Chester 8 Aviary - Painted

We have been in business for over 40 years! In the late seventies, my wife and I embraced the timeless lifestyle of self-sufficiency, cultivating a vegetable garden, raising goats for meat, cheese, yogurt, and milk, and tending to chickens, ducks, and geese for eggs and nourishing meals. We even had a trusty horse, a woodpile, and a compost heap, embodying the true spirit of the "Good Lifers." To support our endeavors, we decided to venture into crafting our own animal housing.

We decided to test the market by placing a simple classified ad in the local newspaper. Little did we know that this humble three-line advertisement would lay the foundation for a lifelong dedication. The cost of our market research amounted to a mere £2.75, and yet it became the catalyst for a journey that would span decades.

Early on, we realised that each house we constructed and every customer we served had the potential to become a passionate advocate for our work. Thus, our aim was always to surpass expectations. As animal keepers ourselves, we understood the importance of accommodating the needs and instincts of our "tenants." Furthermore, we recognised that for the "landlord" to maintain a high standard of husbandry, the housing had to be accessible and functional. Since our creations would be displayed prominently in people's gardens, aesthetics played a significant role. Attention to detail and those delightful embellishments, reminiscent of a pattern on a cherished plate, became our signature. As one satisfied customer exclaimed, "This is housing that even my neighbour can be proud of".

Over the course of forty years, our journey has been a tapestry of laughter and tears, successes and failures, mistakes and triumphs. We've embarked on countless adventures, including facing the business end of a machine gun and holding a ladder for a real-life Friar Tuck, who insisted on trying out my trusty hammer drill from a towering height of twenty feet. However, the most rewarding aspect has always been the people we've encountered along the way. We've shared pints with a duchess at the local pub, enjoyed cornflakes in the company of a noble lord, and spent an entire day engrossed in conversations about doves and dovecotes with a renowned filmmaker and his charming actor wife. (By the way, there's a treasure trove of stories waiting to be discovered on my blog!)

It is often said that if something isn't broken, there's no need to fix it. That timeless adage perfectly encapsulates our unwavering commitment to our roots, which remains as steadfast today as it was four decades ago.

Yes, when you add your chosen animal housing to the cart you will see a variety of add on options to customise and modify your order.

Most of the add ons we have available are the result of listening to our customers and what they need to help them provide the best possible care for their animals. Such as a cat guard for our tortoise tables or an automatic door opener for our chicken coops.

If there is something that you need that is not listed, please get in touch, we would be happy to discuss what you need and see what we can do. We haven't said no yet!

Our animal housing is built to the highest standard and with the best products available to ensure they will stand the test of time.

Their designs are all carefully considered to give keepers the best chance of keeping a high level of cleanliness and maintenance for the housing.

We recommend applying an overcoat every year. The housing is already treated against rot, this is a secondary clear treatment that protects against moisture ingression, and seals the exposed end grains.

We have many repeat customers who come back to us for more housing having experienced the Granddad Rob Standard.

Occasionally we are contacted for replacement roofs or sections which we are happy to help with - it is worth noting that this is usually a couple of decades later!

Yes all of our pricing includes VAT.

All items are handmade to order in Britain and as such can have a delivery time of up to 6-8 weeks. All our prices include the cost of shipping to Mainland England & Wales. If you live in Scotland or the Islands please contact us for a shipping quote, sometimes there is no additional charge as it depends on the size and weight of the product you are ordering. All our orders are shipped via a specialist courier and require a signature on delivery, so please ensure that the delivery address you give will have someone available to sign for the goods, if this causes you a problem please contact us and we will arrange with the courier for them to leave the goods for you.

If you are an overseas buyer, and would like a specific quote for despatch to your region / country, then please contact us with your requirements - including what items you wish to purchase - and we will respond to you with a quotation and delivery options.

Our workshop is located in Kent England, where we design and build our premium animal housing. If you would like you can schedule a visit to our workshop in Kent to see our animal housing and discuss your requirements. Please contact us to arrange an appointment.

Our workshop is exactly what you would expect...its worked in. The walls are stroon with jigs and profiles, some of which I can’t remember what they’re for. There’s ‘clutter corners’ where I keep my must keep treasures, personally, I get uneasy when I see shops that are so tidy it beggars believe that anything is actually made there. Customers are very welcome, but they have to wipe their feet … on the way out.

NO QUIBBLE, NO FUSS ASSURANCE.
Be assured that you have 14 days from delivery to evaluate our work. If for any reason you are unsatisfied, then firstly we would like the opportunity to address your issues, and get you back ‘onside’. However ultimately if you strap the house back on the pallet we will arrange to replace the entire house, or arrange a refund.

FIVE-YEAR GUARANTEE.
For five years after purchase if any part of your housing requires replacing, for a fault that is clearly our responsibility, we will send you replacement parts and the appropriate fixings to effect a repair.

HOWEVER.
Granddad Rob Designs Ltd will not consider itself liable for the deterioration of your house that we consider is due to misuse or lack of upkeep. The timbers used are pressure treated prior to building so well protected against rot. However, we strongly recommend that your housing is treated at least once yearly with our water repellent, animal safe, timber treater, Overcoat. Overcoat forms an invisible, water repellent layer over the house, so lessening the moister uptake that in time could promote timber decay.

You can order directly through our website or if you would like to speak to someone you can call our workshop on 01233 822 457

We relish the opportunity to make bespoke animal housing. If you have a ‘wanting’ then please contact us, the worst that can happen is that we say “no” but it’s not happened yet.