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Shire Garden Buildings Reviews 

2,347
TrustScore 3 out of 5

3.2

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Evaluating 595 reviews, most reviewers were somewhat happy with their experience overall. Consumers frequently find the wooden garden structures reasonably straightforward to build and genuinely praise the solid timber quality. Additionally, many buyers often highlight that delivery personnel are remarkably polite, professional, and careful when handling heavy items. Some customers also point out that the after-sales support team quickly sends replacement components when minor manufacturing flaws arise. Some reviewers were not happy with significant delivery delays, unexpected scheduling changes, and missing installation parts. A few individuals similarly reported experiencing ongoing communication challenges with unhelpful customer service responses regarding damaged items.

What people talk about most

Product

Reviewers mention ambiguous feedback about product quality, with opinions sharply divided. While some... See more

Delivery service

Customers had ambiguous experiences with delivery_service, reflecting a wide range of opinions. While many... See more

Quality

Clients share ambiguous opinions on quality, with high disagreement among reviewers regarding the materials.... See more

Customer service

Users describe ambiguous interactions with customer_service. While many reviewers praised the staff for being... See more

Service

People report ambiguous experiences with service, reflecting a wide range of differing opinions. While some... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Was delivered on the date requested and was off loaded and stacked neatly beside the house. Didn't realise the base coat would be patchy, having spoken with customer servicrs they assured us this... See more

Company replied

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

The shed itself is great. Confusion over booking 'delivery date' (which apparently meant 'collection from Shire date') meant it was delivered a few days after I expected. Few bare patches of dipping... See more

Company replied

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

I could not log onto the online portal to book my delivery date. Phoned the office on two occasions both days their portal was also down. Third day tried and i got onto book date online. Stating 21st... See more

Company replied

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

I bought one of the Honeysuckle Corner Arbours and found it reasonably easy to assemble. However, I would make two suggestions- I found it impossible at step 12 of the assembly instructions to screw... See more

Company replied


Company details

  1. Garden Center

Written by the company

Shire Garden Buildings is a proud, family-run business based in Cambridgeshire, with over 40 years of trading experience. Since 1981, we have been manufacturing high-quality garden buildings in the UK, building our reputation on craftsmanship, reliability, and exceptional service. Every product we sell is manufactured here in the UK, using high-quality Northern European timber. Originally transitioning from yacht production into garden building manufacturing, we drew on the extensive skills of our workforce to establish a strong foundation for growth. Over the decades, we have continued to expand, with knowledge and expertise passed down through generations. Today, our factories and warehouses span approximately 20 acres, supported by investment in state-of-the-art equipment including a planing mill, fully self-contained joinery production, undercover timber storage, and large warehouses capable of holding up to 20,000 buildings in stock. We employ over 150 dedicated team members who share our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. Our extensive product range includes sheds, summer houses, greenhouses, playhouses, and much more, all crafted to the highest standards. From manufacture to delivery, we manage the process ourselves, dispatching orders using our own fleet to ensure reliability and care. Our exceptional after-sales team is always on hand to help with anything at all, providing the support and reassurance our customers value.


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3.2

Average

TrustScore 3 out of 5

2K reviews

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3.2

All reviews

(2,347)

610 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Still didnt recieve the correct colour…

Still didnt recieve the correct colour finial as of 21st June.
I keep being told that presure treated wood is green....but why wasnt the rest of the arbour green....that wood is presure treated and it is a lovely golden brown colour!

21 June 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you for your review, Richard.

We are sorry for the delay and frustration caused in getting the replacement finial to you. We can see from our records that this has been raised with us on a number of occasions, and we appreciate your patience whilst we worked to resolve it.

To clarify, the green finial supplied is the correct component for a pressure-treated building. Pressure-treated timber naturally has a green tint due to the preservative treatment process and, like the rest of the building, is intended to be treated or painted after installation. It will also weather naturally over time.

That said, we appreciate that your main concern was not just the colour but also the fact that the original finial was missing and the replacement did not arrive as expected. We apologise for the inconvenience caused by the delays and have since re-raised the replacement to be sent via DHL.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and we hope your Corner Arbour is now providing many years of enjoyment.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Quality control discrepancies

The summerhouse arrived when it was expected but soon became apparent that the quality was pretty poor! A nail gun had been used to fix boards to frame and a lot missed the mark so not fixing the boards and sticking out. Fortunately these were mainly on the flooring and so would be hidden. The window catches were so badly aligned that they wouldn’t close and also parts were missing and so wouldn’t close anyway! They were also very poor quality. One of the back wall panels was distorted by about 4cm which made it difficult to fit in place. The roofing felt was so thin it ripped very easily, luckily we were able to turn it round and is hidden under the overlap. And lastly one pane of glass was missing plus 2 roof supports. Quality control needs to be tightened up. People are spending good money on this product and do not expect to see these faults. I spoke to customer services on two occasions, firstly to a gentleman who was very off hand and abrupt. He asked for photos which I sent but no response. Admittedly I miss spelled the email address to start with but when re sent a lady called very quickly and was very apologetic and keen to rectify the missing parts and window catches.
There is a saying ‘ Built on a Friday’ which I think this summer house was!

