How To Build Your Glamping Business With Shepherds Huts –

There has been a surge of interest in how to build a glamping business with shepherd’s huts, so in this article, we consider how much a shepherd hut costs, how to build a shepherd’s hut of your own, and other information available to help you start up your own glamping business as a lifestyle alternative to the 9 to 5.

How to build your glamping business with shepherds huts

In a renaissance of “staycations”, “Glamping” and other wanton portmanteaus, holidays in the UK, USA and Europe are bigger than ever and the rising popularity of luxury camping means that couples, groups, and families can enjoy a stylish and affordable break close to nature. New, exclusive, and well-hidden destinations are launching with great success and many established campsites are branching into boutique luxury camping whilst moving away from the dated imagery of cramped caravans and portaloos.

As a result, many campsites and landowners are investing heavily in their facilities and accommodation to deliver something new and exciting for this growing market. Whether it’s the addition of a luxury Shepherds Hut, a yurt, tipi or a simple bell tent, a new arrival is great for helping that campsite stand out and increasing profits.

How much does a shepherds hut cost?

So, how much is a shepherds hut? We go into a bit more detail about the cost of building a shepherd’s hut below. What many campsites old and new may lack however is the capital needed to make that investment, especially when they find out how must a shepherd’s hut costs. With a sudden rush to meet the needs of discerning campers, many stunning locations without the funds to invest are at risk of being left behind. How can a luxury campsite with high potential but low capital get involved in Glamping?

In response to this, some Shepherds hut companies have decided to make the investment themselves in a number of selected high-end holiday businesses across the UK by providing their luxury Shepherds huts at no capital cost to the campsite.

By offering Shepherds Huts for Hire, self-build or build your own shepherds hut UK, with a simple rental scheme in place, the campsites are free to make a profit with the huts, while focusing their own capital funds on branding and infrastructure, such as bathrooms and kitchen areas.

With purchase prices for the full glamping fit, luxury hut starting from £14,000, the Shepherds Huts can sleep up to four on cosy double, single and bunk beds in a choice of layouts. These spacious retreats and hideaways come with sheep wool insulation, and gorgeous wood-burning stoves, making them a warm and cosy place to stay 365 days a year.

Bedding and firewood are provided, so guests simply need to arrive and relax. They can even feature solar-powered lighting and phone chargers too.

This makes them more practical for the campsite, which won’t have to invest capital in installing electrical cables, and great for the campers, many of whom may be lost in this day and age without their smartphones!

Even if purchased outright, a single hut could pay for itself within less than two years- At a rate of £70 a night; even just having 100 nights booked in a year (less than 30% occupancy) could generate £7000.

With their year-round appeal, they have a potentially higher number of bookable nights than an alternative tent, yurt or tipi as their season is longer.

With a rental share, whereby the hut is provided at no capital cost, starting from as little as £3,600 a year or £300 a month, a campsite can start generating profit from bookings before even making their first payment!

Want to build a shepherd’s hut?

These huts were placed at sites like Deepdale Backpackers, Whitlingham Broad Campsite, and Top Farm in Norfolk with great success.

Shepherds Huts provide access to selected locations from boutique Glamping sites to outdoor wedding venues, such as Weddings and Wellies in Yorkshire. Not only this but they can also be provided as a dedicated amenity and shower block or a mobile office.

If you want to build your own shepherd’s hut then you will need to consider:

1. What do you want to use the shepherd’s hut for
2. With that in mind, how big it needs to be
3. If you want double doors or a single entrance
4. If you want it to be traditional or more modern
5. If you need permission to locate it

Things to consider in the costs of building a shepherd’s hut

As explained in the previous paragraph, if you do a lot of the work yourself you can save on a significant cost that usually goes to the builder. However, glamping is all about the finer quality details and the end result so only take this option if you are sure you can do a good job. If this is your first attempt at building anything, let alone a shepherd’s hut, then it’s probably best to leave it to the experts. But what exactly does a shepherds hut cost?

Shepherds hut cost

The cost of building a shepherd’s hut has been influenced by the significant rise in the cost of materials in recent years so it is worth doing your research before you buy the materials. Also, some builders have very little experience producing good quality shepherds huts, even though they say otherwise, so always make sure you test the product before you buy, take a look at the builder’s previous work and speak with their past customers to make sure they can deliver on their promise, especially if you are on a tight timescale.

How to build a shepherd hut and the permissions needed

If you are wondering how to make a shepherd’s hut, before you start, realise that even though a hut can be on wheels this does not mean you can avoid having to obtain permission if you intend to use it as a tourism business you will offer paying guests. However, if you just intend to keep it as a spare room for your personal non-paying guests then this is a different matter. This topic is complex so take a look at some of the finer details about that in this post about planning permission.

Once you have the permissions that you need in place, the next step is to decide how to build the shepherd hut.

It is good to know that some companies provide the raw materials ready to build, which you can buy off-the-shelf. So if you are handy with carpentry skills this avoids having to pay for someone else to build the shepherd hut, allowing you to put your saved funds towards the interior.

However, if you are like me and not so good with a hammer and nails, your only other option is to pay for a hut building company to do the work for you or to get your friendly local builder to do it instead.

A traditional shepherd’s hut is raised up on wheels. This was so it could be towed from field to field to allow the shepherd to follow their sheep herd. The wheels were metal and narrow, which does not make for a very strong structure for towing on modern roads today. This is why many hut builders do not use the traditional wheels but instead opt for no wheels at all or more modern alternatives.

Can you build your own shepherds hut UK, Europe or worldwide?

If this doesn’t appeal then there is always the option to build your own shepherds hut UK and worldwide.

All you need are the materials and plans, which you can buy for a discounted amount through providers.

If you do not have the skills to do it yourself then the key here is to source great materials and expertise from a dedicated team who can do the work for you.

For more information on how to set up a glamping business, please read our article here or take a look at The Ultimate Glamping Business Start Up Guide by Sarah Riley. 

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