Please advise on building a home for my rabbits

I have two sheds at rectangles to eachother, and a disused vegetable patch in the middle. The area is about 5x13ft. The idea is to put the rabbits into one of the two sheds, make an exit by installing a cat flap, and turn the area between the sheds into a run. The area is reasonably shady because of overhanging trees, a garage etc. I have no DIY skills. The shed's a bit old, so the roof will need to be repaired.

So, what's the most cost-effective way of doing this, and has anyone got the time to mail me some instructions? I've been an avid reader of this forum for a long time, so I know I can't use chicken wire, and I know the rabbits might dig out if I don't have a solid floor. But I don't want to concrete over my vegetable patch, so some other solution will have to be found. I've put old carpet down for the moment, so that the weeds don't take over too much - can I leave that there?

Thank you for your time. Please help.

Well that's quite an awkward size. If it were 6ft x 12ft then you could easily make something using aviary panels. For someone with limited DIY skills aviary panels are great, you just need to screw them together. You could use them for the roof and the floor. Because you're limited to 5ft you would have to get them custom made which might be expensive. Making your own aviary panels isn't too hard, you just need to create a wooden frame using baton timber with a support beam down the middle and then staple the mesh to it. The hardest part is making them square but you can buy a carpenters square to make this easier.
For the floor I would put down mesh panels. On top of that you can put down turf, or you could put down some top soil and stamp it down really hard to make a compact soil surface. If using soil you would want to put some corrugated PVC sheets on the roof to keep the rain off.

lis said:

I have two sheds at rectangles to eachother, and a disused vegetable patch in the middle. The area is about 5x13ft. The idea is to put the rabbits into one of the two sheds, make an exit by installing a cat flap, and turn the area between the sheds into a run. The area is reasonably shady because of overhanging trees, a garage etc. I have no DIY skills. The shed's a bit old, so the roof will need to be repaired.

So, what's the most cost-effective way of doing this, and has anyone got the time to mail me some instructions? I've been an avid reader of this forum for a long time, so I know I can't use chicken wire, and I know the rabbits might dig out if I don't have a solid floor. But I don't want to concrete over my vegetable patch, so some other solution will have to be found. I've put old carpet down for the moment, so that the weeds don't take over too much - can I leave that there?

Thank you for your time. Please help.

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Do you want to use the vegetable patch still? I'm guessing not !

As stator said the perfect thing for the old veg patch area is to mesh underneath and lay turf over the top. This way you don't need to worry about them digging out, and you can always pull it up if needed. I wouldn't recommend leaving the carpet down as it can get soggy, mouldy and grotty

5 x 13 foot is an awkward size indeed! You'd have to make your own run from aviary panels, it wouldn't fit exactly but you can make it so it will go in that space Shouldn't be too expensive! I saw some very cheap ones on eBay a week or so ago, can't find them now but http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PANELS-MAKE-R...t=UK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry&hash=item27ba575576 isn't bad, pricewise. Or contact websites/local companies/eBay sellers for prics of custom-sized runs!

For the shed the cheapest way to insulate is with loft insulation, but I myself was worried about fibres. I've gone with 'space blanket' which is loft insulation contained within a bag so it's a lot safer and less risky that they might breathe in any particles. It's currently on offer at wickes at a really good price, it's usually £15 each and it's buy one get two free atm. Tape the insulation bags down onto the inside panels of the shed between the ....long....hard...supporty beam things (my brain just died, I think! what on earth is the name :shock: :shock: ). Anyway! yeah just tape them on (so it's easier to board over coz you're not holding everything) and then nail in pieces of 5/6mm plywood or some 3mm is hardboard onto the...supporty beam things! Most local places will cut to your sizes if you ask them to, so you won't have to saw it up just nail them in remember to allow enough room for both pieces of hardboard/plywood to fit on the support!

For the roof I'm not entirely sure how to re-cover it, but I know it's not a really difficult job! Nor particularly expensive.

I have a suggestion though - I know a lot of older retired men in my family who would love to help people out like that, put their skills to use and stuff! Maybe you should advertise in the paper/gumtree/freecycle etc for someone to come help you do these simple bits of DIY, you can provide tea/sandwiches/company etc, or even offer something back to them too? I dunno what they might want but I guess maybe some might want things like basic computer lessons (how to email :shock: ), anything really! I know there's a website dedicated to 'skill swapping' where you could advertise, but I think paper would be good as a first port of call

Thank you both so much for taking the time to reply. You've certainly given me stuff to think about. I'm on holiday at the moment, but when I get home I'll measure the space again, to see if I can't fir a 6x12 ft run instead (the side is a hedge, so by cutting the hedge a bit it might be possible. I was only measuring roughly before).
I could certainly do with this kind of nice grandad-type person, so I'll give this some sort. Certainly don't mind returning the favour with skills that are more up my street. Your relatives aren't down in Kent by any chance???:wave:There's nobody DIY-ish in my family, and it feels like a real handicap! It sort of feels like we ought to learn, but for the rabbits it ought to be good, plus time's a factor when you don't know what you're doing.

And we get a builder to fit the cat flap, is that right?

lis said:

Thank you both so much for taking the time to reply. You've certainly given me stuff to think about. I'm on holiday at the moment, but when I get home I'll measure the space again, to see if I can't fir a 6x12 ft run instead (the side is a hedge, so by cutting the hedge a bit it might be possible. I was only measuring roughly before).
I could certainly do with this kind of nice grandad-type person, so I'll give this some sort. Certainly don't mind returning the favour with skills that are more up my street. Your relatives aren't down in Kent by any chance???:wave:There's nobody DIY-ish in my family, and it feels like a real handicap! It sort of feels like we ought to learn, but for the rabbits it ought to be good, plus time's a factor when you don't know what you're doing.

And we get a builder to fit the cat flap, is that right?

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Is the cap flap in the shed? If so, any DIY-skilled person should be able to! Just drill a few holes to cut the shape out, and bung in it I think a lot of the DIY-handicap that you and so many other people have is the lack of tools to do the job - my stepdad has a whole garage full of every tool possible so we're able to do any DIY we need because of this. But if you don't have the tools you're kind of stuck and it works out a lot cheaper to employ someone to do it rather than buy the tools yourself and have to store them! My stepdad has 5 kids (3 of his own, and me and my brother) and he spends every weekend helping one of us or doing things around his house! Last weekend he spent doing up my old dolls-house, FOR FUN. :shock:

And nope, nobody in Kent we're all in Worcestershire unfortunately

In terms of time it shouldn't take hugely long - if you choose easy insulation that's not long to put up, hardboard/plywooding inside the shed doesn't take a huge amount of time either especially if the wood is pre-cut, re-covering the shed roof is an hour or two also, and the run won't take long either! So in terms of time investment it should be pretty easy to do, it's just a bit daunting when you're on your own and have to approach other people to help, etc!

I've had another thought, you could try advertising in pet shops on those little cards they have? The person reading it might not be able to, but they might have someone they know! Especially if you can offer cash for helping out with it, money is tight so people would be more than willing to come help for a day for some extra money I reckon

How stuck in do you want to get with the DIY? Making your own panels isn't too bad. If you go to a timber merchant and some DIY stores they'll cut pieces to size and then you'd just need to screw them together and hammer on the the mesh with nails (or by a stapler (more expensive but quicker).

A lot of places that sell panels will also custom make them to the size you want. I wanted a run 7' long so I got two 3' wide panels and a 1' one. It works out cheapest if you can find someone local enough to you to deliver by van instead of needing a delivery service.