Little Cottage Company
DIY Sheds, Greenhouses, Playhouses, Dog Kennels, Chicken Coops, & Hunting Blind
Playhouse
Upgrades
Deck & Rails
Lofts
Ramps
Windows
Shutters
Flower Boxes
Cupolas
Doors
About the Little Cottage Company
About Little Cottage Company:
There’s something special about a child’s smile. So special, in fact, that several years ago, those very smiles changed my life when I started using my talent for woodworking to build playhouses. As I saw kids’ faces light up again and again, I felt an enormous sense of satisfaction knowing that I was playing a small part in helping these families make memories together. I wanted to continue to create this moment over and over for parents and children everywhere. So in 1999, I created The Little Cottage Company and have continued to expand our catalog to include a variety of high-quality structures for adults and children alike.
Nestled in the heart of Ohio’s Amish country, The Little Cottage Company resides in a quaint slow-paced setting where old-fashioned craftsmanship and attention to detail have never gone out of style. Our experienced carpenters and skilled designers take great pride in creating top-quality pre-built models and DIY kits of playhouses, storage sheds, and personal chapels.
Note from the Owner of the Little Cottage Company:
When my daughter was born, I designed Sara’s Victorian Mansion. I will always remember how her face lit up when she saw that perfect little house as she kissed me and exclaimed, “Thanks, Daddy!” This beautiful little mansion was exactly what she had always dreamed of, and perfectly sized, too. Every time I look into the beautiful little faces of my four children…their eyes wide with pure joy, their smiles bright with adoration…I feel good knowing that I’ve given them a place where their imaginations can run wild, where their creativity can flourish, where tea parties are everyday occurrences, and where kids can be kids.
Why Little Cottage Comapny
Quality
Our experienced carpenters and skilled designers take great pride in creating top-quality products, and provide you with a product that will serve your needs and wants for years to come.
Service
Customer Service is especially important to our company. We want to make sure that you are 100% pleased with your purchase. We make every effort to provide you, with what you need and want.
Innovative Products
Our company is always working on new ways to serve your needs. Whether we are designing a new product, searching for top quality raw materials, or developing a new program, we are always looking to better ourselves for you.
Easy DIY Kits
Little Cottage Company has designed easy-to-construct Panelized kits and Pre-cut kits. Panelized Kits come with pre-assembled walls and Pre-cut kits are pre-cut, primed, labeled and ready for paint. You will only need basic carpentry skills and a few basic tools. Both styles are primed and ready to paint, the customer will provide shingles, drip edge and paint. Our kits have been successfully assembled by people all over the world.
Memories
Build a lifetime of memories. Whether you purchase a playhouse for your children or a garden shed for your hobby, you will enjoy a lifetime of memories.
Family-Owned
Little Cottage Company was started in 1999, by Dan Schlabach, a father who enjoys putting smiles on his children’s faces. “There is something special about a child’s smile. So, special in fact, that several years ago, those very smiles changed my life when I started using my talent for woodworking to build playhouses” ~ Dan Schlabach, President
Types of DIY Shed Kits
What Form Suits Your Needs!
Panelized Kits: Our Panelized Kits come preassembled, primed and ready for paint! Panelized means the walls are in panelized sections, everything else precut and labeled for you! With these kits the customer provides the shingles, drip edge, and paint.
Precut Kits: Our Precut kits come with everything precut, labeled, primed and ready to assemble. Customer needs to purchase shingles, drip edge, and paint.
DIY Floor Kit: When purchasing one of our DIY kits you have the option to purchase a floor kit from our company or to purchase on your own at a local lumber yard. This is just to allow our customers the flexibility to lower their shipping costs or to customize their own flooring. *Some styles and sizes of kits will come standard with a floor. Manual: Both our Panelized and Precut kits will come with a link to a full color downloadable online manual.
