Greenhouse frame as a business. Own business. Selection of equipment for greenhouse production. To get started, you need to purchase

Every second owner of a private house or dacha has a positive attitude towards the possibility of installing a greenhouse on their farm for growing cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, strawberries and even flowers. However, few have sufficient experience or resources to independently design and build such a structure.

Taking into account this circumstance, the production of polycarbonate greenhouses is a highly profitable type of business that can be opened even in your own garage: the popularity of this type of greenhouse structures is mainly due to the affordable price and high performance characteristics of the materials used for their manufacture.

Business Features

Entrepreneurs who consider the manufacture and sale of polycarbonate greenhouses as a promising business are attracted to this type of activity primarily by the low capital intensity of production and the high liquidity of the equipment used: it is enough to invest 170–200 thousand rubles in the purchase of ordinary power tools and find suitable suppliers of fairly common building materials.

Demand for greenhouses peaks in early spring and late fall. Therefore, it is best to start implementing this at the end of February in order to develop a sufficient client base by the beginning of the season. As for the cold season, greenhouses and various winter gardens become in demand at this time. Due to the structural complexity, the cost of such structures is several times higher than the price of standard greenhouses, however, their construction requires a certain amount of experience and skills: this is where the knowledge accumulated in the summer comes in handy.

It is also advisable to learn how to build a thermos greenhouse with your own hands for winter growing: such designs are in demand among farmers and entrepreneurs who are engaged in floriculture or cultivating crops such as green onions, dill, parsley and strawberries throughout the year.

The business has a profitability of 100–120%, but that is why it is quite difficult to find a free market niche: in large cities, supply significantly exceeds demand. The solution can be either the formation of competitive advantages that are interesting to the consumer (price promotions, warranty support, short order fulfillment time), or an even narrower specialization - for example, the production of industrial greenhouses. In addition, when developing a marketing strategy, you must always remember who the target audience of the business is:

Owners of summer cottages and subsidiary plots who are interested in vegetable growing in order to meet their own needs;
Farmers for whom selling greenhouse products is the main or additional way of generating income;
Industrial greenhouse complexes covering tens of hectares.

Types and purposes of greenhouses

Regardless of who becomes the buyer of such a greenhouse of its own production, the basic requirements for its design will be approximately the same - durability, strength, adaptability to regional climatic conditions, ease of use and low price.

In addition, when choosing a model, everyone is guided by their own motives. The owner of a site on which a landscape designer has worked thoroughly will be more likely to be interested in a stylish appearance and an original architectural solution, while an entrepreneur considering one will primarily pay attention to the operational characteristics and the ability to adapt the internal space to specific production needs.

Preferences are to a certain extent influenced by the list of plant species that are supposed to be cultivated in artificial conditions: for example, for planting tomatoes, or a rectangular structure with vertical walls is needed, since in the first case the bushes are large and grow poorly under arched vaults, and in the second - flower pots are placed in several tiers.

In addition to classification by purpose (seedlings, vegetables and flowers), greenhouse structures are also divided according to shape into:

Rectangular with a gable roof. The frame of the greenhouse externally resembles a house with walls up to 1.5 m high and a ridge located at a level of 1.8–2.2 m. Thanks to this shape, the owner does not have to bend his head while working, and the vertical arrangement of the walls allows plants to be placed on racks and shelves. Another advantage of the design is the large slope of the roof: when making greenhouses from polycarbonate, the calculated value of the snow load can be reduced, since the snow will slide down under the influence of gravity;
Arched. In this case, the basis of the greenhouse frame is arches with a radius of 2–2.2 m arranged in a row. Due to the absence of corners and planes, the structure is characterized by minimal consumption of covering material, good light transmission and high resistance to wind loads, however, snow from horizontal sections of the roof must be removed manually. In addition, the manufacture of arched greenhouses requires special equipment, and therefore it is quite difficult to build such a structure from scrap materials;
Rectangular with sloping walls. The shape of such a greenhouse is an intermediate option, combining the advantages of arched and gable structures. Due to the fact that the walls are installed at an angle, the useful area of the base increases, and the amount of reflected sunlight decreases;
Wall-mounted. If the permanent structure (house, barn) is located well, a greenhouse with a pitched roof can be attached directly to its wall: this option allows you to save on building materials and make the most efficient use of the site area. In addition, in some cases, the entrance is arranged directly from the room, turning the structure into a greenhouse;
Polygonal. Octagonal buildings with a hip roof are constructed primarily for decorative purposes, using metal and glass (less often, monolithic polycarbonate) as materials for making greenhouses. Nevertheless, the design is not without practical advantages: at different times of the day, each of its faces is illuminated by direct sunlight.

