Interactive tool
Calculate your 10-year cost
Kit, base, delivery and maintenance, with side-by-side comparison vs cheap aluminium replacement cycles and heritage glasshouse alternatives.
Run the Cost Calculator →Why headline kit prices mislead
The UK wooden greenhouse market has roughly four price tiers:
- Budget kits (£300-£800): self-build polyethylene-over-timber-frame, 3-5 year lifespan, generic Asian softwood
- Mid-range (£1,500-£2,500): NORDIC sits here. Kiln-dried treated FSC pine, twin-wall polycarbonate, screw-fixed retention, written warranty
- Heritage (£3,500-£8,000): cedar or modified-timber frames, often glass, painted finishes, supplier installation
- Bespoke (£10,000+): custom-designed, often integrated with garden architecture
Each tier has different cost profiles for the four non-kit line items (base, delivery, assembly, maintenance). Adding £1,500 to a £400 budget kit's headline price does not make it a £1,900 mid-range product. The underlying construction is a different thing entirely.
This guide is the actual breakdown for mid-range NORDIC (the prices we know best), with comparison columns for budget and heritage tiers based on UK market rates spring 2026.
The 5 cost lines explained
Line 1: The kit itself
| Tier | Typical price range (2026) | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Budget self-build | £300-£800 | Single-skin polyethylene cover, basic softwood frame, often imported. 3-5 year service life. Spring-clip glazing retention. |
| Mid-range NORDIC | £999-£1,549 | 45×45 mm kiln-dried FSC pine, 4 mm twin-wall CrystalLight polycarbonate, screw-fixed, EasyMount base brackets. Designed for a 20+ year service life with maintenance. |
| Heritage | £3,500-£8,000+ | Cedar or modified timber, often horticultural glass, painted finishes, sometimes including basic site survey. |
| Bespoke | £10,000+ | Custom design, custom dimensions, professional install included, sometimes integrated with house. |
The NORDIC range pricing:
| Model | External (L × W) | Internal floor | Live RRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| NORDIC S | 2.00 × 2.60 m | 5.2 m² | £999 |
| NORDIC M | 3.00 × 2.60 m | 7.8 m² | £1,199 |
| NORDIC L | 4.00 × 2.60 m | 10.4 m² | £1,299 |
| NORDIC XL | 5.00 × 2.60 m | 13.0 m² | £1,399 |
| NORDIC XXL | 6.00 × 2.60 m | 15.6 m² | £1,549 |
Line 2: Delivery
UK mainland delivery is typically £0-£200 surcharge, depending on size and your postcode area. Highlands, Scottish Islands, and Northern Ireland often carry separate quotes (£200-£500+ depending on logistics).
What you're paying for in delivery: pallet shipping (the kit arrives on a 120 × 80 × 150 cm Euro-pallet), kerbside drop. The delivery driver will not move the pallet from the kerb to your installation spot, so that part is on you. Plan for help moving 95-230 kg of palletised flat-pack from kerb to garden.
Hidden delivery cost trap: "free delivery" headlines on budget Asian-import kits often mean the seller bakes the £80-£150 logistics cost into the headline price, then surcharges separately for "remote postcodes" once you order. NORDIC's pricing is transparent: UK mainland is included; Highlands, Islands and Northern Ireland are quoted separately upfront.
Line 3: Base preparation
You can't put a 100+ kg wooden greenhouse on bare lawn: it sinks, the frame distorts, the joints fail. Three viable bases with cost ranges:
| Base type | DIY material cost | DIY labour | Contractor cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paving slabs on hardcore (most common) | £150-£300 | weekend, 2 adults | £400-£700 |
| Concrete pad (most permanent) | £200-£500 | 2-3 days, 2 adults | £700-£1,200 |
| Ground screws + perimeter timber sill (fastest, no concrete) | £200-£400 | 1 day, 2 adults | £350-£600 |
For most NORDIC plots, paving slabs on hardcore are the practical choice: a DIY-able weekend job, £200-ish in materials, lasting the lifetime of the greenhouse.
Avoid: bare lawn (sinks within 6 months), gravel only (slumps), wooden deck (movement transfers).
→ Deeper read: Greenhouse Base Preparation UK: what actually works
Line 4: Self-assembly (no installer needed)
Self-assembly cost: nothing if you do it yourself. Time investment is the real number:
| Greenhouse size | DIY time (2 adults) | Tool kit needed |
|---|---|---|
| 5-6 m² (NORDIC S) | half-day | cordless drill, spanner set, spirit level |
| 7-10 m² (NORDIC M) | full day | above plus step-ladder |
| 10-13 m² (NORDIC L/XL) | weekend (1.5-2 days) | above plus extended step-ladder |
| 15+ m² (NORDIC XXL) | 2-3 days | above plus second helper recommended |
If you'd rather pay someone:
- Local handyman: typically £200-£400 for NORDIC S/M, £400-£800 for L/XL/XXL
- Specialist installer (greenhouse-experienced contractor): £400-£700 for S/M, £700-£1,500 for L/XL/XXL
If you're getting professional installation, get the quote with the kit price included to avoid scope creep on assembly day.
