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Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

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It seems that everyone has been into DIY projects lately. From baking sourdough and growing scallions to tie-dyeing old shirts and recreating real-life paintings with objects found around the house, the lockdown has clearly given us too much time.

But one savvy dad from Rochford, Essex has taken his DIY skills to a whole new level. After browsing for a treehouse online for his kids, Marc Ely, 33, realized that he could make one for a fraction of the $2,400 retail price. Marc rolled up the sleeves and in 3 days, he built an incredible playhouse fortress with a tower, a swing, and a rock-climbing wall. Made from only scaffold materials, the wooden buildings cost him $205 only. And we get the dad. With kids running errands between the four walls all this quarantine, nothing’s impossible to keep them entertained out of the house.

Dad Marc built a play fortress for his kids in his back yard using only scaffold materials

Image credits: Caters

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

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Image credits: Caters

Marc said that the lockdown gave him a lot of spare time on his hands and his daughter Bella had always wanted a treehouse. “I looked online and the ones with swings, stairs, and a slide were over £2000 and I knew I could do this playground myself.”

Fortunately, Marc has his own scaffolding business and could use up the materials from the yard. “The only things I had to buy for kids playground I was making were the wood chippings, swings, slide, rock-climbing stones, and paint from Amazon, eBay, and B&Q.”

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters

The DIY-savvy scaffolder spent 8 hours a day and 3 days in total building this impressive structure

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters Clips

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The Daily Mail broke down the castle on a budget shopping list—wood chipping: $11 from B&Q, swing: $18 from eBay, heavy duty slide from Amazon retails around $120, rock climbing stones: $41 from eBay, charcoal grey paint: $15 from B&Q. The essentials can be bought for a total of $205, which is a tenth of the retail price.

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters

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Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters

Marc’s 8-year-old daughter Bella and 3-year-old son Blake helped dad with painting and shoveling

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

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Image credits: Caters Clips

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters Clips

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: Caters

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Image credits: Caters

Image credits: Caters Clips

This is what people had to say about Marc’s creation

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

Savvy Dad Builds An Impressive Fortress For His Kids In Back Yard After Seeing How Expensive Tree Houses Are

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Liucija Adomaite

Liucija Adomaite is a creative mind with years of experience in copywriting. She has a dynamic set of experiences from advertising, academia, and journalism. This time, she has set out on a journey to investigate the ways in which we communicate ideas on a large scale. Her current mission is to find a magic formula for how to make ideas, news, and other such things spread like a virus.

Liucija Adomaite is a creative mind with years of experience in copywriting. She has a dynamic set of experiences from advertising, academia, and journalism. This time, she has set out on a journey to investigate the ways in which we communicate ideas on a large scale. Her current mission is to find a magic formula for how to make ideas, news, and other such things spread like a virus.

Mindaugas Balčiauskas

I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

What do you think ?

ZombieGirl 4 years ago

Im sorry for being that person...but if I had a privacy fence, Id be upset if my neighbor built a playhouse taller than my fence like that. I like total privacy when I'm in my yard

23points

Grumble O'Pug 4 years ago

Agreed.

2points

Load More Replies...

berry cat 4 years ago

If you like total privacy, why would you live with a neighbour?

-1point

Monika Soffronow 4 years ago

I am certain that he got the neighboursä approval before building it. Those fences are hideous anyway!

-1point

Dianna Siever 4 years ago

We just dropped $250 on wood alone for a tree house platform. Everything else will be of pallets. If the wood's free, as in his case, sure it's doable; but this title is misleading.

17points

SAF saf 4 years ago

I agree, i just bought the cheaper knotty pine, common board for a built in book shelf (8'ftx4'ft) and i easily blew through $200.

2points

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Marcellus the Third 4 years ago

The [I assume AU]$205 seems based on having access to any amount of scaffolding materials for free? Trying eBay UK, I get at cheapest £8 per 8ft reclaimed (grade C) board. Then add the poles and fixings and climbing holds, plus touches like paint, it's well over £1000.

11points

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ZombieGirl 4 years ago

Im sorry for being that person...but if I had a privacy fence, Id be upset if my neighbor built a playhouse taller than my fence like that. I like total privacy when I'm in my yard

23points

Grumble O'Pug 4 years ago

Agreed.

2points

Load More Replies...

berry cat 4 years ago

If you like total privacy, why would you live with a neighbour?

-1point

Monika Soffronow 4 years ago

I am certain that he got the neighboursä approval before building it. Those fences are hideous anyway!

-1point

Dianna Siever 4 years ago

We just dropped $250 on wood alone for a tree house platform. Everything else will be of pallets. If the wood's free, as in his case, sure it's doable; but this title is misleading.

17points

SAF saf 4 years ago

I agree, i just bought the cheaper knotty pine, common board for a built in book shelf (8'ftx4'ft) and i easily blew through $200.

2points

Load More Replies...

Marcellus the Third 4 years ago

The [I assume AU]$205 seems based on having access to any amount of scaffolding materials for free? Trying eBay UK, I get at cheapest £8 per 8ft reclaimed (grade C) board. Then add the poles and fixings and climbing holds, plus touches like paint, it's well over £1000.

11points

Load More Comments

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