Technology for the production of polycarbonate greenhouses

Step-by-step making of a greenhouse with your own hands is a technologically simple process that is accessible to anyone with minimal experience in handling power tools. Installation of a standard design in this case includes the following steps:

Construction of the foundation. Construction materials and type are selected based on the requirements and financial capabilities of the customer;
Making the frame. Using special equipment for the manufacture of greenhouses, the cutting of the main elements is carried out. For processing wood, circular and band saws are used; for cutting and bending profile pipes, metal-cutting and rolling machines are used;
Assembly of the structure. A frame is assembled on the prepared foundation, which is subsequently sheathed with polycarbonate sheets;
Installation of additional elements. Work on the construction of a greenhouse is completed with the installation of doors, vents with manual or automatic control, heating and watering systems, shelving, as well as arrangement of beds.

Foundation

The construction of a foundation, including a greenhouse foundation, requires preliminary marking and leveling of the surface of the site. Then, in accordance with the nature of the soil, a specific structure is selected - strip, block, brick or wood. It should be noted that the cost of manufacturing a greenhouse from polycarbonate directly depends on the chosen option: a strip foundation is considered the most expensive and durable, and one made of timber at a low cost requires replacement every 5–6 years. However, each type is characterized by its own advantages and disadvantages:

Wooden from timber 100x100 mm. In addition to the low price, the main advantages of this type include low weight, accessibility and mobility: if necessary, the structure can be disassembled and moved to a new location. However, despite the antiseptic impregnation, wood in conditions of high humidity and constant contact with the ground becomes unusable after a few years;
Blocky. Before installing such a foundation, you need to dig a trench around the perimeter of the greenhouse, and then place concrete blocks in it and level them in a horizontal plane. The high cost of the structure in this case is due to the labor intensity of construction and the need to use lifting equipment for the production of polycarbonate greenhouses, which is fully compensated by the service life measured over decades;
Brick or stone. To lay natural stone or brick, you must either have the skill of a mason or be able to attract qualified specialists to the construction. In terms of cost, such a foundation is the most expensive, and in terms of service life it practically does not differ from a block foundation;
Tape. A complex and expensive foundation - to build it you need to dig a trench, install formwork, tie reinforcement and pour concrete. Accordingly, making a polycarbonate greenhouse with your own hands requires including a concrete mixer, a welding machine, shovels and a wheelbarrow for transporting earth in the list of equipment. Despite the high cost, this solution is one of the most popular due to its reliability, durability and the ability to obtain a perfectly flat base.

Frame

When making a polycarbonate greenhouse with your own hands, to assemble the frame, you can use any materials that have sufficient strength - rolled metal, wooden beams, plasterboard profiles and even polypropylene pipes. However, despite their lightness and low cost, the last two options are quite rare in mass production - the domestic buyer prefers more solid structures:

Wooden frame. In addition to low thermal conductivity, this option is characterized by ease of installation and ease of processing of elements - to make a wooden greenhouse, it is enough to have a hacksaw and a screwdriver at your disposal. All elements are assembled on corners and screws, and then treated with antiseptics or drying oil. Significant disadvantages of a wooden frame are its high price and fragility;
Steel frame. The basis of this design is rolled metal - an angle, a channel, a square or rectangular pipe. To make a greenhouse from a profile pipe, it is advisable to use galvanized elements, since at high humidity, even annual repainting does not save the metal from corrosion. The main advantages of a steel frame are durability and practicality, while the disadvantages include increased thermal conductivity, the presence of thermal deformations (which is especially important in the manufacture of large industrial greenhouses) and the complexity of installation: mainly welding or bolted connections are used for assembly.

Coating

Due to its low thermal conductivity, high strength and reasonable price, cellular polycarbonate is the optimal material for making a greenhouse. This thermoplastic with a thickness of 3.5 to 10 mm is produced in sheets 2.1 m wide and 6 or 12 meters long: when designing a structure, it is advisable to take these dimensions into account to avoid waste.

