Thrifty mother reveals she’s saved £1,200 on a greenhouse by buliding her own for £60 using upcycled materials and windows destined for the tip
- Elizabeth Bloodworth, from Newbury, Berkshire shared lockdown DIY project
- Created dream greenhouse using upcycled materials and donated windows
- Photos of the interior and exterior racked up 15K likes and 3.2K comments online
A mother-of-five has revealed how she saved £1200 on a greenhouse by making her own from windows destined for the tip.
Elizabeth Bloodworth, 43, shared stunning images showing her homemade version that she created using free materials.
The former full-time gardener from Newbury, Berkshire wanted a place to grow her own vegetables and flex her self taught design skills.
So the thrifty mum contacted a local glazier and asked if they had any windows they were going to throw out
Pictures show the eclectic greenhouse, made up of more than 13 windows of different shapes and sizes.
The frame has been constructed from pallet wood and other timber that Elizabeth has collected.
Elizabeth Bloodworth, from Newbury, Berkshire, took to to UK Facebook group Extreme Coupons and Bargains to share photos of the greenhouse she build in lockdown
After a local company donated windows headed for the skip, the mother used an array of upcycled materials to create her greenhouse
The greenhouse door was also a freebie that Elizabeth salvaged a few years back, knowing it would one day come in handy.
The only spend came in the form of a £60 Amazon gift card which was used to buy materials for the roof.
A delighted Elizabeth took to a DIY Facebook group to show off her handiwork on Wednesday.
She posted photos of the finished product captioned: ‘I always wanted a greenhouse as we try to grow as much of our own fruit and veg as possible.
Elizabeth used shelves of old garage racking turned upside down as steel plant trays and filled each corner with sealant so they’re water tight
‘We could never afford one and decided I should just make my own, despite having no spare money!
‘I messaged a local window company to ask if they had any windows heading for the skip and they were really kind and gave me all the ones you can see in the pics.
‘They are all different sizes so I had to do a lot of drawings to come up with a design that would use them all and not waste space.
‘We rent our house and if we ever move I don’t want to leave this behind, so I made each wall separately so it can be dismantled in the future.
‘Now I’ve got a greenhouse that’s perfect for us and spent almost nothing to make it.’
Social media users have been blown away by Elizabeth’s post, which has racked up more than 21,000 likes..
The mother used an array of upcycled materials to create her greenhouse – including old branches to create the structure
One woman wrote: ‘This is incredible.’
Another added: ‘That’s amazing, very jealous, well done.’
And one said: ‘It’s stunning and such a great idea, so glad you can take it with you if you move.’
Speaking today, Elizabeth said: ‘To buy a greenhouse of the same size you’re looking at upwards of £1,200.
For the shed’s structure she used timber sheets she already had stored- which Elizabeth said can be purchased for £2 for around 2.4m length
‘Although admittedly it might look better than mine, but honestly, even if I had that kind of money I wouldn’t swap it for this one.
‘ I love that it’s original, all my own design and hard work, and that no one else has one like it.
‘I’m absolutely staggered to be honest by the response it’s had.
‘I have a Facebook page as you have seen, where I try to show some of what I make, hoping that people might be interested and want to commission me.
‘I have been considering closing the page down, but 20000+ people liking this and 4300 taking the time to comment saying such incredibly kind things about it has really given me a boost, it’s a real endorsement.
‘I love making stuff, and I love how it looks, but it’s really nice to know others appreciate it too.’
Because they rent their home, Elizabeth has made each wall separately so it can be dismantled in the future if they were to move
For the shed’s structure she used timber sheets she already had stored- which Elizabeth said can be purchased for £2 for around 2.4m length.
She went on to explain that because they rent their home, they’ve made each wall separately so it can be dismantled in the future if they were to move.
‘Now I’ve got a greenhouse that’s perfect for us and spent almost nothing to make it, wrote Elizabeth, ‘I make a lot of stuff but of all the things I have made this is definitely my favourite and the most useful!’
The interior of Elizabeth’s greenhouse is decorated with plant pots and strings of fairy lights
Photos of the interior and exterior of the greenhouse racked up 15K likes and 3.2K comments, with several Facebook users hailing the project ‘brilliant’ and ‘amazing’.
‘Amazing, you should be so proud of that. Best DIY project I have seen on here’, wrote one.
‘Brilliant job, really well done’, said another.
‘Amazing eye for detail and to think you saved that from going to landfill. Absolutely wonderful’, a third raved.
Elizabeth used a door she was given for free a few years ago, teasing in the comments section she ‘knew it would come in handy’.
The mother bought the roof panels for a total of £60, using spare pallet wood for the rest of the roof
She used shelves of old garage racking turned upside down as steel plant trays and filled each corner with sealant so they’re water tight.
Starting the project, Elizabeth used ‘pretty much every piece of timber’ she had stored but still needed something strong to brace the long wall panel and so used old branches cut to size.
Elizabeth hopes the pallet wood will grey over time, giving the greenhouse a more stylish effect and has already planted various wild flowers in the new garden structure.
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