# cost of buiding a large viv?



## zippy4emma (Jan 20, 2008)

i want to build a 6ft long by 2ft wide vivarium for my boa. i dont want to use cheap materials and i want it to look professional, my mate is a joiner and will help me build it.
what sort of cost am i looking at? i would be buying the wood from b&q, and i can buy runners online but how much would the glass cost? 
has anyone built a viv this size before and how much did it cost you?
thank in advance


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## jamston39 (Jan 7, 2008)

i dont know about the price of the wood but the glass cost me £55 for the 5mm tough stuff


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## zippy4emma (Jan 20, 2008)

jamston39 said:


> i dont know about the price of the wood but the glass cost me £55 for the 5mm tough stuff


was that to fit a 6ft viv?


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## jamston39 (Jan 7, 2008)

zippy4emma said:


> was that to fit a 6ft viv?


 
no actually it was a 7ft viv and the height was 3ft


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## zippy4emma (Jan 20, 2008)

jamston39 said:


> no actually it was a 7ft viv and the height was 3ft


thats quite cheap, 
what was the cost of the viv in total and what wood did you use?


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## ratking (Mar 4, 2008)

i built an 4X3 stack 4 Viv's in total wood cost £80 glass cost £50 b&q not the cheapest for wood go to timber yards get Ur glass from merchants get a few quotes as they vary quite a lot also if Ur doing it for a boa use a bigger bottom plinth stop him/her pushing the glass out will also save u a few quid


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## zippy4emma (Jan 20, 2008)

ratking said:


> i built an 4X3 stack 4 Viv's in total wood cost £80 glass cost £50 b&q not the cheapest for wood go to timber yards get Ur glass from merchants get a few quotes as they vary quite a lot also if Ur doing it for a boa use a bigger bottom plinth stop him/her pushing the glass out will also save u a few quid


would the top plinth need to be larger or the same size?
what types of wood is best, i want a beech or light oak colour


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## pythonpower (Apr 24, 2007)

*viv*

my dads currently building me another custom viv this time out of the thick mdf instead of melamine its for a 8ft x3ft x3x ft not including the base it will sit on is looking at £60 for the wood think that's at wickes or BNQ and i got a quote for glass from FWG for 6.5mm British safety standard toughened glass and this is for 2 pieces at 42"x30" they are £45 the pair inc vat but my doors wont be on runners like the other viv stack he built me he puts frames round the glass and there opening doors which then lock with dead bolts

ill try and send you some pics of the stack he built me m8 just to see different ways of having viv doors etc


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## ratking (Mar 4, 2008)

*viv*



zippy4emma said:


> would the top plinth need to be larger or the same size?
> what types of wood is best, i want a beech or light oak colour


 no top plinth could be smaller and i use conti board which comes in many coulors i would not reccomend mdf because although it is cheaper by the time uve stained it. it does not workout much cheaper and theres some concerns about it being toxic but thats my opinion


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## Burmy Mad (Jul 30, 2008)

PythonPower's Custom Viv:-


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## eubankclare (Jul 23, 2007)

wickes is really good i have just bought all the stuff to make two 3x2 vivs including screws etc and it came to about £100. There is cheaper wood there to its just i wanted a certain colour.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

pythonpower said:


> my dads currently building me another custom viv this time out of the thick mdf instead of melamine its for a 8ft x3ft x3x ft not including the base it will sit on is looking at £60 for the wood think that's at wickes or BNQ and i got a quote for glass from FWG for 6.5mm British safety standard toughened glass and this is for 2 pieces at 42"x30" they are £45 the pair inc vat but my doors wont be on runners like the other viv stack he built me he puts frames round the glass and there opening doors which then lock with dead bolts
> 
> ill try and send you some pics of the stack he built me m8 just to see different ways of having viv doors etc


 
how does he do the doors? i should be starting a new viv build soon but its going to be quite big and don't want sliding doors..
Just can't work out how to get the doors in a frame without too many professional tools.


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## evilchild (Jul 3, 2008)

like a door, two hinges and lock.

i would say the bolt goes across the outside from the side. kinda like a garden gate lock.
i would use thin bit of wood beading for the frame. if that helps?


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## Burmy Mad (Jul 30, 2008)

Tattooed Python said:


> PythonPower's Custom Viv:-





Meko said:


> how does he do the doors? i should be starting a new viv build soon but its going to be quite big and don't want sliding doors..
> Just can't work out how to get the doors in a frame without too many professional tools.


Like That, Hope It Helps :lol2: He done a Great job of it I've seen it in the flesh so to speak & the pics don't do it the justice it deserves.


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## pythonpower (Apr 24, 2007)

*viv*



Meko said:


> how does he do the doors? i should be starting a new viv build soon but its going to be quite big and don't want sliding doors..
> Just can't work out how to get the doors in a frame without too many professional tools.


 
they are like normal door hinges i think then when the doors close there's a dead bolt that locks in from the top and the bottom i prefer these doors to sliding any day... i basically dropped some wood of and a design i did and 4 bits of old glass i had and said can you make that lol and he said yeah and a week later its done.

its the 1st viv hes built mind and the one hes working on next is the big 8ft one hes retired now and he did say if people liked them on here he would start making them and advertise them on here and they could be what ever design you want.. wood and glass supplied etc


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## rugbystar55 (Aug 11, 2008)

hiya i just wonderd if anyone built a 4x2x2 and how much that cost please tar i want like it so i can open from front tar


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Tattooed Python said:


> Like That, Hope It Helps :lol2: He done a Great job of it I've seen it in the flesh so to speak & the pics don't do it the justice it deserves.


 
lol, cheers mate.. it does look the nuts but i should have said glass in the frame and not doors.
i want to do something similar with the doors but can't work out how to get the glass held in place tidily as i don't want sliding doors although i might have just worked a way out.. lol


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## snickers (Aug 15, 2007)

The rhino viv I bought has hinges at the bottom. This means that the doors drop down completely, and out of the way. Far less stress on the glass/frame than side opening doors, but not much good if the viv is on the floor.


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## steveandval (Aug 19, 2008)

pythonpower said:


> my dads currently building me another custom viv this time out of the thick mdf instead of melamine its for a 8ft x3ft x3x ft not including the base it will sit on is looking at £60 for the wood think that's at wickes or BNQ and i got a quote for glass from FWG for 6.5mm British safety standard toughened glass and this is for 2 pieces at 42"x30" they are £45 the pair inc vat but my doors wont be on runners like the other viv stack he built me he puts frames round the glass and there opening doors which then lock with dead bolts
> 
> ill try and send you some pics of the stack he built me m8 just to see different ways of having viv doors etc


 
If they quoted you 6.5mm then it was laminated glass and not toughened. Prob better than toughened as it is 2 bits stuck together,


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## beardymadmad (Apr 13, 2008)

i built one exactly the same but for 2 beardies and i payed £50 for the beech viv then £40 for 2 pieces of glass and £5 for runners then light fittings and things are pennys then you put all lights and heatmats in which is about £60 if i dont say so myself it looks better then most pet shops vivs as the wood is sometimes a centimeter off or something at least if you do it yourself you can do what you want and make sure its perfect and will cost a lot less


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