The only drawback of the material is high temperature deformation, reaching 5 mm per meter of length (taking into account the difference between winter and summer temperatures). Therefore, to fasten sheets, special connections are used that allow some mobility of the polycarbonate relative to the frame:

Plastic thermal washers. The large diameter (33 mm) and the presence of an elastic sealing ring allows such a fastening element to reliably hold the sheet even in strong winds, and the cap provided by the design protects the screw head from corrosion;
Detachable or one-piece H-profile. In this case, the profile itself is attached to the frame, and the sheets are inserted into its side grooves and held there by friction. This greenhouse production technology requires precise calculation of thermal gaps to avoid polycarbonate falling out of the profile in winter and “swelling” in summer;
Galvanized tape. The sheets are laid overlapping on the frame and pressed at regular intervals with a tightly stretched steel tape. It should be noted that this method of fastening can only be used in arched structures.

Polycarbonate has open honeycombs, into which not only dust and dirt, but also various insects easily fall. To protect the ends of the sheets, all joints are sealed with perforated plastic tape, and the lower edges are additionally protected with U-shaped end caps.

Room

As a business, the production of greenhouses on a wooden or metal frame does not require a large premises: the final assembly of the structure and cutting of sheets is carried out exclusively on the customer’s premises. You can carry out one-time orders even in your own garage if you install a machine for making polycarbonate greenhouses here, however, as the scale of the enterprise increases, the need for territory for storing raw materials and finished products inevitably arises. Therefore, at a certain stage of business development, you will have to look for a workshop that meets the following requirements:

Total area - from 40 m² including storage facilities;
Ceilings 3.5–4 m high up to the ceiling;
Connection to electrical networks with voltage 220/380 V;
Heating available for winter use.

In large regional centers, such production space can be rented in industrial zones at a rate of 200–250 rubles/m² per month.

Equipment

Organizing a business in the production and sales of polycarbonate greenhouses involves the purchase of not only power tools, but also specialized equipment designed for working with rolled metal. For example, making an arched-type greenhouse with your own hands from a profile pipe requires a special pipe bending machine: depending on your financial capabilities, you can choose a low-performance model with a manual drive, or a more powerful version with an electric drive.

A concrete mixer, shovels and wheelbarrows for earth are used in the construction of strip and block foundations, and a welding machine is used in assembling the frame and tying the reinforcement. To save on transport services, it is advisable for an entrepreneur to also have a car at his disposal for transporting equipment, frame parts and polycarbonate sheets.

Equipment list

Name	price, rub.
Angle grinder (grinder)	2500
Roll forming machine for greenhouse production	56000
Pendulum cutting machine	21000
Concrete mixer 200 l	13000
Welding machine	7000
Cordless screwdriver	3500
Aluminum ladder	2500
Drill	4000
Jigsaw	3500
Measuring and marking tool	4000
Consumables, drills, abrasive discs	2000
Hand tool	5000
Total:	124000

Financial investments and profits

When calculating the volume of initial investments, an entrepreneur needs to take into account not only the costs of purchasing equipment for the production of greenhouses, but also the costs of conducting an active advertising campaign. Developing your own website can be a successful way to attract customers: buyers often study the prices and characteristics of products from different manufacturers on the Internet.

Initial Investment

The amount of current monthly expenses is determined primarily by the size of staff salaries. Of course, at the initial stage, you can start making greenhouses yourself, but as the flow of customers increases, you will have to additionally hire two installers to assemble the products, and one craftsman to work in the workshop.

Current monthly expenses

To calculate the profit from the manufacture and installation of polycarbonate greenhouses to order or for sale, you need to draw up a detailed estimate, including the cost of purchasing material and fasteners, as well as the cost of all related work.

Estimate for the production of a greenhouse 3x6x2.2 m

Name	Qty	price, rub.	Amount, rub.
Galvanized profile 20x20x2 mm	98 m	102	9996
Polycarbonate 2.1x6 m	4 things.	1650	6600
Connecting profile	12 m	50	600
End cap	12 m	42	504
Perforated tape	26 m	16	416
Roofing screw 5.5x25 mm	300 pcs.	1,2	360
Polycarbonate thermal washer	300 pcs.	5,7	1710
Loops	8 pcs.	20	160
Total:			20346
Foundation
Tape	18 m	—	8000
Blocky	18 m	—	5300
From timber 100x100 mm	18 m	—	1200
Price for strip foundation:			28346
Price on a block foundation:			25646
Price for a timber foundation:			21546

The market value of such a product without a foundation is at least 25,000 rubles, and the profit from its sale is 4,654 rubles. It should be noted that with large production volumes, the price of the greenhouse can be further reduced by receiving a wholesale discount when purchasing profiles, polycarbonate and hardware.

Construction works

With a continuous flow of customers, four people (including the owner of the business) can manufacture and install up to 15 arched greenhouses within a month. Income in this case is determined not only by the size of the product itself, but also by the type of foundation.

