by Terry Mahoney

Created on: June 28, 2009

Before you consider building a treehouse, you must take into account several factors, including location, height, size, construction time and budget. This last factor can be the most important, particularly if your family's budget is already tight.

To build a treehouse on a budget takes planning, flexibility and time. Because most people will be building a treehouse for their children, their intended customers might not appreciate the need for patience. An important first step is to lay out the plan ahead of time, and be sure to incorporate your children into the process. This way, each step forward becomes a communal victory.

Several excellent construction guides are available both in libraries and on-line, and once you have the grasp of safe construction guidelines and techniques, you'll be ready to set your basic plan. If you set your family's expectations too high with a detailed elevated mansion, the build-on-a-budget process will be untenable.

A raised platform with a ladder is a good start, and the tools required should already be at hand. From this basic platform you can expand in steps. Depending on the space you have to work with, make each step represent a finished structure. Again, make sure your kids are part of the process so that they will celebrate each step as it is completed.

Labor should not be a factor if you are trying to build on a budget, as your family and friends should be enough. Tool cost should also not be a factor, as you should be able to build a basic structure with household tools. As you progress, and maybe need something like a reciprocating saw or a router, you can look for used tools at the same places you will be looking for building materials.

Materials should be your greatest expense, and where you can translate time and effort into savings. Once you have your basic plan in place, you will know what kind of lumber and hardware you will need. From there, it is a matter of knowing where to look and who to ask. You should always evaluate recycled materials for sturdiness and discard lumber and (particularly) hardware that is not sound.

Your first resource for free materials is Freecycle.org. This organization was started as a way for communities to recycle goods that otherwise might end up in a landfill. Odds are that there is a Freecycle group in your area. Members of groups post items that they want to recycle, or items they need. By monitoring your local group, you can pick up pressure-treated lumber, hardware,

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