Home Help: 10 August

Whether a magical hideaway for children or a retreat for adults, tree houses offer the high life says Hugh St Clair

Her estimated budget of £150,000 is not available to most of us but Blue Forest will design more modest dwellings, from £8,000 upwards, that are just as much fun for children or even grown-ups – apparently 50 per cent of tree houses are built exclusively for adults.

But back to the children. Blue Forest has also designed the Ramshackle Den (£15,000 to £20,000), a two-deck structure with a climbing wall, slide and rope bridge. Another company that makes tree houses is Cheeky Monkey. For a house to be supported by a tree, you need at least one thick branch at a 90-degree angle. As not every garden is able to oblige, Cheeky Monkey can also create self-supporting tree houses that encircle the tree.

Sadly I am not the kind of  father who can build a tree house but I know a man whose father did and he is very proud of his parent's DIY skills. For dads ready with hammer and nails, planning might be required with more ambitious projects. Usually a tree-house roof must be less than 4 metres high, and the cabin should not be less than 2 metres from a neighbouring boundary, or overlook the boundary.

For ideas, take a look at the book New Treehouses Of The World by Peter Nelson (Harry N Abrams, £19.99).

• Tree house, £80,000 to £90,000, Blue Forest Tree House Design & Construction: 01892-750090, www.blueforest.com (main picture)

From left:

• Tree house, price on application, Cheeky Monkey Tree Houses: 01403-732452, www.cheekymonkeytreehouses.com
• High-tech Hideaway, £100,000 to £150,000, Blue Forest: as before

Email your design enquiries to Hugh St Clair at homehelp@lady.co.uk