Who are we?
ABOUT US
Lancashire Summerhouses is the same family owned business for 40 years and counting
Not only do we sell All manor of Garden Buildings but we have a Fencing and 'firewood' Manufacturing and supply side and a timber merchants selling all the popular sizes of timber for both indoor and outdoor.
Lancashire Summerhouses and our other interests all run under one company - Workgreat ltd.
THIS IS OUR FAMILY AT OUR DISPLAY SHOWING OUR PRODUCTS NEC GRAND DESIGNS SHOW
Our Mission
WE STARTED HAND MAKING GARDEN BUILDINGS SOME 40 YEARS AGO THOUGH RUSSELL HAS WORKED WITH TIMBER ALMOST ALL OF HIS LIFE, WE SET OUR GOAL YEARS AGO TO MAKE THE BEST PRODUCTS POSSIBLE FOR THE PRICE. OF COURSE LIKE EVERY BUSINESS IT HAS TAKEN YEARS TO GET WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WE HAVE NOW BUILT UP AN ENVIABLE REPUTATION FOR MANUFACTURING QUALITY SOLID DRY BUILDINGS OF DISTINCTION. OURSELVES AND OUR STAFF GET HUGE PRIDE IN PRODUCING ‘TOP QUALITY BUILDINGS’ OUR CUSTOMERS CAN ENJOY FOR YEARS AND YEARS TO COME.
WE FIND IT SO SAD TODAY WHEN WE LOOK AROUND TO FIND THAT MOST BUILDINGS ARE MASS PRODUCED AND MADE ‘DOWN TO A PRICE’ RATHER THAN ‘UP TO A QUALITY’ THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO BUY OFF PRETTY PICTURES ( MANY OF WHICH ARE COMPUTER GENERATED ) AND THEY NEVER NEVER ASK THE BASIC QUESTION ” ARE THESE BUILDINGS GUARANTEED DRY” SADLY AROUND 95% OF ALL TIMBER BUILDINGS SOLD IN THE UK ARE NOT GUARANTEED DRY INSIDE FROM RAIN. THAT ACTUALLY EQUATES TO 95% OF ALL BUILDINGS ‘NOT BEING FIT FOR PURPOSE’ IN OUR MIND.
DURING A TYPICAL YEAR OUR JOINERS SKIP ABOUT 30 TO 40 BUILDINGS THAT CUSTOMERS HAVE PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THAT SIMPLY ‘DONT WORK’ MOST OF THESE BUILDINGS AFTER THE VERY FIRST WINTER !!!
SO THEY ARE LESS THAN A YEAR OLD.
ITS NOT GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT ITS NOT GOOD TO WASTE ALL THAT TIMBER !
LOOK WITH YOUR EYES AND ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.
DID YOU KNOW 70% OF ALL GARDEN BUILDINGS SOLD COME FROM JUST FIVE FACTORIES ! THIS IS WHY THEY ALL LOOK ALIKE…
BASIC THINGS TO LOOK FOR AND ASK WHEN BUYING A BUILDING
- CAN YOU SEE ANY DAY LIGHT FROM INSIDE ? IF YOU CAN IT WILL LEAK IN !
- ARE THE CORNERS SEALED ?
- ARE THE WINDOWS SEALED ?
- ARE THE DOORS MORTICE AND TENONED JOINTS ?
- DOES THIS SUMMERHOUSE HAVE A PROER MORTICE LOCK ? ( MOSTS SUMMERHOUSE DOORS ARE THAT THIN THEY CANT TAKE A MORTICE LOCK )
- IS IT THROWN ON THE FLOOR TO ROT FROM DAY ONE ?
- DOES IT COME WITH A ‘DRY FROM RAIN INSIDE GUARANTEE ? IF NOT WALK AWAY !!!
- IS THIS JUST FELT ? FELT WILL ALWAYS LEAK ( SADLY CHEEP FELT USUALLY LEAKS WITH AROUND THREE MONTHS )
- IS THIS BRITISH TIMBER ? ( BRITISH TIMBER IS QUICK GROWN AND JUST SOAKS WATER UP FOR FUN, IN OUR OPINION IT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ANY GARDEN BUILDING )
DID YOU KNOW ?
70% OF ALL GARDEN BUILDINGS COME FROM JUST FIVE or SIX FACTORIES , THATS WHY WHEN YOU ASK FOR ANY CHANGES THEY CAN'T DO THIS --- WE CAN AND DO BUILD ANYTHING !!!
Today more than ever you get what you pay for, timber may all ‘look the same’ but it is far, far from being so. Most buildings that are mass produced use either ‘hybrid fast grown timber’ or home grown timber that is machined as tongue and groove, We do not purchase this type of timber, we have never and will never use this type of timber, its cheap and nasty and has little structural properties, being quick grown it is almost always very porous.
This is why 98% of all buildings pour in.
AND JUST ONE OF THE REASONS WE ACTUALLY GUARANTEE A DRY BUILDING…
- WE DO NOT MASS PRODUCE BUILDINGS
- WE DO NOT ‘BUY IN BUILDINGS
- WE HAND CRAFT EVERY BUILDING WE SELL
- OUR GOAL IS TO PRODUCE THE ‘BEST WE CAN’
- NOT THE CHEAPEST WE CAN !!!!!!!
