📊 How much does it cost to build a greenhouse?

What is the true cost of building a greenhouse? This calculator reveals the hidden expenses that catch many gardeners off guard. Enter your estimated costs below to see if you can comfortably afford the entire project.

The sticker price of your greenhouse is only the starting point. As Embracing Harvest puts it, this greenhouse kit which had a sticker price of $3,300 cost her over $8,000 when it was all said and done. Budget for shipping and municipality permits, since you do need a permit a lot of the time for a greenhouse. So count on 100 bucks, 150 bucks. You also need extra hardware, better screws, and specialized greenhouse tape.

A greenhouse needs a level, solid base like rot-resistant cedar wood and crushed stone to survive natural freeze-thaw cycles of the soil. Assembly is complicated and takes multiple people weeks to finish.

If you aren't handy, budget heavily for professional contractors. As Embracing Harvest notes, if she asked someone to do the exact same base that she put there it would have cost $1,800 for someone to come and do the space. They also said it would cost them $1,500 to put together this size of greenhouse. She saved money doing the grueling labor herself.

Once the shell is up, you still need to build out the interior to actually grow food. This includes deep raised beds, soil delivery, automatic venting windows so you do not cook your plants, and bringing in an electrician.

Enter your total budget to see if you can comfortably afford the true cost of the completed project. As Embracing Harvest reminds you, you do not need a greenhouse, and there are plenty of other ways that you can be extending your gardening season without a greenhouse. It is a beautiful luxury, but budget for the entire project before you buy.