Income depending on the type of foundation

Advertising campaign

Video on the topic

In order to quickly and reliably recoup the initial investment, you need to start building a client base even before searching for premises and purchasing equipment. If preliminary market research shows the presence of significant demand and the absence of major competitors in the region, you can adjust the list of equipment and purchase, for example, more powerful machines. In general, to find first buyers they use:

Placement of advertisements and advertising blocks in newspapers and magazines for gardeners;
Promoting your own website and using the free capabilities of the Internet - publishing advertisements on sites and social networks;
Posting advertisements and leaflets on poles near dacha and garden cooperatives, as well as in nearby villages and hamlets;
negotiations with owners of farm and industrial greenhouses.

We should not forget about the formation of competitive advantages. For example, some manufacturers increase the price of greenhouses within reasonable limits, but include free assembly of the frame or installation of a timber foundation.

Conclusion

The production of greenhouse structures is characterized by many advantages, the most important of which is the demand for products among a wide range of consumers. In this case, customers can be not only private clients, but also commercial structures - farms or industrial complexes. For entrepreneurs interested in starting a business making polycarbonate greenhouses with their own hands, the video material will allow them to study the technology with a clear example.

Greenhouse business plan - we present detailed calculations, payback periods for this business, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of running it.

Capital investment in a greenhouse: 15 000$
Business payback: 2-3 years
Profitability level: 15%

With proper organization and management, a greenhouse can bring stable large income to its owners.

However, entering into a business without understanding its principles is an almost 100% guarantee of unprofitability.

Therefore, a greenhouse is often organized by those who have extensive practical experience in this field.

But even the most experienced person will need greenhouse business plan.

Advantages and disadvantages of organizing a greenhouse

Advantages	Flaws
You can start a business with minimal investment.	Cost effective only for southern regions.
Subsidies from the state are possible.	A business organized by an insufficiently competent person is guaranteed to become unprofitable.
Pays for itself quickly.	High energy consumption.
There is a dispute both in retail chains and among retail buyers.	It is necessary to think over a product storage system (short sales period).

Greenhouse business plan: planning

It’s worth starting with the fact that greenhouse farming is divided into three main groups: growing vegetables, flowers and herbs.

How the business will be built in the future depends on the chosen direction.

It is believed that the latter option is simpler and more cost-effective than others.

At first, it will be possible to grow greens even in a greenhouse that you assembled with your own hands.

At the same time, the business of selling such products is considered very profitable.

Summary and Objectives of the Greenhouse Project

In the introductory part of the greenhouse plan, basic information about the enterprise is indicated: type of activity, location, information about the owner.

But business planning also necessarily includes the goals that the entrepreneur sets for himself.

For a greenhouse business, the goals in the plan may sound like this:

Organize greenhouse farming to meet retail demand in the selected region.
Establish wholesale sales of products to retail chains.
Scale up business activities by adding less common crops to the assortment for sale to restaurant enterprises.
Reach a profit level of N million rubles per year.

Marketing section of a greenhouse business plan

Although greenhouse business has many specific features, it also requires a marketing section in the plan.

This includes all analytical information that will help organize a profitable business.

Let's consider two main points - target audience and competitor analysis.

Who are the buyers of greenhouse products?

The plan typically analyzes who the average buyer is.

For a greenhouse, analysis of purchasing power in the region is also very important.

After all, an entrepreneur can select a product to grow based on the intended target audience.

Businessmen planning to start small and work only with retail should bet on simple, popular greens.

This includes green onions, parsley, dill, lettuce - the standard set.

Also popular retail products include radishes and strawberries.

When the business expands, you can introduce an additional seasonal product into the assortment - seedlings of various crops in early spring.

But entrepreneurs who aim to organize a large-scale business should focus exclusively on wholesale sales.

For this purpose, cucumbers and tomatoes are mainly grown.

Another niche of consumers that you can target are owners of cafes and restaurants.

As a rule, they often have a need for some relatively exotic crops.

A businessman can take the risk of growing a couple of species of fancy plants in a greenhouse and thus occupy a narrow niche. The benefit is that the prices for such goods are correspondingly high.

Analysis of the level of competition in business

Competition analysis is an essential part of any planning, including a greenhouse business plan.

However, in fairness, it is worth noting that the level of competition in the greenhouse business is generally low.

For analysis, it is necessary to select all representatives of this field in your region. Their activities are considered according to the following points:

What products are grown in greenhouses?
What volume of goods are offered for sale?
Are customers satisfied with the quality of the product offered?