→ Deeper read: How to assemble a wooden greenhouse: UK step-by-step
Line 5: Maintenance over 10 years
The recurring cost most kit comparisons skip:
| Item | Cost | Frequency | 10-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approved wood preservative re-treatment | £25-£40 per cycle | every 2-3 years | £100-£200 (4-5 cycles) |
| Polycarbonate replacement (if a panel is damaged) | £40-£80 per panel × maybe 1-2 over 10 years | event-based | £80-£160 |
| Routine cleaning supplies | £10/year | annual | £100 |
| Total maintenance over 10 years | £305-£510 |
For the budget tier, the 10-year cost looks very different. The cover doesn't last 10 years and frame replacement is needed:
| Item (budget tier) | 10-year cost |
|---|---|
| Cover replacement (every 18-30 months) | £150-£300 (5-6 covers) |
| Frame replacement at year 4-5 | £400-£600 |
| Total maintenance + replacement over 10 years (budget) | £550-£900 |
→ Deeper read: Wooden Greenhouse Maintenance UK: the real schedule
Total 10-year cost: three tiers compared
For the same plot (UK mainland delivery, paving slab DIY base, self-assembly, maintenance per schedule) over 10 years:
| Line item | Budget kit (£500 tier) | NORDIC mid-range (M, £1,199) | Heritage (£4,500 tier) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kit (initial) | £500 | £1,199 | £4,500 |
| Delivery | £80 (often hidden) | included UK mainland | £150-£250 |
| Base (DIY paving) | £200 | £200 | £200 |
| Assembly (DIY) | £0 | £0 | £0 (or £600+ if contractor) |
| Maintenance + replacement (10 years) | £550-£900 | £305-£510 | £400-£700 (cedar or modified timber needs less re-treatment but UV oils still recommended) |
| 10-year total (DIY) | £1,330-£1,680 | £2,104-£2,309 | £5,250-£5,650 |
| Real growing capacity | semi-permanent, often replaced at year 4-5 | full-season, 20+ years service | full-season, 25-40 years service |
| Cost-per-season (~25 growing seasons over 10 years inc. winter) | ~£53-£67 | ~£84-£92 | ~£210-£226 |
The NORDIC mid-range total is ~50% more than budget tier over 10 years, but with 5-7× the structural lifespan and immediately full-season growing capacity (not 4-month-summer-only with a polyethylene cover).
The heritage tier costs 2.5× NORDIC over 10 years, mostly in the initial kit, while the maintenance burden is a similar order. Whether that 2.5× delta is worth it depends on whether you specifically want cedar or modified timber and the heritage aesthetic. The structural durability is comparable; the visual end-result is the difference.
Hidden costs that appear in real budgets
Things buyers forget:
Site survey / measurement
- Nothing for self-survey: bring a tape measure, level, and 2 hours
- Professional pre-installation site survey: £100-£200 (worth it for sloped or awkward plots)
Permitted Development check
- Self-check: free (council planning portal lookup)
- Pre-application advice: £40-£80 (worth it in Conservation Areas or Listed Building neighbourhoods)
- Lawful Development Certificate (if you want absolute legal certainty): £103, 6-8 week wait
- See Greenhouse Permitted Development UK for the rules
Tools you may not own
- Cordless drill (real one, not screwdriver): £80-£150 if buying new
- Spanner set: £20-£40 if buying new
- 2.5m step-ladder (for L/XL/XXL): £40-£70 if buying new
- Spirit level: £15-£30
Accessories that aren't included
- Ground anchoring (concrete or screws beyond the corner brackets): £50-£200 depending on plot
- Staging benches: £80-£300 for mid-range aluminium, £200-£500 for hardwood
- Watering system / drip lines: £40-£200
- Heater (if you want year-round growing): £50-£250 (electric oil-filled, paraffin, propane)
- Insulation (bubble-wrap roll for winter): £30-£60
Realistic first-year all-in budget for a NORDIC M including base, accessories, tools you don't yet own: ~£2,200-£2,800 total.
When the DIY maths works and when it doesn't
DIY base + DIY assembly = real cost saving. £400-£800 in labour saved compared to all-contractor approach.