Value Shed Series $
* 24” o.c. Wall Studs
* 3/8” Quality LP Smartside Siding with 8″ on Center Grooves (Primed)
* 7/16” OSB Roof Sheeting
* 16” o.c. Floor Joists with Optional Floor Kit Purchase
* 5/8” OSB or Plywood Flooring with Optional Floor Kit Purchase
Classic Shed Series $$
* 16″ o.c. Wall Studs
* 7/16” Quality LP Smartside Siding with Architecturally Correct 4″ on Center Grooves (Primed)
* 7/16” OSB roof sheeting
* 16” o.c. Floor Joists with Optional Floor Kit Purchase
* 5/8” OSB or Plywood Flooring with Optional Floor Kit Purchase
Colonial Shed Series $$$
* 16″ o.c. Wall Studs
* 7/16” Quality LP Smartside Siding with Architecturally Correct 4″ on Center Grooves (Primed)
* 7/16” OSB roof sheeting
* Wider Trim
* Colonial Louvers
* Colonial Hinges
* 16” o.c. Floor Joists with Optional Floor Kit Purchase
* 5/8” OSB or Plywood Flooring with Optional Floor Kit Purchase
Wood Siding
Wood Siding
Most of our wood buildings are constructed with LP Smartside®. LP Smartside® is a quality wood based product, which is treated to resist rot, termites, and mold. It also comes with a 5 year replacement/ 50 year limited warranty. Smartside® is considered to be a “green” building material, because it is a renewable resource having a low environmental impact.
Optional Floor Kit
Flooring Information
DIY Floor Kit: When purchasing one of our DIY kits you have the option to purchase a floor kit from our company or to purchase on your own at a local lumber yard. This is just to allow our customers the flexibility to lower their shipping costs or to customize their own flooring. *Some styles and sizes of kits will come standard with a floor.
| When you purchase one of our Do-It-Yourself playhouse kits, you have the option with many of our sizes (8’x6’, 8’x8’, 8’x10’, 8’x12’) to purchase a floor kit from Little Cottage Co. which contains the wood floor panels and instructions needed to assemble them. If you would prefer to build your own floor, we will provide you with a material list and directions. The supplies you will need, such as wood 2’’x4’’s, 5/8’’ plywood and 4’ x 4’ pressure treated runners, can be purchased at your local home improvement store. |
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Whether you choose to purchase a floor kit from us or build your own floor, we do recommend installing a floor under the playhouse. The playhouse floor provides the proper elevation to keep the house off the ground and prevent the wood from rotting because of dampness. In addition, the floor holds the playhouse walls in place and makes it easier to move. If you purchase the deck and rail option on your playhouse, it is essential that you use 4’’ x 4’’ pressure treated runners to give the house the correct height to ensure the child’s door can clear the deck. Our 4’ x 6’ playhouse kit comes with a factory standard floor built by our experienced craftsmen. Our 10’ x 12’ kit, either the Victorian or Cape Cod styles, does not include a floor kit option and customers are responsible for building their own. |
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Site Prep
Site Prep
Customer is responsible for all site prep and permits
Option A: Crushed stone: we recommend using crushed stone (3/4” clean) approximately 4-5” deep. We also advise that you have 12” of stone around the perimeter of the outbuilding to control weeds and keep moisture away from the building.
Option B: Concrete Pad: Another option would be to have a concrete pad installed. If you are going to have a concrete pad installed, remember to keep the pad as close to ground level as possible. We recommend that you make the pad 12” wider on each side of the building.
Be sure your site is level.
-Using crushed stone or a concrete pad will increase the longevity of your building/playhouse. Having the proper site allows needed air flow, which will keep your building/playhouse looking great for years to come!
Site Preparation
*Please Note: Site preparation refers to the site in which you will place the complete building, it does not give specifications on the floor of your structure. Please call if you are looking for measurements for your building to have a concrete floor.
All preparatory work of the site is the responsibility of the property owner. Whatever surface you choose to place your playhouse on, that surface should extend out approximately 1’ wider on all sides of your structure. Most importantly, be sure you have a level surface for your building.
There are several ways to prepare your site including the following:
Crushed Stone– We recommend using crushed stone (3/4″ clean) approximately 4-5″ deep. We also advise that you have 12″ of stone around the perimeter of the outbuilding to control weeds and keep moisture away from the building. Before installing the stone, you can either dig out 4″ of soil and simply make the stone ground level, or you can make a frame with 4″x4″s or landscape timbers and then fill flush to the top with stone.
Concrete Pad– Another option would be to have a concrete pad installed. If you are going to have a concrete pad installed, remember to keep your pad as close to ground level as possible. We recommend that you make the pad 12’’ wider on each side of the building.
Using crushed stone or a concrete pad will increase the longevity of your building/ playhouse. Having the proper site allows needed air flow, which will keep your building/playhouse looking great for years to come!
Permits: If it is necessary to obtain a building permit or cross a neighboring property, it is the buyer’s responsibility to obtain a neighbor’s permission of the necessary permit prior to delivery.
