You can easily and safely place an order and purchase goods through our online service. Shop with peace of mind and be assured that our site is operated using a highly secure Protx payment system.

We accept VISA, Master card, Debit Cards and Personal cheques.

Alternatively, you can telephone us on 01234 272445, fax us on 01234 272588, or post your order to us. Please leave your telephone number and state a convenient time for us to contact you to confirm details and arrange delivery. Confirmation of your order will be forwarded to you.

Our office opening hours are:

• Monday to Friday: 08:30am - 18:00pm
• Saturday: 09:00am - 16:00pm
• Sunday (between 1st April and 31st August): 10:00am - 4:00pm

This site delivers products to mainland England and Wales only. If you are in Scotland, Northern Ireland, or the Republic of Ireland then please contact us for details of your nearest supplier of our Climbing Frames, Log Cabins, and Garden Offices.

Delivery times may vary depending on seasonal demand. Please see individual products for more specific and up to date delivery times, you can also ring us on 01234 272445.

Help us to help you.

A much as we'd love to arrive by magic carpet to present you with your goods during your lunch hour, we have to work within our limits. At Dunster House, our formula is uncommon - we supply an unrivalled range of quality products at startlingly low-end prices. Unfortunately such efficiency at unbeatable value means we cannot stretch to providing a Rolls Royce, red carpet, white gloved delivery to your chosen place of assembly just in time for you to catch the lunchtime headlines. Our niche lies in creating excellently crafted products at affordable prices and to keep these consistently low we have little choice but to forego certain frills such as providing predicted delivery times, personal delivery crews, or hourly telephone updates to keep you informed on your delivery's progress. What we do offer is a simple yet sufficient delivery service that unites you with your excellent purchase on the specified date.

We rely upon somebody being at home between 8.30am and 6.00pm on the day of delivery.

We know you're busy people. We know you have work commitments, school runs and appointments to uphold. That's why we personally arrange a delivery date that is convenient for you. When the big day arrives we might all hope for a clear run, wish earnestly for the traffic to dissipate and keep our fingers crossed tightly that all our other deliveries run smoothly. Yet sometimes lady luck forgets to smile on us. We meet a tailback on the motorway and have to change our route unexpectedly. Though you might have been first in line for your delivery, you've now skidded well into third place. Thank goodness we didn't promise to be there before your elevenses.

We require someone capable to unload the delivery by hand with the help of the driver.

'Capable' is a relative term, we grant you. While some customers see fit to round up the local rugby team for the smooth transition of their goods, others count being able to make it to the van without a tea break as validation of their strength. Well, we're not asking for super heroes, just able bodied assistance (capable of lifting heavy items of up to 25kg) and for the record - anyone who's unwell, infirm or about to give birth should be politely excused from this exercise. You think we're stating the obvious? Our drivers only wish we were -which begs the question; would you send your granny to unload a log cabin? Send your heavily expectant wife to cart a ten foot climbing frame? We know you're out there and we only hope you'll give some deeper thought to the definition of DIY.

We offer kerbside delivery.

Not 'round the back of the house and up the garden pathside delivery. All our customers mean a lot to us and we hate to keep any of them waiting unnecessarily. While we understand your eagerness to get your purchase into place, our drivers not only have extremely busy schedules but are also eternally subject to 'Big Brother' style scrutiny which (to meet legal health regulations) records their every working movement from dusk 'till dawn. There is only a certain amount of time before their vehicle tachograph strikes 'stop' and they turn into pumpkins, which is why we simply cannot afford them the luxury of finding a permanent home for each load they handle. Let them drop where they stop so they're free to get on with the next delivery and keep customer delays to a minimum. Just think of it as a kind of next-in-queue karma that's designed to keep everyone happy.

Please Note: * If there is not someone there present to receive the goods a re-delivery charge will be applied.

Delivery is free on the following items:

• Toy boxes and Plastic Wendy Houses.
• All orders over £700 in total (please note: the cost of any Toy boxes and Plastic Wendy Houses will not be included to make up the £700, as they are already free delivery).

