Polytunnel comparison checklist: usable space, access and repairability

Research status: no product records have been verified for this draft, so it contains no ranked products or recommendations. The checklist helps organise proposals you are considering. The comparison method explains how dated maker information and evidence gaps are recorded.

Set your requirements first

Describe the job in terms you can check. List the beds, pots or equipment you want to accommodate, how you expect to reach them, and any parts of the proposal that matter to you. Mark each item as essential or preferred. For example, a particular piece of equipment may need to pass through the opening; a preferred arrangement can remain flexible.

Draw one bed-and-path plan and use it for each proposal. The size calculator works out a rectangular layout from your inputs, but it does not confirm that a product has the same usable dimensions. Ask for a dimensioned drawing for the exact model and size, then compare the stated internal or usable measurements with your plan. If the document does not define a measurement, record that uncertainty instead of comparing it with a differently defined figure.

Make the proposals comparable

Write the exact model name, size, options and document revision beside each proposal. Then make a list of the components and services you require before looking at what is included. Ask suppliers to identify, in writing, which requirements are included in the quoted configuration, optional, excluded or unclear. This creates a common scope for your comparison without assuming that any particular component is standard.

Copy this narrow template for each proposal. Put its exact model, size and document reference above the table.

Use a small set of status labels consistently: confirmed in a dated maker document, unknown, not included, or supplier clarification requested. “Confirmed” means the cited document states the detail for the named model and configuration; it does not establish product performance or suitability for your site. Note the document title, revision or date, page and URL so each entry can be traced to the version you used.

Ask about access and repairability

Request the clear door dimensions and the way the opening operates, then relate them to what you intend to move through it. Ask where usable dimensions are measured and whether the drawing labels external, internal or nominal sizes. If the supplier cannot say, keep that row open until they can provide a definition.

Repairability also needs specific answers. Ask how to identify the correct replacement cover or other part for the exact model, where the relevant care or replacement instructions are, and whether the part can be ordered separately. Record the reply and any part reference. Do not infer compatibility from a similar appearance or a general product description. The cover replacement worksheet helps organise frame records and questions about a replacement covering.

Compare documentation as part of the proposal: can you find the assembly, care and replacement information for the exact configuration? This checklist does not assess installation methods, weather performance or site suitability. Use the maker’s instructions and seek the relevant site-specific advice for questions outside the documents you have.

Keep the decision visible

Do not turn the table into a score unless you have a clear, justified reason for how each item should count. A total can hide an unresolved essential requirement, and a made-up weighting can make a personal preference look like an objective test. Instead, identify any essential row that is still unknown and ask the supplier before deciding whether the proposal remains suitable for you.

Use the budget planner to compare costs for the stated package, with current amounts and inclusions supplied by the seller. Keep essential requirements unresolved until you have the relevant answers, and retain the dated documents with your decision notes.