Independent installer in Colchester
Dunster House installation across Colchester and North Essex
Dunster House's help centre says 'We do not currently offer an installation service on any of our product ranges' (checked September 2026). We are an independent builder based in Colchester, and we lay the base and build Dunster House garden buildings across North Essex and South Suffolk.
- Based in Colchester, covering North Essex and South Suffolk
- Base, build and finishing from one local team
- Built to Dunster House's published instructions
- Free, no-obligation quotes
Do Dunster House install? What their help centre says
The same help centre page suggests that if you would rather not build it yourself, you 'employ a local carpenter'. That is the job we take on.
Dunster House's terms describe its products as 'designed for Competent DIY assembly by two or more adults' (clause 14.1). Its help centre says that two able-bodied people working at a good pace take around two full days to finish a medium-sized log cabin. The base is a separate job that has to be finished first.
What turns up on your driveway on delivery day
Dunster House's help centre says goods are delivered 'to the first point of contact at the front of your property e.g. on your driveway', within 20m of the delivery vehicle, and that it will not carry items through a back gate, garage or house. Another help centre page says unloading can take up to two hours, and at the door you only confirm the number of packs.
If you have ordered a Severn 50/30 log cabin, for example, Dunster House's installation manual lists eight pressure-treated bearers 4,860mm long, wall logs up to 5,000mm long, 80 roof boards, 54 floor boards and 860 nails.
- Dunster House's terms ask you to raise damaged or missing items with the driver, and to report anything you find later within 2 calendar days of delivery (clauses 2.13 and 2.14). They add that this does not affect your statutory rights.
- Dunster House's terms (clause 2.9) say packaging 'must be disposed of by the customer'.
What we build across Colchester, Ipswich and Clacton-on-Sea
We build to Dunster House's published assembly instructions, whether you have ordered a Severn log cabin, a Dominator garden office or an Overlord shed.
- Log cabins and garden offices
- Summer houses and sheds
- Greenhouses, gazebos and pergolas
- Concrete slab or paving-slab bases, or laying your RapidGrid
- Felt, shingle or EPDM roof coverings, supplied with the kit or bought as an upgrade
- Timber treatment after the build, plus decking, paths and patios
What stays with Dunster House, and what we are responsible for
You buy the building from Dunster House and hire us separately to build it. Dunster House's terms say it is not party to agreements between the buyer and a third party (clause 14.6), so your agreement for the build is with us.
Dunster House's guarantee page says products must have been correctly installed, and its terms exclude guarantee cover for 'failure to correctly assemble the goods as per the assembly instructions' (clause 14.10), so we build to the published instructions. If we find a product fault, we ask you to report it to Dunster House first, because its terms say it will not reimburse a fix made yourself or by a third party without giving it a reasonable opportunity to put it right (clause 8.8).
- Between you and Dunster House: the purchase, delivery, product guarantee and parts claims
- With you: the packaging, and keeping the kit dry until the build
- With us: the base we lay, the build and any finishing work we agree
Access and planning to check before you book
Every part has to get from the driveway to the base, so tell us about side gates, steps and narrow paths.
The Planning Portal says outbuildings count as permitted development only within set limits and conditions, for example 'No outbuilding on land forward of a wall forming the principal elevation'. Listed buildings and designated land have stricter rules. Check with Colchester City Council, Tendring District Council or Ipswich Borough Council before you order.
What we build
Choose the building you have ordered to see what is involved and how we build it.
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Log cabins
Your log cabin kit built on a flat, level base, following Dunster House's instructions, with the roof covering fitted.
See how we build it
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Garden offices
A garden office you can work in: decisions to make before you order, a level base and a build that follows the instructions.
See how we build it
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Summer houses
Bought a summer house kit? We lay the base, build it to the instructions, fit the roof and can add a patio or deck.
See how we build it
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Garden sheds
Shed kit sitting on the drive? We lay a level base, build it to the instructions and fit the roof covering.
See how we build it
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Greenhouses
We build Dunster House greenhouses on a level, square base, handle the glass with care and can add a path around them.
See how we build it
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Gazebos & pergolas
Plumb posts, a solid base and the roof you ordered, built to Dunster House's instructions, hot tub gazebos included.
See how we build it
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Bases
Concrete and paving-slab bases, levelled and sized for your log cabin or garden building. RapidGrid laid if you have one.
See how we build it
How it works
- Tell us what you have ordered Send the model and size, your delivery date, whether you have a base, and photos of the site and the route from the driveway.
- Check the kit on arrival Check the parts against the component list within Dunster House's 2-day reporting window. We can go through it with you before a build date is booked.
- Site visit and free quote We look at the ground, access and boundaries, then give you a free, no-obligation quote.
- Base preparation We lay a concrete slab or paving-slab base, or your RapidGrid, and let any concrete dry completely before the build.
- The build We build the kit following Dunster House's published assembly instructions and fit the roof covering you have.
- Finishing and handover Timber treatment, decking or a path if you want them, then we walk round the finished building with you.
Garden buildings, bases and timber work we have built
Real photos from our own jobs around Colchester. See more in the project gallery.
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Garden building, Coggeshall -
Base preparation, Lexden -
Timber canopy with trellis, Lexden -
Raised deck with balustrade, Witham
Questions we are often asked
Do Dunster House install?
Dunster House's help centre says 'We do not currently offer an installation service on any of our product ranges' and suggests using a local carpenter. We are an independent Colchester builder, and we build Dunster House garden buildings.
Are you connected to Dunster House?
No. McKenzie Property Renovations Ltd is an independent building company, and we are responsible for our own work. Your purchase, delivery and product guarantee stay with Dunster House.
My kit has just arrived. What should I do first?
Check every part against the component list and photograph any damage, because Dunster House's terms give you 2 calendar days to report problems found after delivery. Keep the timber dry, off the ground and well supported, and do not treat or paint it yet: Dunster House's WarmaLog instructions say it will not replace timber that has been treated, painted or stained by the purchaser.
What if parts are missing?
Report them to Dunster House within those 2 calendar days. Its terms say missing items typically arrive within one to two weeks if parts are in stock, and ask you to check all parts before confirming an assembly date (clauses 2.14 and 14.2). That is why we check the kit before booking.
Do I need a base?
Yes. Dunster House's assembly instructions ask for a flat, level, square and stable base. We can lay a concrete slab or paving-slab base, or your RapidGrid, and our bases page has the detail.
Which areas do you cover?
We are based in Colchester and cover North Essex and South Suffolk, including Ipswich, Clacton-on-Sea, Witham, Chelmsford and Tendring.
How do I get a quote?
Use the enquiry form to send the model, your delivery date, your postcode and a few photos. Quotes are free, with no obligation.
Tell us what you have bought
Send us the model name and size, your delivery date and a photo of where it will go. We will come back to you with a free, no-obligation quote for Colchester, North Essex & South Suffolk.
Independent installer. You buy your garden building directly from Dunster House Ltd. Your purchase contract, delivery, product guarantee and any claims for missing or faulty parts stay between you and Dunster House; our contract with you covers our own work. We follow Dunster House's published assembly instructions on every build. McKenzie Property Renovations Limited is an independent building contractor, not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting on behalf of Dunster House Ltd. "Dunster House" and product names are used only to describe the products we build and remain the property of their owner.
Information about Dunster House is quoted from its own help centre and terms, and planning guidance from the Planning Portal, checked 27 September 2026.