Customer is responsible for all site prep and permits
FAQ & Delivery
Q: How will my kit be delivered?
A: When you purchase a Little Cottage Company Playhouse Kit from WoodenPlayScapes.com, it will arrive to you on a securely packaged pallet. Please be sure to note any damage with the driver. Your Outdoor Wooden Playhouse Kit can easily be assembled by 2 adults in 4-8 hours (except for Sara’s Victorian Mansion). The pieces on the pallet will weigh anywhere from 40 to 60 pounds each (some larger kits may weigh up to 95 lbs each piece). Panelized walls and alphabetized directions will make for an easy assembly!
Delivery of DIY Playhouse Kits:
Little Cottage Company playhouse kits are shipped nationwide via common carrier. When your shipment is expected to be delivered via common carrier, you will be required to have 2 people there to help unload. Your shipment will arrive on a pallet (number of pallets will vary with size of building). The truck driver will help remove the bands and wrapping on the pallet, the 2 people will then be required to unload each panel piece by piece from the truck. However, if you so choose, when you purchase your playhouse you can pay an additional fee to have your playhouse delivered with a lift-gate. When purchasing lift-gate, the truck will pull up to the end of your driveway, and using the lift-gate will simply lift the pallet off the back of the truck and into the end of your driveway. When lift-gate is purchased you will only be required to have 1 person available to sign for the shipment.
Q: How long does delivery take?
A: Kits: We have playhouse kits in stock for immediate shipment. Most kits will arrive within 5-7 business days from date of order. Most Storage Shed Kits are made as they are ordered and can take anywhere from 1-3 weeks to ship, please call for further information. Kits will arrive by common carrier (see above for further delivery instructions).
Pre-built: The Pre-built units can take between 2 and 4 weeks to deliver, this is due to the custom nature of these units. Pre-Built units will be delivered by our driver.
Little Cottage Co. does ship nationwide!
Q: What type of foundation is necessary?
A: The most important thing is that the site is level. We recommend a crushed stone, patio block, or concrete pad to form a base, however the base of our playhouses are constructed of treated lumber and may be placed directly on the ground. When preparing a base you should make the base one foot wider on all sides of the playhouse. For further information please go to our Site Preparationpage.
Q: How tall is the playhouse?
A: Each playhouse differs in height. Depending on which playhouse you are interested in you can go to the specific page and the height will be listed there. (typically, the small playhouse 4×6 is roughly 6’ high. The 6×8, 8×8, and 8×12 are roughly 8’ high. The 10×12 cape cod and Victorian are roughly 9’ high).
Q: What is drip edge?
A: Drip edge is an aluminum piece that will be installed along the edge of the roof of the playhouse. The shingles will be installed over top of the drip edge. This can easily be purchased at your local home improvement store or lumber yard.
In order to help with the longevity of your new playhouse roof, you will need to purchase an aluminum drip edge from your local home improvement store. The drip edge will help ensure that water will not seep under the roof shingles (preventing rotting wood), but will instead follow the edge around the rim of the roof and release the water onto the ground. The Drip Edge is not to be confused with the Gingerbread trim.
Q: Once the playhouse is in place will we be able to move it?
A: If you want the ability to move your playhouse in the future, it will be necessary to purchase and install the 4×4 runners.
If your playhouse has the 4×4 runners you can call a local towing company, with a flatbed and a winch, and they will be able to move the unit.
If it is necessary to move your playhouse from one area of the yard to another, you can use heavy wall pvc pipes, you can call us at 1-866-665-0105.
Sample Instructions
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Tools for Assembly
ITEMS NEEDED TO ASSEMBLE
YOUR D-I-Y PLAYHOUSE KIT
Build a memory that will last a lifetime!
When you purchase one of our Do-It-Yourself playhouse kits, you will receive all the hardware needed for assembly. The only thing you need to purchase are roof shingles and drip edge. If you purchase a floor kit for your house, it will come treated and ready to place on the ground.
We will also supply you with instructions on how to find our online manual. The manual includes approximately 120 color pictures with step-by-step instructions. What could be easier than that! You just need to supply the labor!
Before beginning to assemble your DIY Kit you will need the following items…
Cordless drill, 12 volt or higher
Step ladder
Chalk line
Utility knife
Hook knife (for utility knife to cut shingle)
Square Drive Bit #2
Speed Square or Triangle Square
Hammer