Haygrove vs First Tunnels ?

[CaroleInWales]

I moved to Wales 2 years ago with the intention of investing in a really big polytunnel, but unfortunately the house/location was a disaster so I sold up and am now in rent and about to move to my second new home soon. While I was at 'disaster' I bought a very small polytunnel from 'First Tunnels' just to keep myself sane. I was very pleased with it generally, although I think the large blue lettering on the plastic is an eyesore and digging the holes for the anchor plates was a real chore. Am now planning to purchase a big tunnel for new home, and came across Haygrove. There's lots about the Haygrove I like - looks nice, good heavy frame, easy securing with spikes, very well fitting doors etc. However, I went to see one near here and the cover seemed very loose. The owner told me he occasionally has to re-tension it, and sometimes the clips ping off. I'm moving to a house way up in the Welsh hills, so I really don't want to be re-tensioning the cover every few days, or risk it blowing off. Unlike First Tunnels, the Haygrove cover seems not to be in one piece - the ends and sides seem to be cut separately and then just clipped onto the frame. It really doesn't sound like it will stay tight for any length of time. What are other people's experience ? I really need to make a decision soon, as I want to order as soon as we exchange contracts. Please help me decide !

[VirginVegGrower]

I have a Haygrove, which has been up for a year. No clips have pinged off. We put the cover on when the weather was warm. For me it was that or a Keder, because I didn't want to look out on a tunnel of the standard type. But the Haygrove won it for me on it's anchoring system - 3' steel rods, its roll up sides to reveal enviromesh and its higher sided shape. It ticked all my boxes owing to our exposed location. I know others on here but located in Scotland have them.
I can't tell you whether it needs retensioning after a period of time as it's only been erected twelve months.
I love mine.

[zazen999]

I have to say that VVG's Haygrove Poly is a total dream.

[VirginVegGrower]

I have to say that VVG's Haygrove Poly is a total dream.

Cheers love, but yours is bigger

[zazen999]

It is but it wasn't put up right!

If we could have my size and your quality then we'd be just right.

[VirginVegGrower]

There's a joke in here somewhere

[SarzWix]

I've got a First Tunnels tunnel The blue writing on the sheeting is only there if you get a thermal anti-fog cover, to make sure you put the right side of the sheet facing in. If you get a standard clear sheet, it has no writing on it. I got a lot more tunnel for my money with a First than I would have with a Haygrove. In fact, I'm not sure I would have got any kind of Haygrove for the money I had available! The difference in price would go some way to paying for help to erect it, then you wouldn't need to dig anchor plate holes

As for standing up to the wind, I suspect it's a case of '6 of one, half a dozen of the other' - you can get storm bracing for a First Tunnel, and I've seen a video or two of them standing up to howling gales on the side of a coastal hill with no damage.

I guess it comes down to what's important to you and what your budget will stretch to

[redser]

I'd say that with both you are at the fine end of the wedge and they will both to the job excellently. It's just the agony of choice

[VirginVegGrower]

When it came to my tunnel, if it had been for an allotment it would have been an agricultural looking poly. For home aesthetics played a part. Depends if you will be looking at it. Plus the build quality on a Haygrove and on Keder is outstanding. Metal doors, not wooden framed. Feels like opening/closing a double glazed door. But as you said in your original post, they are done in two pieces. You have to get it drum tight, like you would with any cover, including I should imagine, First Tunnels.
If budget isn't an issue the Haygrove do build them.
It's interesting to have the impartiality of a grape who saw ours in build status and who builds tunnels with schools on a regular basis. I've only ever been in other tunnels, never built them, so never seen the build quality underneath the skin.
Is your new home on an exposed/windy site? In recent gales where my greenhouse was rattling, my polytunnel was an oasis of calm. The heat I get in it compared to the greenhouse, is always a lot warmer. Sometimes by as much as 10°c over the greenhouse.
I suppose as Sarz says, budget may play its part here too, although I suspect if so you'd never have looked at Haygrove in the first place.
I suggest you put pros/cons down of both and your box tickers, such as aesthetics, anchoring, budget or whatever they may be.