When studying information, it is also important to take into account the demand of the population of the region or those areas where you plan to supply goods.

You need to approach the analysis comprehensively.

After all, even if you now have 2-3 large wholesale customers, there is no guarantee that you will continue to cooperate in a year.

In addition, you should always consider the possibility of expanding your business over time.

Greenhouse room

The description of the location and premises is of particular importance.

For example, if an entrepreneur plans to grow agricultural crops, it is important to assess the quality of the land in the chosen location.

Also in the additional information you need to indicate how close the reservoirs are and whether the water is of high quality.

What transport hubs or highways are nearby?

This is important to know because greenhouse products are often very difficult to transport (they have a short sales period).

So an entrepreneur should look for sales locations as close as possible to the greenhouses and have convenient means of transportation to increase profits.

Equipment for business in a greenhouse

In terms of the greenhouse, the entrepreneur must pay special attention to the description of the technological processes of organizing the work.

First of all, identify which greenhouse model will be used and why.

Technical aspects are described in as much detail as possible.

They note who will do the installation work and how much it will cost.

It would be a good idea to note why this particular company was chosen and provide examples of their successful work.

This is important when, with the help of a plan, an entrepreneur is trying to attract investors or obtain credit funds.

Greenhouse staff

Greenhouse business plan should include detailed information about personnel.

The entrepreneur lists in the document the names of positions, the number of employees, and their job responsibilities.

Financial information must also be indicated: salary for the year, possible bonus payments and planned rate increases.

Subsequently, the plan is supplemented with an established work schedule and even a vacation schedule.

Opening schedule

The calendar plan is drawn up so that the entrepreneur himself and investors can track the organization process.

Is everything going according to schedule and have any steps been forgotten?

The schedule acts as a guideline that you need to return to from time to time.

Event	1 month	2 months	3 months
Conclusion of a land lease agreement
Purchase and installation of greenhouses
Installation of additional lighting, ventilation, heating, watering
Search and recruitment of personnel
Purchase of seeds, soil, chemicals
Beginning of work

Financial section of a greenhouse business plan

The financial section is the most important part of any business planning. The greenhouse growing plan is no exception.

Costs of starting a greenhouse business

The costs of starting a greenhouse business will not scare you with numerous zeros in the final amount.

Moreover, you can start small: build a greenhouse with your own hands, and instead of an irrigation system, purchase an ordinary garden hose for 1,000 rubles.

This approach will allow you to start a business with minimal investment.

Current monthly expenses for greenhouse business

It is important for an entrepreneur to remember: in addition to the costs of organizing, there will also be expenses for its maintenance and development.

All these points need to be listed in the business plan.

The video below provides an example of a successful greenhouse business:

Payback period for a greenhouse business

Although farming is not a particularly booming industry these days, it can be a highly profitable business.

If you maintain profitability at the level of 15-20%, the investment will pay off in 1-3 years.

The payback period depends on the size of capital investment, the scale of the business, as well as the selected type of product.

For example, for a flower business, an entrepreneur will need to invest 3-4 times more money than in.

At the same time, growing vegetables turns out to be 3-4 times less profitable than growing greens!

The final choice of products remains, of course, with the entrepreneur.

The main thing is to think through and record in greenhouse business plan all essential details.

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People in big cities are tired of the hustle and bustle, so they are increasingly buying plots of land, where they are building their own dachas and doing business. This trend has only strengthened in recent years. It is for this reason that business in this sector is becoming more and more attractive. You can make money both from or and from the production of greenhouses.

This equipment uses an automatic control system. You can pre-program the location of mounting holes along the entire length of the profile. The roll mill gives the profile the necessary radius deflection, which makes it possible to produce arched elements.

Part of the equipment:

Cassette type mill. Necessary for rolling a new “greenhouse” profile.
Pneumatic perforated shears. Necessary for cutting products on narrow profile production lines.
Unwinder of metal tape 200 mm. The rolled blank is installed in the technological chain. It is then unwound and fed for slitting or cross-cutting up to a width of 200 mm.
Line ACS system (automated control). Necessary for complete automation of production.
Hole punching unit (pneumatic)

When purchasing equipment, instructions for making profiles are included.

How does the production line work?

Make greenhouses and greenhouses taking into account the following data:

optimal width – 3.5 meters;
low wall height – 1.5 m;
length – no more than 6 m;
door width – 1 m;
the best frame material is metal (durable and durable).

Making a frame with your own hands

How to assemble a polycarbonate greenhouse?

How much money is needed?

Full production:

purchase of equipment – 700,000 rubles.
purchase of materials – 300,000 rubles.