ABOUT US - HOW WE LAY OUR FLOORS...
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP !!
ALL BUILDINGS ASSEMBLED BY OUR JOINERS ARE GUARANTEED LEVEL AND SOLID AND THE FLOORS ARE LIFTED OFF THE GROUND ON TREATED UNDER FOOR BEARERS THUS GIVING A NATURAL AIRFLOW UNDER YOUR BUILDING AND ENSURING YOUR BUILDING IS NOT SAT ON THE GROUND ROTTING FROM DAY ONE.
** PLEASE NOTE WE WILL NOT GUARANTEE YOUR BUILDING IF YOU INSIST WE SITE YOUR BUILDING ON SOIL OR GRASS **
WE ENCOURAGE CUSTOMERS TO GO TO SEVERAL PLACES AND LOOK AT THE BUILDINGS CLOSELY, OURS ARE DESIGNED TO BE DRY AND STAY DRY FROM OUR LEASE EXPENSIVE GARDEN SHED UP TO OUR MOST EXPENSIVE BUILDING YOU WILL SO NO DAYLIGHT JUST A PROPER JOB AND A WELL FINISHED OFF BUILDING. WE ARE PROUD TO SAY WE KNOW LANCASHIRE IT RAINS HERE A LOT SO WE BUILD BUILDINGS TO BE DRY!!
WE HAVE AN OUTDOOR DISPLAY SO YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELF JUST HOW DRY OUR BUILDINGS ARE. THE ABSOLUTE BEST TIME TO LOOK AT GARDEN BUILDINGS IS IN THE WORST POSSIBLE WEATHER…
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
At Lancashire Summerhouses, we are committed to reducing our environmental footprint and contributing positively to the local ecosystem, despite being located in an urban area. Our efforts focus on sustainable practices and enhancing biodiversity within our community. Here are some key initiatives we have implemented:
Sustainable Heating Practices
We heat our workshops 100% with waste timber and cardboard. By utilizing waste materials for heating, we significantly reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and minimize waste that would otherwise contribute to landfill. This practice not only helps us manage waste responsibly but also reduces our carbon footprint.
Biodiversity Enhancement
Understanding the importance of supporting local wildlife, we have installed bat boxes around our premises. Bats are vital for controlling insect populations and contributing to pollination, and providing them with safe habitats is a step towards preserving biodiversity in our urban setting.
Urban Greening and Food Production
We’ve planted numerous fruit trees on our property. This initiative serves multiple purposes: it greenens the urban landscape, provides habitats for various species, and contributes to local food production. Fruit trees improve air quality, offer shade, and enhance the aesthetic value of our surroundings, making our business area a greener and more pleasant place to be.
Challenges and Commitment
Operating in an urban area presents unique challenges to sustainability. Space is limited, and environmental resources are often under pressure. Despite these obstacles, we are dedicated to finding innovative solutions that promote sustainability and environmental stewardship. We continually seek new ways to improve our practices and reduce our impact on the planet.
Future Goals
Looking forward, we aim to expand our green initiatives by exploring additional renewable energy sources, enhancing our waste reduction strategies, and engaging with the local community to promote environmental awareness and action. We believe that even small steps can make a significant difference, and we are committed to being a part of the solution for a more sustainable future.
Lancashire Summerhouses has for many years ‘looked to the future’ We consider our impact on this earth. We have looked closely at our impact and have taken major steps to improve towards a more sustainable world
- We undertook a full revue to a more sustainable future
- We invested heavily in ‘self heating systems’ to use our waste to heat our workshops
- We waste almost no timber, timber waste is both cut to make kindling and bagged for use in our TWO TALBOT WOOD WASTE HEATERS
- We crush our cardboard and use this for heat.
- We have achieved a 100% self sufficiency in heat for our workshops
- Our day to day waste impact is getting better and better
- WE HAVE A LONG TERM GOAL ….
- TO SEDUM OUR WORKSHOPS THIS WILL TAKE TIME BUT THE BENEFITS WILL BE BRILLIANT BRINGING IN MORE BEE’S AND BIRDS TO OUR TREE LINED SITE
- We do work in an industrial area and our strategy of make steps each year will have a great impact for all around.
- Lancashire Summerhouses is looking forward to the challenges
When we first moved on to our site 40 years ago we planted lots and lots of Cherry trees and fruit trees These trees are brilliant for the Bees ( we have on our site ) The birds and the bats, not forgetting our Squirrels, Being at the side of a railway line we have huge high trees just opposite our site that is home to our local Squirrel population. We had added Bat boxes to our property along with a range of bird boxes specifically to encourage our wildlife, We are in an urban environment, but we can still play our part as much as possible. THE PHOTO TO THE LEFT SHOWS OUR BAT BOXES.
Bats are often overlooked, but as we demolish our old Cotton Mills and factories it leaves a huge problem for the Bat population , so we are trying to do our bit !!
We use our waste to heat our workshops...
THIS IS A SEDUM ROOF AT OUR HOME
SEDUM ATTRACTS BEES ALL SUMMER LONG