All orders under £700 (except for Toy boxes or Plastic Wendy Houses) will require a delivery charge of £30.

Dunster House products are designed for competent DIY assembly by two or more adults. Before you assemble your delivered Timber products please ensure that you have read the instructions and familiarise yourself with the project that you are about to undertake. The assembly process will vary according to individual abilities and complexity of the project. Any indication given in our website or literature as to time required to assemble a product must be deemed as approximate as wood is a natural product and may require manipulation prior to assembly. If it is your intention to organise for a third party to assemble the products you order please ensure that the products have been physically delivered and that you are satisfied with the product. Check that all parts are present and correct so that in the unlikely event that parts may be missing, wrong or damaged you ensure we have reasonable time* to arrange for delivery of new parts before confirming an assembly date with your third party. (*Please note that reasonable time would typically be within one week assuming replacement parts are in stock, however if we have to back order parts from abroad the time frame will be longer). Should you use a third party to carry out the installation please ensure that you give them sufficient time to familiarise themselves with the materials and instructions supplied before committing to an installation date.

All our Timber products are batch manufactured, sometimes weeks before delivery. Please note we do not manufacture any play frames to order on an individual basis as each type of ‘kit’ has to be tested to comply with CE regulations. All timbers are checked for the standards we have set before we band the various packs. Between the assembly time and the despatch/delivery time timbers will continue to adjust, sometimes more in evidence in pressure treated sections, to their natural properties. This can be seen in any timber yard supplying Spruce or Pine. Timber products once assembled on site will continue to react to weather conditions due to the fibrous nature of the material Wood is a natural product and all trees are different with different properties. These properties can include colour differences, warping, shakes, splits, knots and knot holes and varying surface finishes and are part of the natural properties of this type of material. If you require a smoother finish you may wish to sand some of the timbers, but this is an individual choice. Shakes/Splits and similar are allowed for in the integrity of the timber and cannot be guaranteed against. Minor adjustments may have to be undertaken due to the nature of timber. Any machine work on sections will have been carried out whilst the timber sections are Kiln Dried to approximately 18% moisture content. Where holes have been predrilled they may require onsite adjustment if the timber has absorbed more moisture. NB Except for the floor bearers, Log Cabins are not pressure treated and will have a planed finished surface consequently there is less movement in the materials, post manufacture. Minor adjustments to sections of timber may still have to be undertaken on site. In the event that some of the timbers are warped and prove difficult to assemble competent manipulation, eg. light wetting, sensible weight application and slowly (over a few days if necessary) heating or cooling can overcome the majority of warping. Competent manipulation during assembly can also overcome the majority of warping. When we deliver the product we deliver to “Kerbside”. Please ensure that there is someone there all day on the day of delivery who is capable of unloading the Company delivery vehicle and with the authority to accept the goods. We cannot give a time for delivery. Any broken (into separate pieces*) parts must be returned with the driver at point of delivery. If the goods are not to your liking then ask the delivery driver to bring the whole product back and we will refund your money, without any delivery or return charge. We will not supply a replacement or replacement parts as we are unable to guarantee that these will be any different. In the unlikely event that we leave the Goods and you subsequently request that they are returned, unused, unassembled and in the condition they were delivered in, we can arrange to collect the items and make a reasonable charge for that facility. Please retain any packaging associated with the delivery.

The development and appearance of the natural properties of timber are not a reason for the return of goods and are not reasonable stating they are faulty in claiming a refund. We supply timber products designed for external garden use and such designs take into account the structural integrity of timber’s natural properties. We supply many thousands of our products each year to many satisfied customers who understand the beauty of handling and working with a natural material, please read some of Testimonials on our website home page. Please contact us if you have any queries or if you do not understand the beauty and individuality of each unique piece of timber that we supply.