Cost of transparent cellular polycarbonate (manufactured in Russia):

Thickness, mm	Weight 1 sq.m., kg	1 sheet (2.1x12 m), rub.
4	0.8	4 500
6	1.3	7 300
8	1.5	8 800
10	1.7	10 200
16	2.7	20 000
20	3	22 000
25	3.5	25 000

Additionally, there are additional costs for renting space - this is about 15,000 rubles.

Business payback(not only production, but also sale of greenhouses, installation) - about 6 months. With an uninterrupted flow of customers, this period will be much shorter, because you can return all investments in the business by manufacturing 5 greenhouses - that’s 2 months.

Establishing a sales market

An important factor is the availability of a sales market. If you already have one, then it is quite possible to recoup all investments in the first 2–3 months from the start of the business. Therefore, before opening a business for the installation and assembly of greenhouses, it is advisable to create a customer base. This is done in all available ways: through newspaper advertisements, posting about services on Internet portals. You can offer services to people involved in...

Of course, you need to understand that this business will be relevant only during the summer season. Peaks in demand and consumer activity occur in autumn and spring. In winter, many entrepreneurs reorient their business towards the construction of greenhouses. But we must keep in mind that the production of winter structures will be much more expensive. In addition, to make greenhouses you need to have additional knowledge.

Sales price of greenhouses made of cellular polycarbonate with steel profile:

Size (LxHxW), m	Cost, rub
4x2x3	15 000
6x2.5x2.6	20 000
8x2,1x3	22 000
10x2.5x2.6	39 000

Other garage production options

Sandwich panels

Considering the growing demand for thermal insulation materials, this direction will be beneficial for Russia. The technological line together with the installation costs 3 million rubles. We will introduce you to the production technology of sandwich panels, capital investments and features of product sales. Key points are described in.

Release of cinder block

Cinder block is an easy-to-make building material. In terms of price, it is significantly inferior to brick and foam block. It describes the technology, necessary components, equipment and other important points for starting a business.

Furniture making

– one of the cheapest garage business options. When purchasing inexpensive equipment, the investment is about 70,000 rubles. But there is an option with minimal investment - to assemble furniture and order cutting from specialized companies.

Home production of fresh organic vegetables in greenhouses is gaining popularity every day. There is an economic justification for this:

firstly, products are becoming more expensive every day;
secondly, more and more people are concerned about their healthy eating.

Today, consumers think about what products they consume, and they are ready to purchase high-quality fresh vegetables. In addition, economic realities make certain adjustments. It becomes more expedient to buy domestic products than imported ones.

The agricultural market quickly responds to changes in demand. As a result, new greenhouse farms are appearing in all regions, developing at a rapid pace. In these conditions, the greenhouse production business has interesting prospects for development.

The target audience of such a business is quite diverse:

summer residents who want to grow vegetables as a hobby, i.e. for their own needs;
small farms for which growing vegetables is another source of income;
large greenhouse complexes engaged in vegetable growing on an industrial scale.

Depending on the size and purpose, the design of the greenhouse and its equipment will differ. If in the first case the simplest design is sufficient, then for industry the greenhouse must be equipped professionally, because the success of the business and its competitive ability depend on this.

In addition, the design of a polycarbonate greenhouse can be successfully used for other purposes, which will significantly expand the range of consumers. This is described in detail at the end of the article.

Production of polycarbonate greenhouses as a business

Greenhouses made of cellular polycarbonate are actually the most popular on the market today. This is explained by the low cost of the source material, as well as its fairly good performance properties. It does not break as easily as glass, but at the same time it is able to provide maximum penetration of sunlight. In addition, polycarbonate has good heat saving properties.

The service life of polycarbonate is 30-35 years, this is an excellent indicator that no other material alternative to glass for the manufacture of greenhouses can compete with. But not every type of polycarbonate is suitable for making greenhouses. Types are divided according to their structure:

Type 2R is not immediately suitable because it is too weak. Types 3RX and 6RX are the most durable, but their transparency cannot provide sufficient sunlight transmission, which is very important for greenhouses. Therefore, the best option is 3R or a little stronger than 5R. The same sheet thickness can differ significantly in structure. When choosing a material, be sure to pay attention to the structure!

To start a business you will need a small set of equipment.

