Project description
We have a mature oak and a cleared patch of lawn behind it, and we want a proper elevated treehouse for our two kids (ages 6 and 9) rather than a kit-built plastic playset. Before anything gets built, I need the contractor to walk the tree: check trunk diameter at the mounting height, look for rot, included bark, or dead limbs overhead, and tell us honestly whether the oak alone can carry a loaded platform or whether we should go with a hybrid design — tree-friendly attachment (TAB-style bolts, not lag screws driven in a ring) on one side and two or three ground-set posts with concrete footings on the other to share the load and avoid strangling the trunk as it grows.
The platform itself should sit no higher than about seven feet off the ground, be framed to carry a live load well beyond two children plus visiting friends, and use joist hangers and carriage bolts rather than nails at every structural connection. We want a continuous guardrail at least 36 inches tall around the whole perimeter with baluster spacing narrow enough that a small child can't slip through, plus a self-closing gate at the top of the access ladder — this is non-negotiable given the fall height. Access should be a fixed ladder with handrails, angled rather than vertical, wide enough for a child to climb confidently; a rope ladder is not what we're after.
On top of the platform we'd like a simple gabled roof with asphalt shingles or a metal panel roof matching our house, at least two open window openings with a removable safety grille, and one solid wall section for a chalkboard. Everything exposed to weather needs pressure-treated lumber or an exterior-rated stain/sealant, and all hardware should be galvanized or stainless to avoid rust streaks down the tree bark.
We're flexible on exact layout and would welcome sketches or a simple load calculation showing the anchor points before construction starts. Please quote total cost, a materials list, and a realistic day-by-day timeline including any days lost to weather or curing of the footings. Local experience with tree-mounted structures and photos of past treehouse work would be a strong plus. We can provide site access any weekday and will handle removing a section of fence if needed for material delivery.
The platform itself should sit no higher than about seven feet off the ground, be framed to carry a live load well beyond two children plus visiting friends, and use joist hangers and carriage bolts rather than nails at every structural connection. We want a continuous guardrail at least 36 inches tall around the whole perimeter with baluster spacing narrow enough that a small child can't slip through, plus a self-closing gate at the top of the access ladder — this is non-negotiable given the fall height. Access should be a fixed ladder with handrails, angled rather than vertical, wide enough for a child to climb confidently; a rope ladder is not what we're after.
On top of the platform we'd like a simple gabled roof with asphalt shingles or a metal panel roof matching our house, at least two open window openings with a removable safety grille, and one solid wall section for a chalkboard. Everything exposed to weather needs pressure-treated lumber or an exterior-rated stain/sealant, and all hardware should be galvanized or stainless to avoid rust streaks down the tree bark.
We're flexible on exact layout and would welcome sketches or a simple load calculation showing the anchor points before construction starts. Please quote total cost, a materials list, and a realistic day-by-day timeline including any days lost to weather or curing of the footings. Local experience with tree-mounted structures and photos of past treehouse work would be a strong plus. We can provide site access any weekday and will handle removing a section of fence if needed for material delivery.
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