Before you purchase please ensure that you have read and fully understood these Terms and Conditions and that you are satisfied with the description of our products and the project that any competent DIY person can undertake that will save them many pounds and give them the immense satisfaction of saying

‘See what I have made’

Please ensure that any goods delivered to you are checked before assembly. Should you wish to return the Order then care has to be exercised to protect the standard of goods delivered and any Kiln Dried timbers are protected against any weather influences on the moisture content in the timber, 18% plus or minus 2%. Should we collect any Kiln Dried timbers that have not been protected and we subsequently have to send them away to a Kiln then any reasonable costs can be passed on to you, the customer.

Assuming that the Goods were as described and not faulty a refund will take place less any reasonable charge for collection and any un-necessary repacking. Refunds will take place within a reasonable period of time after the items have been returned and inspected. Any collections will take place with reasonable access granted to the Company. Please note that due to insurance ramifications we do not enter onto customers' property. You can also make your own arrangements, should you wish, to return the Goods. A'Goods Return Note' must be issued and advised for this method of return. Your Statutory rights are not affected.

(*If the glass for a Log Cabin window or door is noted as broken on delivery then if you wish to have a new piece cut locally we will credit you up to £15 against a receipt – alternatively please return the window or door with the driver at point of delivery).

If you have a Customers Services enquiry post delivery please write to us detailing your query through either: This websites enquiry form, fax to 01234 272588 or post to Dunster House Ltd, Caxton Road, Bedford. MK41 0EB. This will enable us to comprehend your query and respond appropriately and professionally.

It is always best for you to check with your local planning office if you are unsure.

It is our understanding that the following are issues concerning planning permission:

• The building should be placed more than 5 metres away from the main property.
• The building should not take up more than 50% of the surrounding property area.
• The roof line should be lower than 4metres if it is a pitched roof.

Building Regulations:

• A building less than 20 square metres can be sited close to a boundary.
• A building between 20 and 30 square metres should be situated at least 1 metre from any boundary.
• A building over 30 square metres may require planning permission. You should discuss this with your local building control.

Other Restrictions:

• Covenants may exist to restrict the siting of a Cabin.
• If you live in a conservation area or a listed property it is best to check with your Local Authority if there are any restrictions.

• A well prepared, flat, level base is essential to ensure a long lasting and stable installation.
• Buildings should always have a base as large as their floor. We recommend that you lay the base in line with the outside edge of the walls of the building in order to aid drainage.
• Your base level should lie 20-50mm above ground level.

A solid base can be constructed in a number of ways, using a variety of materials:

• Solid Concrete Base
• Concrete Strip Foundations
• Railway Sleepers
• Paving Slabs on top of Hardcore
• Decking

Strip foundations will allow for better drainage than a solid concrete slab and should be laid running perpendicular to the building's bearers. You will need to use a weed control membrane to prevent any plants that are growing between the concrete strips from coming up through the floor boards.

Good quality DIY hand tools, such as:

• Drills
• Hammer
• Screwdrivers
• Level
• Stepladder
• Tape Measure
• Saw
• Ball of String (to check the diagonals)

• Log Cabins are supplied untreated to enable you to decorate and finish it to your own individual style and tastes. The only part of the cabins that is pre-treated are the bearers, which are pressure treated for longer life.
• It is strongly advised that you treat your log cabin when you construct it, and periodically after that in order to maintain and prolong it's beauty and life. Timber is a natural product that will contract and expand in varying weather conditions. If left untreated it will deteriorate.

Log cabin timber is kiln dried– a process that reduces moisture content to approximately 18%. This drying ensures that all wood is reasonably sized and capable of locking together tightly and securely.

If timber was to be pre-treated for customers, the rigidly sized pieces of wood would have to be coated with preservative at this stage of production. Each piece would absorb varying amounts of treatment and drying times would be inconsistent. Clearly, the timber pieces would expand to different sizes and this movement would prevent the interlocking log walls from fitting together tightly and securely, if at all.