Equipment for the production of greenhouses with your own hands:

Manual pipe bending machine PROMA TR-04 0001. It will be needed for the manufacture of a frame made from steel pipes. The cost of a pipe bender for greenhouse production is $250. However, it can vary depending on the level of its performance and functionality.
Pendulum cutting machine. It cuts steel pipes and profiles. The cost of the simplest device starts from $300.
Professional jigsaw Metabo STEB 135 plus $270 for cutting polycarbonate at home. This jigsaw model has a well-thought-out sawdust suction system, which cools the blade to some extent. Professional cutting of polycarbonate is performed with a laser; you just need to have the skills to use this expensive tool. The laser may leave charred, fused edges at the cut site due to the high temperature.
Drill.
Screwdriver.
Spanners.
Measuring devices: tape measure, caliper, protractor.

The total cost of the starting equipment kit is $650. With such equipment, of course, you are unlikely to be able to master industrial scale, but you can make greenhouses for private orders and small farms.

Greenhouse manufacturing process

Making a greenhouse can be done by any owner who has minimal skills in working with tools. It consists of the following stages:

preparation and planning of the structure;
assembly of the base frame;
fastening polycarbonate sheets;
installation of a greenhouse on the site.

First you need to plan the whole structure. The structure and shape of the base depends on its size as shown in the diagram:

Manufacturing the frame base is the most critical stage, because the service life of the entire structure, its reliability and functionality depend on the quality of its execution.

For the frame, pipes, steel profiles of different sections or reinforcement are taken. The metal base is bent radially, giving it the desired shape, and secured together with connecting crosses and tees. See the following diagram:

If the base consists of a square rather than a pipe, then the crosspieces for fastening are of the following type:

Now all that remains is to pour the foundation and install the finished structure, although there are greenhouses installed without a foundation. Windows and doors are inserted into the finished greenhouse. Now you can start using it.

The average cost of such a greenhouse, provided it is manufactured independently, is at the level of $7/m2 (without installation). A ready-made greenhouse with a minimum configuration costs on the market about $10-12 per 1m2 (without installation).

Creation of a greenhouse microclimate

Making and installing a greenhouse is only part of the process. This is enough for growing tomatoes and cucumbers in the country, but if you want more, then you should take care of additional equipment for greenhouses. We are talking about installing equipment for heating, ventilation and lighting. Here, the cost of finished products and the business as a whole can increase significantly. That is, this business can be significantly scaled not only in quantity, but also in the quality of products produced, creating a wide range of products. The greenhouse can be equipped with various devices to create the most favorable conditions for growing large crops. It can be shown schematically like this:

There are also many ways to heat greenhouses. Some heat with gas or electricity. More advanced farms are mastering energy-saving technologies: heating using recovery and using their own generated heat, using heat pumps, etc. This method allows you to save up to half the heating budget, while making it possible to grow vegetables all year round. Some manufacturers offer the most economical option for maintaining optimal temperature due to the design features of a thermos greenhouse, which uses the heat/cold of the earth and retains heat with IR radiation screens. You can see it in detail in the diagram:

At the stage of business development, you can offer customers the simplest but very useful components: a thermal drive for automatic ventilation and LED lighting.

Thermal actuator for greenhouses

This device operates without electronics and this is its simplicity, efficiency and reliability. The thermal actuator is a rod stop hydraulic cylinder, which contains a low-boiling liquid. As the temperature rises, the liquid expands and pushes the rod out of the hydraulic cylinder, which opens the window or door of the greenhouse. When the temperature drops, it closes on the contrary. You shouldn’t skimp on quality here, because the fate of the crop depends to some extent on the thermal drive. They should be selected with thin cylinders, so the liquid will be more sensitive to temperature changes.

LED lamps for greenhouses

The situation with connecting lighting looks similar. Standard incandescent lamps are an ineffective way to extend daylight hours in a greenhouse. What is attractive here is their low cost, but the operation of such lamps ends up being quite expensive, given the fact that they will work for you for about 5 hours every day.

An alternative option is LED lighting. Yes, a special LED lamp for greenhouses costs much more than a regular lamp, but it has two undeniable advantages:

The service life of an LED lamp is 10 times longer than a conventional one.
Minimal energy consumption allows you to light the greenhouse for as long as needed without feeling the strain on your budget.
Allows lighting at reduced voltage.
Reliably protected from mechanical damage during operation (accidental impacts, etc.).
The LED has an emission spectrum close to that of the sun.
You can programmatically adjust the glow pattern and radiation wavelength, which allows you to increase the yield by 1.5 times.
They are much more efficient than fluorescent lamps.

In the Russian climate, greenhouses and hotbeds often become the only reliable way to obtain a good harvest. There are several ways to produce and install greenhouses - it all depends on your financial capabilities and plans.

