa builders evaluate a property before building, a tree needs to be carefully inspected. Foundation is the biggest difference among playhouses and tree houses. A house on the ground will need a stable base, while a house in the air will require a healthy, mature tree and a support system. Oak is an excellent tree choice. Home builders Tampa take advantage of seasonal building practices, so build on days with abundant sunshine and cooperative weather.

Play: Before playtime begins, be sure to go over safety rules with your children. Parental supervision is important, especially in tree houses where height is a safety factor. Also, routinely check for insects who may be inhabiting your play structure, specifically bees or wasps nests. To ensure longevity, take good care of your structure and use proper maintenance techniques. Don’t forget to decorate your play fort; your children can help too!

Once an outdoor playhouse or tree house has been added to your home, sleepovers, backyard barbeque’s and Sunday play days will never be the same. Whether in the trees or on the grass, a custom built play structure is an excellent addition to a family’s backyard.

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