13 June 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you for taking the time to leave such detailed feedback.

We are sorry to hear that aspects of your summerhouse did not meet your expectations. Having reviewed our correspondence, we can see that you contacted us regarding the window catches and workmanship concerns, and we appreciate you providing photographs to help us investigate. Replacement window catches were arranged, and we were keen to resolve the issues as quickly as possible once the correct information had been received.

We fully accept that missing catches, alignment issues and missing components are frustrating, and we apologise for the inconvenience this caused. Your comments regarding the nail fixings, wall panel alignment and roofing felt have also been shared with the relevant teams for review, as we agree that quality standards are important and customer feedback helps us improve.

We are, however, pleased to hear that our customer service team was able to assist once the issue reached us and that the missing parts and catches were being addressed promptly.

Thank you again for your honest feedback. We hope that now the replacement parts have been supplied, you are able to enjoy your summerhouse for many years to come.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you for your review, Karol.

I can see that on 16th June your order was booked in for delivery on 23rd June, which is tomorrow.

If, following your review, you no longer wish to receive the building, please contact our Customer Services team as soon as possible and we can look into cancelling the order before the delivery takes place.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Overall, a good experience, happy customer…

Good communication in relation to the delivery date. Delivery driver very polite and helpful throught delivery. Slightly disapointed in the company sending just 1 x delivery driver as this was a bit much for one person to safely dispatch my order from the vehicle without potential damage. This was assisted by myself and one other of which was more acceptable. Glad I was available to facilitate delivery. Happy with the quality of the timber however some of the finishes particularly the window latch positions were slightly out with splits made in the wood sills due to screws and fitting etc. One of the windows also slightly damaged however repairable. One half of the roof required straitening out as this was banana shape therefor would not fit / join in the middle. Again manged to rectify. Could have done with more roof joists as the roof did sag considerably when applying the roof felt. Uprights where applied to take the weight during fitting. I found the customer servie very smooth and easy after purchase and despite some quality issues with my summer house, overall was a good experience.

14 June 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you for taking the time to leave such a detailed review.

We're delighted to hear that you found the communication around delivery clear, our driver polite and helpful, and that our customer service team made the process smooth and straightforward.

We do appreciate your comments regarding the delivery and the quality issues you encountered. We're sorry to hear that some components required adjustment during assembly, particularly the window fittings, damaged window, roof section and additional support needed during installation. Whilst we're pleased you were able to rectify these issues, we understand that this can be frustrating and is not the standard we aim for.

Your feedback is incredibly valuable and will be passed on to the relevant teams for review. It's particularly pleasing to hear that despite these issues, you were happy with the timber quality and that your overall experience remained a positive one.

Thank you again for your balanced and constructive feedback, and we hope you enjoy your summerhouse for many years to come.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Arrived safely

Arrived safely, delivery driver was polite and put the pieces down the drive. The structure that we ordered was not as we wanted it but we made it fit to our requirements. A couple of the pieces had flaws in them but we have managed to hide them .

8 May 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.

We're pleased to hear that your order arrived safely and that the delivery driver was polite and helpful when delivering your building.

We're sorry to hear that the structure wasn't quite as you had originally envisaged and that a couple of components had some imperfections. Whilst we're glad you were able to adapt the building to suit your requirements, this isn't the experience we aim to provide.

We do appreciate your feedback, as it helps us continue to improve both our products and service. We hope you enjoy your building for many years to come.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Hampton Corner Summerhouse

Great value for the money. Prompt delivery with a very fair delivery charge. Good customer care and plenty of advise if required. Replaced a door free of charge due to it being twisted.

16 June 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you so much for your lovely review.

We're delighted to hear that you're pleased with your Hampton Corner Summerhouse and felt it offered great value for money. It's also wonderful to know that you were happy with both the delivery service and the support provided by our customer care team.

We're sorry there was an issue with the original door, but we're pleased we were able to get this resolved for you quickly with a replacement.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience. We hope you enjoy your summerhouse for many years to come.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Great item but poor delivery communication

Product is great but communication for delivery day/time should be improved. I contacted to ensure the day I was taking off work was correct and was assured this was correct but it didnt arrive. I was then informed it was a two day delivery because of my location. If this had been confirmed during my first email then I wouldnt have wasted time off work. I was also told the delivery driver had been asked to phone me 30mins before delivery but this didnt happen so I didnt get the opportunity to inspect all items were delivered and free from damage. Luckily they were and I'm happy with the quality for the cost.