The only way to eliminate this problem and provide customers with a pre-treated cabin is to do away with the traditional interlocking log corners (by which a log cabin is defined) and build a structure with straight corners and straight walls - also known as a shed.

It’s worth noting that all Dunster House log cabins are made with pressure treated bearers – therefore any wood that comes into contact with the ground is powerfully treated to prevent against decay and insect infestation.

The main cabin structure does require treatment after assembly (when timbers are already secured) and this should be carried out with a micro-porous solution available from most DIY shops - enabling you to choose a preservative that suits your location and a shade that complements your surroundings.

We offer an installation service for log cabins and garden offices. We use our own work force and not sub contractors. This service is available within approximately a 100 mile radius of Bedford, and within the following postcodes: AL, B, BN, CB, CM, CO, CT, CV, DE, GU, HP, IP, LE, LU, ME, MK, NG, NN, NR, OX, PE, PO, RG, RH, SG, SN, SO, SP, SS, ST, TN, WS, ALL LONDON POSTCODES. We do not carry out painting. We do not offer Base work. We do not offer electrical work.

Installation Terms and Conditions

You must advise us if there are access difficulties, we generally deliver with a 7.5 Ton HGV flat bed truck. Depending upon size of cabin and the wall thickness the cabins can weigh between 1.0 Ton and 4.0 Ton. We need an access route/road capable of taking a vehicle 8 metres long and 2.6 metres wide. If we have to redeliver using different vehicles or if we cannot safely bring a vehicle to your site then any reasonable costs incurred by the Company will be applied.

It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that the Cabin is compliant with local planning authorities.

The customer is responsible for ensuring that reasonable access to a clear working area is available for our installation staff to safely carry any materials and subsequently carry out a satisfactory installation, maximum distance from offload point to installation site to be no greater than 100metres. We would expect at least 1.5 metre of unobstructed space on the sides and front of the finished cabin and at least 600mm at the rear.

IF IN DOUBT, CONTACT US FOR ADVICE PRIOR TO PLACING AN ORDER.

Reasonable access and use of water, electricity and toilet facilities is to be provided for our staff whilst on site. Storage of materials and equipment may be required during the installation process. It is the customer’s responsibility to prepare a level, square and suitable base for any building. Should this not be the case reasonable costs for a delay or return visit will be levied by the Company.

On completion of the installation the building will be inspected with our Senior Installer and the customer or customer’s representative. A Completion Certificate will be prepared for each building, once this has been signed by the customer or customer’s representative it is considered that the job is complete and has been finished to a satisfactory standard.

As timber is a natural product minor adjustments, when the building ‘settles’, may have to be carried out by the customer, this may include adjustments to the doors and windows as they may drop, expand and contract, warp etc. Alternatively adjustments can be carried out on a chargeable basis by Dunster House Ltd. Please see our FAQ section on our website for properties of timber. You will need to maintain any exposed timbers with timber preservatives and finishes soon after installation.

Due to the nature of ‘Building Works’ we are unable to guarantee any specific start or completion dates. Various delays can be caused by such things as road congestion, the impact of weather or even strikes by third party facilitators, transport or shipping.

Please note that we place great emphasis on the Health and Safety of our Employees and our Customers. Our Senior Installer will carry out a Generic Risk Assessment upon arrival on the day of installation. We are unable to work where there is restricted access, potential cables and overhanging trees and bushes. In cases where a suitable working space has not been provided the Company will levy a charge for reasonable costs incurred in any delay or return visits.

All reasonable care will be exercised in carrying out the delivery and installation, should you believe that damage to your property or grounds may be caused as a result of access to the installation site it is your responsibility to risk assess and protect those areas affected. We do not carry out a pre-survey of your installation site and request that you are insured for any potential damage that may be caused as a result of unreasonable difficulties experienced by our staff or vehicles whilst on your premises. Should you request an inspection for alleged defects and these fall outside of our published descriptions and reasonable actions then we reserve the right to make reasonable charges for that service.