Climate change in recent decades has forced us to look for unconventional ways to grow vegetables and fruits. Growing crops in open ground has become more problematic due to the deteriorating environment, unstable weather conditions, often uncontrolled use of chemicals, etc.

Using greenhouses to grow crops became a way out. In addition, in the Russian climate, a greenhouse allows you to harvest the crop much earlier, and often get harvests all year round, which significantly increases the profit of the business owner. Greenhouses are easily located on cottage and summer cottage plots, in summer health centers, farms and even on the territory of industrial enterprises.

Due to the above reasons, the production of greenhouses has become a promising type of business. Let's consider what is needed to organize this profitable and promising business.

Details of the business idea for greenhouse production

Let's consider several options for a “greenhouse” business. The meaning of such a business is the production and subsequent installation of greenhouses and greenhouses. A promising option for the development of such a business could be the production of winter gardens and greenhouses. They differ from greenhouses in the complexity of their design, the use of new materials and a much higher cost. However, the demand for such structures is constant, especially with good advertising and the reputation of the manufacturing company.

Greenhouses can be made from scratch using special equipment, purchased or rented. You can also purchase individual elements from manufacturers (supports, fences, stairs, doors, etc.) to complement your own designs.

There are three groups of greenhouses:

individual;
farm;
industrial.

The differences between them are in area, level of equipment, process automation and, of course, cost.

It is possible to manufacture the following types of greenhouses:

with a frame made of polyethylene pipes and a film cover;
with a wooden frame and frames with film or glass;
with a metal frame and wooden frames;
all metal with glass.

Ordinary glass is not used to make greenhouses because it does not transmit ultraviolet radiation, which is necessary for plant growth. You need to use special glass or plastic film.

Option 1

Specialized enterprises produce greenhouses of various sizes, ranging from the smallest with an area of 12 square meters. m and 24 sq. m. The cost of such greenhouses starts from 20,000 rubles. An interesting type of business could be the installation of greenhouses on site. Transporting the greenhouse is easy: the frame weighs 50-90 kg and can be transported in the trunk of a car. The cost of installing such greenhouses is about 10-20 thousand rubles.

Option 2

Greenhouses are usually made from polycarbonate, pipes and polyethylene film. The easiest way to make greenhouses is of the arched type, structurally consisting of arches attached to the soil surface without a foundation. Transparent film of different densities (depending on the customer’s wishes) is stretched over the arcs.

Installation of this design is very simple, the cost of materials is also low. To start a business, for this reason, the production and installation of arched greenhouses is unlikely to be justified. Additional costs will also include drawings, frame structures and covering materials. A small greenhouse will cost at least 8,000 rubles.

Option 3

Beginning businessmen can be recommended to start with the production of greenhouse pavilions made of polycarbonate. These are tall structures designed to accommodate a full-length person. Polycarbonate is durable (service life 30-35 years), with good thermal insulation. A sheet of cellular polycarbonate is attached to a pre-prepared frame made of galvanized iron. The sheets are connected to each other with factory sealed tape. To install such greenhouses, it is often necessary to concrete the foundation. And this is an additional well-paid job.

The production costs of such a greenhouse are low - only about 10,000 rubles. The entire complex of work lasting 2 days with the cost of the greenhouse will cost the client approximately 25,000 rubles.

An additional advantage of such a greenhouse is the absence of complex structures that need to be ordered separately. The client should be attracted by an individual approach to his order. A greenhouse or hotbed of the required size will be manufactured, and it will be installed exactly where needed. This is especially important for complex areas, where it is often necessary to install greenhouses near permanent buildings.

Specifics of the greenhouse business

To start working on the production and installation of greenhouses, you do not need large funds. If a production site with equipment for the production of greenhouse structures is not provided, then 70-80 thousand rubles is quite enough. The investment can be recouped very quickly if you have regular orders.

Industrial equipment for the production of structural elements of greenhouses can be acquired gradually as the business develops. A customer base is the main thing you need in this business. It will be necessary to take into account that the need for greenhouses is seasonal. Advertising should always be present in specialized publications for gardeners, farmers, etc. Place information about yourself in gardening associations and dacha communities. Place advertisements in rural regional newspapers, radio, TV.

The maximum demand for greenhouses is in spring and autumn. In winter, you will need to “switch” to winter gardens and greenhouses. Working with such structures is more complex, so you can start it after gaining some experience working with greenhouses. It is better to start a greenhouse business in February, before the start of the season. In this way, the invested funds can be quickly returned and invested in business development.

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