15 June 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you for taking the time to leave your review.

We're delighted to hear that you're happy with the quality of your building and feel it offers good value for money.

That said, we're sorry that the delivery communication did not meet your expectations. We completely understand how frustrating it must have been to take time off work based on the information provided, only to later discover that your delivery was operating on a two-day route due to your location. We also appreciate that, had this been communicated earlier, it would have helped you plan accordingly.

We're equally sorry that the requested pre-delivery call from the driver did not take place. Whilst we're pleased to hear that everything arrived safely and without damage, we appreciate the reassurance that an advance call can provide.

Your feedback regarding communication has been noted and will be shared with the relevant teams as we continue to improve our delivery experience.

Thank you again for your order, and we hope you enjoy your new building for many years to come.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Do not buy from this company

I will start by saying that I take no pleasure in leaving a negative review. I leave this review to prevent other customers from coming to grief with this company like myself. After spending £900+ and waiting more than six weeks I received a call to say the delivery of my greenhouse would not be made as previously agreed. When I did receive it, some of the glass did not fit into the frame due to what Shires called a ‘manufacturing error’ of the structure itself. Due to their delay in sorting the issue out, I had to pay out an additional £25 to purchase glass locally that would actually fit the aperture. I gave Shires the opportunity to apologise and to take some action to rectify their mistake but they remain totally disinterested and will not even pay a token amount to reimburse me or even issue an apology. Elbec similarly have offered me nothing. I am currently 64 years old and a cancer patient and don’t have the energy to pursue the matter any further via other channels. I told them that, but guess what? Correct. They didn’t really care about that either. Shame on you Shires. Shame on you Elbec. But everyone else beware of these people. Spend your money elsewhere. You will be happier and safer.

15 June 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you for your review, David.

We're sorry to hear you were disappointed with your experience.

Having reviewed the correspondence, whilst we appreciate the difficulty you encountered when fitting one of the gable panes, our investigation was ongoing at the time and no manufacturing fault was formally confirmed. The supplied glass matched the specification for the Holkham greenhouse, and further measurements were being requested to establish the root cause of the issue.

We understand that due to the weather conditions you chose to source alternative glazing locally in order to complete the installation. As this was arranged independently before our investigation had concluded, we were unfortunately unable to authorise reimbursement.

We appreciate that this was frustrating and apologise for the delay whilst we sought clarification from our production team. Customer feedback is taken seriously and we are sorry that, on this occasion, we did not meet your expectations.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Would have been 5 stars but some of the…

Would have been 5 stars but some of the door fittings should be better.

15 June 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review and share a photo of your completed building.

We have to say, the finished result looks fantastic and it's clear you've put a great deal of care into both the installation and the surrounding landscaping. The additional ironmongery and finishing touches really complement the building and create a beautiful garden space.

We're delighted to hear that your experience was almost a 5-star one. We do appreciate your comments regarding the door fittings and will ensure this feedback is passed to our product team for consideration.

Thank you again for choosing Shire Garden Buildings, and we hope you enjoy your new garden room for many years to come.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Its a mixed bag

The price was good, our first delivery was rescheduled, our second delivery was late. The timber quality was sub standard, the customer service has been mediocre especially exasperated by it being 2 companies im left chasing up a window that came very bent beyond use so our summer house / log cabin is still not finished almost a month beyond the original delivery date. Although the almost finished product does look good!

16 June 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.

We are pleased to hear that you are happy with the appearance of the finished building, however we are sorry that your overall experience has been affected by both delivery delays and the issues you encountered during assembly.

Having reviewed your case, we can see that we have been actively investigating the concerns raised and have agreed to supply a replacement window to resolve the outstanding issue. We appreciate that this has taken longer than either of us would have liked and apologise for the frustration caused whilst we gathered the information required and arranged the replacement parts.

We also acknowledge your comments regarding the delivery experience and the quality of some components supplied. Customer feedback is important to us and helps us identify areas where we can improve.

We appreciate your patience whilst we complete the resolution of the remaining issue and hope that you are able to enjoy the building for many years to come once finished.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Driver rang to let me know he was on…

Driver rang to let me know he was on way ,arrived within the hour like he said

16 June 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.

We're delighted to hear that the driver kept you updated and arrived within the timeframe advised. We understand how important good communication is on delivery day, so it's great to know this helped make the experience a positive one.

Thank you for choosing Shire Garden Buildings and we hope you enjoy your new purchase.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Do not order from this company

After ordering a playhouse in April to be delivered by beginning of June, the company let us down “due to unforeseeable circumstances “
I’ll tell my grandchildren that when they come this weekend - I’m sure they’ll understand…..
You are disgraceful in the way you treat customers and hope Wickes realise the damage to their reputation and find a better company to do business with - just what you deserve.