[SarzWix]

With an 'ordinary' polytunnel you can opt for a lot of the frames and fixings to be aluminium, such as the base rails, and you can opt for sliding doors which look nicer than the standard timber framed ones. Having built 2, I wouldn't worry a bit about stability, as long as the cover is tight. If you use base rails rather than a trench, getting it right is a cinch.

I think it will come down to 2 things: aesthetics and space. You will get nearly twice the space for your money with a normal tunnel, but if what it looks like outweighs that, or your space is limited anyway, then that may be the decider

[CaroleInWales]

Fortunately, cost is not a significant issue for me. I shall pay whatever is necessary to have the size and quality I want. Having had a First poly before, albeit a small one, I'm aware of all the pros and cons. I definitely prefer the look and 'finish' on the Haygrove, and my only real concern is that the cover will be loose and will need regular tightening, or even blow away up in these Welsh hills. The poly I had from First was drum tight because we stretched it tight and nailed it to the frame. The Haygrove relies on these clip things which apparently sometimes ping off. Have any other Haygrove owners had problems ? How often do you need to re-tighten the cover ?

[VirginVegGrower]

I have not had any pinging off and living on top of a windy hill, if it was going to ping off, it would have done by now. You have a zigzag mesh at the bottom that pulls your skin into the groove of the rail. It goes nowhere. I would suggest it's more efficient than nailing as it's not driving through your cover. The top clips are so tight they are a swine to get on. How they have come off I don't know. On top of that you put the green covering tape with yes, yet more super tight clips. Did this guy build his by himself? Or were the team at Haygrove responsible? How long had it been up?
I've just checked mine and yes, we are still drum tight. We took days to get ours right. If you were nearer, I'd say come and take a look.
I can understand you wanting assurance before outlaying that kind of money, but I am so pleased with mine and when I asked the question about Haygrove on here - do a search for Haygrove - it had no negative feedback from those who have them. Ring the company and ask them about your fears, having seen this recommended one. Maybe he's loosened his clips, in keep tensioning it. Putting it on in heat obviously helped in ours.

[VirginVegGrower]

I have not had any pinging off and living on top of a windy hill, if it was going to ping off, it would have done by now. You have a zigzag mesh at the bottom that pulls your skin into the groove of the rail. It goes nowhere. I would suggest it's more efficient than nailing as it's not driving through your cover. The top clips are so tight they are a swine to get on. How they have come off I don't know. On top of that you put the green covering tape with yes, yet more super tight clips. Did this guy build his by himself? Or were the team at Haygrove responsible? How long had it been up?
I've just checked mine and yes, we are still drum tight. We took days to get ours right. If you were nearer, I'd say come and take a look.
I can understand you wanting assurance before outlaying that kind of money, but I am so pleased with mine and when I asked the question about Haygrove on here - do a search for Haygrove - it had no negative feedback from those who have them. Ring the company and ask them about your fears, having seen this recommended one. Maybe he's loosened his clips, in keep tensioning it. Putting it on in heat obviously helped in ours.

I found the thread for you... http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ers_63875.html

[CaroleInWales]

Thanks for this VVG. I'll look at the Haygrove Owners thread, but I'm pretty well convinced now. I'll go for the Haygrove. I'm pretty sure the guy who's poly I saw had built it himself, cos he advised me to do my own and not spend extra money having it done for me. I have spoken several times to a lovely lady at Haygrove, and she assured me there would be no problems, but I guess the cynic in me says "she would wouldn't she". I shall order a nice big one, along with some extra clips, and get them to erect it. Can't wait.

[VirginVegGrower]

I have seen them climbing on top of a Haygrove poly at the Malvern show. It's their party trick. Can't say I want to try it but it kind of reassures you on their build quality. If you can afford to have them build it, do so.
We couldn't be any more exposed to prevailing winds up here and that was a major factor in my decision to have an anchoring system with threaded rods every few feet rather than corner anchoring. Our greenhouse is bolted to 12-14" concreted base.
Good luck with your purchase. I would recommend the trellis wires both ways. Strong steel cables for hanging stuff off and tying up to. I will put some pictures up on my album for you. I also have a blogger account called Polly in the tunnel which detailed our choosing, buying, building.