Ellipse Fabrications Sheep Polytunnel

[Well Refreshed]

Hi all,

I'm looking into putting up a 100ft by 30ft polytunnel for housing ewes. Have spoken to a number of different companies but came across Ellipse at Scotsheep and thought it looked well enough built, also competitively priced.

Has anyone had any experience of their tunnels?

Thanks in advance.

 

[njatkinson1]

I know a couple of people who have used Ellipse Fabrications for sheep polytunnels and they've not had a bad word to say about them. I think they were very competitive price wise and they look very well made and smartly finished. I'd be interested to know what you ended up going for as I am looking to put up something very similar in the next couple of months!

 

[shearerlad]

After this disaster back in December, I’m getting Ellipse Fabrications to replace my tunnel. So far, so good with pricing.
Like @Well Refreshed I was on their stand at Scotsheep and I was impressed.

 

[wilber]

What a mess that looks.

What does one of these poly tunnels cost? I had a quote from mcgregor and burst out laughing as i could build a steel framed shed for very little extra.

 

[shearerlad]

What a mess that looks.

What does one of these poly tunnels cost? I had a quote from mcgregor and burst out laughing as i could build a steel framed shed for very little extra.

For 100x30 feet I was £8.5k
That includes
Tunnel kit
Plastic cove
Erection
Concrete for foundations
All electric fittings
All water fittings
Gates and fencing

I couldn’t get a steel shed delivered to the site for that money

 

[wilber]

Thats a better price than what i was quoted that's for sure. They wanted the same sort of money just for the poly tunnel on its own and it was 30ft shorter.

 

[D.S.S18]

if it comes heavy snow - cut the plastic, it can be replaced!

talking to a chap at the local mart with poly tunnels, buy the time he'd finished with fixtures and fittings as he put a slatted wooden wall round the bottom to push against, he said he wished he purchased a steel framed building

 

[idgni]

if it comes heavy snow - cut the plastic, it can be replaced!

talking to a chap at the local mart with poly tunnels, buy the time he'd finished with fixtures and fittings as he put a slatted wooden wall round the bottom to push against, he said he wished he purchased a steel framed building

I just use a brush head inside the cover and push upwards a bit and it'll slide off the side before it accumulates too much, very easy to get off and cheaper than a cover

 

[primmiemoo]

I'd recommend snow wires. Chuckled about it when buying, but they did avert a disaster more than once.

Using a soft headed broom works, too.

 

[shearerlad]

@wilber original invoice for the tunnel

 

[primmiemoo]

Ah, I see the wires, both in the photos and the invoice. Apologies.

What a nightmare for you!

 

[shearerlad]

Ellipse are recommending not having wire, because it slows down the snow sliding off the plastic.

 

[jendan]

After this disaster back in December, I’m getting Ellipse Fabrications to replace my tunnel. So far, so good with pricing.
Like @Well Refreshed I was on their stand at Scotsheep and I was impressed.

View attachment 761604 View attachment 761606 View attachment 761608

That picture has put me off poly tunnels for life! No matter what make they are.

 

[neilo]

Ellipse are recommending not having wire, because it slows down the snow sliding off the plastic.

Dare I say that no tunnel will stand a good depth of snow like that building up on it, without ‘snow support’ legs to get in the way of everything.
I had two Polybuild tunnels side by side, with a metre gap between them, both 30’ x 150’.
If you’d had more sheep in them at the time, the temperature would keep melting the layer of snow on the plastic, making it slip off (my gutters used to stop it slipping off completely though, but off the top at least. Not always likely to have it full of sheep when it happens to snow of course.....

I certainly wouldn’t be put off having another if I wanted to house more sheep anyway.

 

[rancher]

I've put this up here before, you might get some ideas, I think you'll get the photos without paying.
It's up 7 years now and no trouble, there is different galebreaker available, that stuff lets in very little rain.
Yet lets in adequate ventilation 36ft wide by 120ft long, extremely well braced
https://www.farmersjournal.ie/polytunnel-is-a-low-cost-speedy-option-on-sheep-farm-163974

 

[jendan]

I've put this up here before, you might get some ideas, I think you'll get the photos without paying.
It's up 7 years now and no trouble, there is different galebreaker available, that stuff lets in very little rain.
Yet lets in adequate ventilation 36ft wide by 120ft long, extremely well braced
https://www.farmersjournal.ie/polytunnel-is-a-low-cost-speedy-option-on-sheep-farm-163974

Whats it like with a foot of snow on? Or maybe you dont get any.

 

[rancher]

Whats it like with a foot of snow on? Or maybe you dont get any.

Yea ;had it last year......twice, still there

 

[rancher]

Hoops are 6ft apart and have a brace either side and one across the top, hard to see it going out of shape.
We've had a lot of storms as well since it went up

 

[shearerlad]

That’s my tunnel almost back to working order! Just guttering and down pipes to do. We have put it up ourselves which has been a (very) steep learning curve.

 

[primmiemoo]

Looks great! ?

Is the boarding to halt driven snow?