Solar Polytunnels Ltd

We bought our first Solartunnel in 1995, a 7.5m long 'Elegant' with the vertical sides. Whilst not subject to really extreme conditions, living within sight of Dartmoor we get our share of strong SW winds at any time of year, so wanted something suitably robust. It has served us very well, suffering damage only once, in August 2007, when a particularly strong and squally wind tore both parts of the main covers, already 12 years old, requiring their replacement. However, the ends remained intact and are still in place today. Last year we were very pleased to be able to buy a second model of the same dimensions to sit alongside the first. (We also purchased a spare set of the main covers, not because we need it now, but as an insurance policy should importation be more difficult post-Brexit. I hope we won't need them for many years!) For us the main advantages are: 1. There is some slight leeway regarding construction, a) if the site isn't quite as level as a bowling green, which our rough grassland certainly isn't, and b) the ground screws, being separate to the frame, are put in place before the covers go on, and can be resited if the first attempt at sinking them fails. This is a real plus on our heavy clay soil over a deep layer of large stones, bedded in more clay, from just a few inches down. This stage took the longest but is definitely worth the effort. 2. Having never built a conventional polytunnel, I was very daunted by the thought of having to battle with one massive sheet of polythene, so having a cover in pieces was much less terrifying! We had practical-minded neighbours to help with the first one, but managed this year with just the two of us. The tensioning tool provided is a huge help. Yes, they are more expensive than most polytunnels, and I did investigate cheaper alternatives the second time, but knowing deep down that I really wanted the same again. There are some weaknesses in the instruction manual, which consists of many pages of illustrations & diagrams without text, but any phone calls for advice are always answered in a friendly and helpful manner. Overall we are very satisfied with the product and the service, and have not had a moment's regret on choosing this company.
Dec 27th, 2020

When we first bought our solartunnel this company (which appears to be a single individual working part time) was very helpful, from there, it all went downhill. 1)The 6M wide tunnels are not suitable for windy conditions without massive post market modifications, despite the advice to the contrary. The basic problem is that the only thing holding the tunnel together is the cover which comes in sections. In a big wind, once one cover has let go, the rest acts as a massive sail and twists and contorts until it shreds the whole structure. The tiny twists of wire holding the structure to the tie downs do not help. With conventional tunnel construction, you might loose the cover, but the structure would remain. 2) The instructions and assembly instructions are hand drawn and extremely difficult to follow, given the cost of the product, this is quite unbelievable. 3) They do not publish prices anywhere, beware. 4) Replacement covers are often a poor fit (some have not fit at all) . In 2017 a single bay cover was 140. The total cost of replacement covers (with ends and door covers) for our tunnel would then have been approx 1170. A conventional replacement cover would be less than 300. Add to this the excessive cost and the increasing unhelpfulness of the company when ordering spares makes this a total non starter. Buy a conventional tunnel at a fraction of the cost that will last much longer.
Jun 29th, 2020

May 6th, 2017