Moving home and large garden play equipment

[MurderOfProse]

We're currently living in rented after escaping negative equity and selling our old home. It's a nice house but probably not our "Forever" house even if we were able to buy it.

It's going to take us a number of years to scrape together another deposit and stamp duty to buy somewhere again, plus due to the nature of the rental (old lady in care home - her children act as landlord to pay the fees, would be surprised if they didn't want to release the equity by selling when she passes) we're pretty much on borrowed time.

We're a fair old distance from the nearest park, and with three DC 6 and under, we'd absolutely love for the children to get some sort of garden play equipment, like a swing/slide/climbing frame thing. Probably wooden. Nothing too spectacularly huge, but we're thinking at least a slide and two swings and maybe some monkey bars. Like this. Something that would probably take us both the entire day to assemble with a bit of judicious swearing of course.

However DH has reservations because if we need to move (once, maybe twice) in the next few years, he thinks it's going to be a massive pain moving the thing.

What happens when you move house with these things? Do the removal people just deal with it? I'm betting even if they took it to bits they wouldn't reassemble it? Is it going to be an enormous hassle?

Thanks for any thoughts/anecdotes!!

[specialsubject]

this kit is usually movable (just seen someone nearby moved into a rented house and build the most wonderful wooden play castle!!)

BTW how long is your lease? You are there to the end of it regardless of any death. If you are good tenants, your landlords may be quite happy for you to stay a while, giving them one less thing to worry about. Even if it does sell, your lease is unaffected, you just get new landlords.

[MurderOfProse]

I figured it could probably be taken apart, but I'm not sure of how big a task this is likely to be and who would be expected to do it!

Our lease was a 12 month one that we signed in November - and I have no idea what happens when it expires, whether we'll just default to a regular rolling 2 month notice one, or if we'll be able to sign a new 12 month one. We really like the house but it's hard not having the security of knowing if we'll still be here a year later. I wish we could sign a 3 year lease because there's no way we'll be ready to move before then.

[brainonastick]

Could you buy second hand, and then sell via eBay when you move? The purchaser to come and disassemble. The price differential often isn't too much, and that way you don't have to take apart and move the thing.

Although, to be fair, you'd then have to get a new one for your new place.

[brainonastick]

Or, if you do want to keep it, then go for a metal frame for easier disassembly and moving (much less bulky and lighter). TP do good ones.

[specialsubject]

diverting again to the subject of the lease - if it expires with no new lease, you then go on to a rolling contract, 2 months notice on the landlord's side, one month on yours.

why don't you ask for an extension? Nothing to lose by asking. Think what you could offer the landlord - maybe a higher rent fixed for three years, or some redecoration/new carpets at your expense with the same rent, etc etc.

[SmellsLikeWeenSpirits]

Buy a second hand tp explorer or navigator from ebay, easy to put together / take apart and won't eat enormously into your savings like a wooden one will

[GibberTheMonkey]

We just moved it all with us.
We have loads of outside stuff, furniture, playhouse, rabbit and chicken houses of all sorts etc. Just bear in mind it's extra removal costs

[wendybird77]

Our wooden climbing frame is cemented into the ground. It wouldn't be easy to move. I would get a metal one - much easier to disassemble and move.

[MurderOfProse]

For some reason I hadn't thought of metal ones at all! The TP Explorer (or even the Challenger) looks perfect, and when we get our "forever" home, assuming we can manage it before the children leave home(!) we could get an enormous wooden jungle then I guess!

specialsubject - Despite having rented for years as a student and for a while afterwards, I never intended to stay anywhere long enough to consider what happens after 12 months.. I did not know you could ask for extensions! We certainly will be asking, I had been under the impression we got 12 months of security then that was it!

Thank you everybody

[Mandy2003]

TP ones often come up on Freecycle. Then Freecycle it onward when you move!

[Winceywoo]

In our previous house, we had a TP challenger climbing frame with slide, and also a TP double swing frame. We dismantled the swing and took it with us - the metal tubes took up very little space in the removal lorry. We decided to leave the climbing frame as it was just too much hassle in the middle of winter to take apart. Also, the charm of a swing is that it appeals to all ages. My mil loves it!! I would highly recommend TP for any outdoor play stuff, but keep it simple if you want to take it with you. The swing frames have lots of different items you can add to keep it fun over the years.

[MurderOfProse]

Thank you very much - very useful information. As we're in rented I suspect deposit-deducting shenanigans if we left anything so that is something to consider as well.