DIY makes sense when:
- You have at least one practical adult helper for assembly day
- You own (or can borrow) a real cordless drill, spanner set, level
- Your plot is reasonably level (slopes >5° make base prep harder for amateurs)
- You can take a weekend without urgent commitments
Pay for help when:
- You're physically limited (the L/XL/XXL roof panels are awkward to position)
- Plot is on a slope, on a difficult-access lane, or in a cramped space
- You don't have the tools and don't want to buy them for one project
- You'd rather work that weekend at your day job (a real economic question, since your time has a value)
The honest framing: the DIY saving is meaningful (~£500-£1,000 across the project) but it isn't a free lunch. The time and physical effort are real.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a wooden greenhouse cost in the UK in 2026?
Quality mid-range starts at £999 (NORDIC S), top of the range £1,549 (NORDIC XXL). All-in 10-year cost including base, delivery, maintenance, and accessories typically £2,000-£2,800 for DIY install. Budget kits (£300-£800) work out cheaper initially but expensive over 10 years due to cover and frame replacements. Heritage tier starts ~£3,500 for the kit.
Why is one wooden greenhouse £400 and another £4,000?
They are genuinely different products. The £400 tier uses single-skin polyethylene cover over imported softwood, with a 3-5 year service life. The £1,500-£2,500 tier (NORDIC) uses kiln-dried FSC-certified pine with twin-wall polycarbonate and screw-fixed retention, designed for a 20+ year service life with maintenance. The £3,500+ tier uses cedar or modified timber with sometimes glass, with a 25-40 year life. The price differences track real differences in materials, lifespan, and warranty terms.
What is the entry-level cost for a quality wooden greenhouse?
The structural floor for a wooden greenhouse with a written warranty, FSC-certified timber, twin-wall polycarbonate, and screw-fixed retention is around £1,300-£1,500. Below that, something is being compromised. NORDIC S at £999 is the entry point for that quality bracket.
Do I need to factor in installation cost?
Yes, there are several. Even a DIY install has a real cost in time, possibly tools you don't own, and base preparation. Budget £200-£400 in materials for a paving-slab base, plus a weekend for assembly. If paying for installation: £200-£800 for handyman, £400-£1,500 for specialist installer.
What's the cost of running a wooden greenhouse year-round?
If you don't heat it: ~£15-£40 per year in cleaning supplies, plus the £25-£40 every 2-3 years for re-treatment. If you heat for frost protection: £50-£200 per winter in electricity (oil-filled radiator, ~30W average) or £100-£250 in paraffin/propane.
How does the cost compare to a polytunnel?
A 6m polytunnel costs £400-£900 initially with a cover replacement every 5-7 years (£150-£300). 10-year total ~£700-£1,500. Lower per-square-metre cost but a different product class: semi-permanent, less aesthetic, less thermal performance. NORDIC's 10-year cost is higher (~£2,000+) but the structure persists much longer (20+ vs 7-10 years for the polytunnel) and looks like a finished garden feature. → See our deeper best polytunnel alternatives guide and the polytunnel vs polycarbonate greenhouse comparison.
Is a wooden greenhouse cheaper than aluminium?
Marginally, in the mid-range. Quality aluminium-framed greenhouses (4mm horticultural glass, 1.2mm aluminium) sit in the £1,800-£3,500 range. NORDIC at £999-£1,549 is at the lower end of the same overall bracket. The cost difference long-term is more about glazing replacement (glass shatters; polycarbonate doesn't) than frame material. → See Wooden vs Aluminium Greenhouse comparison.
Can I finance a wooden greenhouse purchase?
Klarna split-pay (3 instalments, no interest) is available on NORDIC purchases at checkout. For larger orders, contact us about extended payment plans.
Next steps
Ready to compare actual prices? Browse the NORDIC range: five sizes, transparent pricing, no hidden delivery surcharges for UK mainland.
For pre-purchase budget planning, also see:
- wooden greenhouse kit buying guide: the pre-order decisions in priority order
- Greenhouse Base Preparation UK: what your base really costs
- Wooden Greenhouse Maintenance UK: the recurring 10-year cost
Or call us on +44 7861 751995 (voice + WhatsApp) for size and budget advice on your specific plot.
Sources & further reading
- Planning Portal: outbuildings, the official permitted development rules for greenhouses and other garden buildings in England.
- GOV.UK: lawful development certificates, how the certificate works if you want legal certainty that your greenhouse needs no planning permission.
- FSC UK: Forest Stewardship Council, what FSC certification means for the pine used in greenhouse frames.
- HSE: biocides regulation, supply and use, the rules covering approved wood preservatives used for frame re-treatment.
- Ofgem: energy price cap, current electricity unit rates for estimating winter frost-protection heating costs.
Wondering what you'll pay beyond the kit price? Read our installation, groundwork and fitter costs for a full breakdown of base prep, anchoring, delivery and professional fitting costs.