5 June 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

We are sorry to read your review and fully appreciate how disappointing this must be, particularly when the playhouse was intended for your grandchildren.

Having reviewed the order, it was placed at the beginning of May with an expected delivery date in early June. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen operational circumstances, we were unable to fulfil the original delivery date and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and frustration this has caused.

We understand that when a delivery is delayed it impacts plans that have been made around it, and we appreciate that this is not the experience you expected when ordering through Wickes.

Whilst delays are never our intention, we do take feedback such as yours seriously and will continue working to improve our service. We apologise again for the disappointment caused and hope your order reaches you as soon as possible.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

The delivery was fine and all parts…

The delivery was fine and all parts were there. It got fitted by a builder until he got to the roof. It didn’t fit the joint with the joints too large for the roof. I had a roofer to look at it and he said the same. I can send you photos if needed .

5 June 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you for your review.

I'm sorry to hear that you've experienced an issue with the roof during assembly, particularly after delivery went smoothly and all parts were present. This is certainly unusual and not something we would expect to occur.

If you would be able to send us some photographs showing the roof sections and where the joints do not fit correctly, we would be more than happy to investigate this for you and work towards a resolution as quickly as possible.

Please contact our customer service team with the images and your order details, and we will be happy to assist further.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

poor delivery service

delivery greatly exceeded expectation and was later changed to be over 2 months away without me agreeing to the date.

16 June 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Hi Ollie,

Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. We are sorry to hear that you were disappointed with the delivery timeframe and understand how frustrating it can be when an expected delivery date changes.

After reviewing your correspondence with our support team, we can see that you contacted us to request a cancellation due to the revised delivery date. As your order was placed through the retailer, any cancellation and refund requests need to be processed directly by them. Our team therefore advised you to contact the retailer, who could submit the cancellation request and arrange a full refund once approved.

We appreciate that delivery delays are disappointing, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused. Your feedback is important to us and will be shared internally as we continue working to improve our customer experience.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Please don't let drivers cut corners…

Please don't let drivers cut corners then tell lady on bike to F... off when lady on bike was on her side of road will not recommend any one to buy your items as drivers are so rude16

16 June 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Hi,

We are sorry to read your comments. We take reports regarding driver conduct very seriously. Unfortunately, we have been unable to identify the incident from the information provided, but we would be happy to investigate further if you can provide additional details, such as the date, time, and location.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

My new shed

The delivery was handled well and they left it where I asked them to. It was fairly easy to build although we couldn't fit the lower bolt because there was a nail in the way.

13 June 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're pleased to hear that the delivery went smoothly and that the team were able to leave your shed exactly where you requested.

It's great to know that the assembly process was fairly straightforward. We do apologise for the issue with the lower bolt and the nail getting in the way, and we appreciate you bringing this to our attention as it helps us improve both our products and instructions.

We hope you're enjoying your new shed and thank you again for choosing us.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Hi Denise,

Thank you so much for your kind review. We're delighted to hear that you found both our service efficient and our product very good. Providing a smooth experience and high-quality products is always our goal, so it's wonderful to know we met your expectations.

We really appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback and look forward to serving you again in the future.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Do not buy from Shire

Avoid this company. I ordered via Wickes but was then handled by Shire. 5 weeks lead time for a garden building only to be cancelled on day of delivery and rearranged for the following week due to driver shortage. The following weeks delivery was then cancelled on the day and I was informed they now had no stock. The delivery was pushed out for another 4 weeks. No call back, no ability to speak to anyone in their management team. They are a terrible example of customer service.

15 June 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

We are sorry to hear that you were disappointed with your experience.

Having reviewed the order history, the original delivery date of 5th June was unfortunately cancelled due to driver availability issues. We appreciate this was frustrating and apologise for the inconvenience caused. The order was then rebooked for 10th June at the earliest available opportunity, however due to an unforeseen operational issue affecting the order, we were unable to proceed with the delivery as planned and a new delivery date of 25th June was subsequently arranged.

We fully appreciate that two failed delivery dates are disappointing and understand the frustration this caused. Whilst we did make contact to advise of each change and issued updated delivery confirmations throughout the process, we recognise that this did not meet the level of service either you or we would expect.

We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, which has been passed to the relevant teams for review.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/10

10/10
Great value, great quality, great customer service

14 June 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you for your fantastic 10/10 review!

We're delighted to hear that you were pleased with the value, quality, and customer service you received. Your feedback means a lot to the team, and we're grateful that you took the time to share your experience.

We hope you enjoy your building for many years to come.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great service

Great service, delivered on time,love my summerhouse

15 June 2026
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Reply from Shire Garden Buildings

Thank you for your review. We're pleased to hear your summerhouse arrived on time and that you're happy with your purchase.

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