By the end of our Rowlinson Garden Products review, you are going to know if this is the right brand for you. Here at WhatShed we like to give all brands a fair review and we are going to be looking at the things that matter. We are going to take a close look at the diversity of the products, what the quality of these products is like and of course what kind of value for money you are getting.
Rowlinson: A quick overview
Incredibly, Rowlinson have been making people’s gardens a less cluttered and more comfortable place for the better part of a century now. Based in Cheshire, Rowlinson take real pride in the products they make and speaking of their products they are very easy to find as many, many garden retailers in the UK stock them. Rowlinson are one of the old school garden brands here in the UK and they have built up a very good reputation over the years.
Rowlinson: What Kind Of Products Are In The Rowlinson Range?
Rowlinson have one of the most diverse range of products we have ever seen. It is truly incredible the vast amount of different products that are part of this brand. To start with, let’s have a look at their sheds and workshops. They have plenty of wooden sheds and workshops and we really like how they have many different sizes. They have smaller sheds, such as their 6 X 4 Modular Shed for those of you with limited space. But they also have some truly large specimens such as their 12 X 8 Premier Shed. They have sheds of all shapes and sizes so no matter what kind of space you are working with we are sure Rowlinson will have a wooden shed for you. It is not just sheds they have, as they have a great range of metal and plastic storage products as well. We love the different plastic and metal storage boxes and sheds that Rowlinson have and we think it is great how they offer both wooden and metal storage products.
Sheds and other storage structures are not the only products that are part of the Rowlinson brand. Rowlinson have some of the most beautiful arbours and arches that we have seen and actually we feel that they are one of the best when it comes to this kind of thing. They have more modest arbours that can sneak into a small area of your garden and they also have some much larger 3 or 4 person seated arbours as well. One other thing that we really like is their line of summerhouses and cabins – they have ten different designs and we really think that anyone who is looking for a place to relax in their garden is going to love this. Another series of products that Rowlinson take great pride in is their playhouse range. Some of their playhouses are amazing, such as the multi story Hideaway House that we are sure many parents will ask themselves why the kids are playing in a house that is better than the first home they lived in as an adult. Gazebos, canopies and greenhouses are a few more of the products that are under the Rowlinson umbrella, and they even carry things like sandpits, picnic benches and BBQ equipment. Honestly we really cannot think of another brand that has such a diverse range of products.
Rowlinson: How Is The Quality?
Of course talking about the quality is going to be hard when there are so many different products as part of the Rowlinson brand, but in general we are very pleased with the quality of Rowlinson products. Rowlinson is a brand that has been around for years and as a result they know how to make great products out of the materials they have available. Speaking of materials, you will find that when it comes to their wooden products such as sheds, workshops and even their relaxation range with their arbours, gazebos and such, Rowlinson’s have a real mix of quality. We do not mean mix as in good and bad, but mix as in they make some products that are more basic and then they have some that are part of their Premium range that are made with the finest and strongest wood. When you look around online, for the most part even their more basic wooden sheds have decent reviews.
As well as making products out of wood, Rowlinson also have products that are made from plastic and metal. Their plastic products such as their Plastic Garden Store is made from some very tough durable plastic that is made to not just be strong, but also resistant to anything the weather can throw at it. Rowlinson make some excellent metal garden stores that would be fantastic for keeping the kids outdoor toys and bikes safe and tidy or even as a space to keep all of your gardening equipment safely tucked away. Their metal products are made from very strong steel that is painted. Rowlinson tend to use this high quality green and white paint that will not fade or crack as time goes by. In all it seems that no matter the product, Rowlinson go above and beyond to make sure it is of a high standard and for that we give them a big high five.
Rowlinson: How Are The Products Priced?
Let’s start with their range of sheds. When it comes to sheds, Rowlinson are quite fairly priced in our opinion. For example, one of their more standard sheds, the 7 X 5 Modular Shed, is priced at £277, which is a decent price. Most of the their mid sized wooden sheds are all priced at under £400 and most of them we feel are being sold at the right kind of price. The more pricy wooden sheds that are part of the Rowlinson brand are their higher quality and stronger security sheds, which are priced a tad higher than other sheds of a similar size, but you are paying that extra money for the added security so we would have to say that the price they are asking for these is fair.
We have established that Rowlinson sell a lot more than just sheds and we feel that they do have some very competitively priced products. While they have some very extravagant kids playhouses for example, they do have some lower cost playhouses such as their £193 priced Little Lodge Playhouse that looks very cute, but is also a lot cheaper than some of their larger ones. Their arbours, gazebos and canopies are available at all different price ranges so no matter what kind of budget you are working with there is going to be something that you can afford to purchase to spruce up your garden a little bit. One thing that we really love about the Rowlinson brand is that no matter what kind of products, they make sure to have a few lower cost options as well as more expensive ones.
Rowlinson: How Customisable Are Rowlinson Products?
Most of the wooden products that are part of the Rowlinson brand are going to be able to be customised. Most of them will require some kind of wood treatment so this is your chance to give your shed, kids playhouse or even arbour a bit of your own personal style with a splash of colour. Of course some of their products are able to be customised more easily than others, but we feel that the ones that can be do give you quite a bit of freedom in how you do. Another example would be using some kind of hanging basket to give one of their summerhouses a little more style.
Rowlinson: Our Final Thoughts
We could honestly write a detailed review for each of the different ranges that are part of the Rowlinson brand. It really is quite incredible just how many different products they make. No matter what it is you are looking for, we are pretty certain that there is a very high chance Rowlinson will make one. We really like how they have products at all different price ranges and we feel for the most part that the prices their products are being sold for by most online retailers are very fair. This is a fantastic brand and one that we highly recommend you have a look at no matter what it is you are looking to add to your garden.
I was impressed enough by the reviews to pay in excess of £1000 for the Rowlinson potting shed – a decision I’m beginning to regret. Although ordered and paid for weeks in advance this shed has been out of stock which meant a journey of several hundred miles to collect it from Rowlinson. It’s then taken three fencing contractors the best part of a day to erect it (they said it was the worst shed they had erected) and now that it’s up I am not happy with the poor quality materials, eg light through knot holes, windows that don’t open and close easily, no lock on the door and the way in which the back panel has been cut in half for flat packing. It looks good from a distance but this shed won’t last long and represents very poor value. I’m very disappointed and certainly wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
Hi Deborah, thanks for the feedback. We have seen a few complaints recently about Rowlinson. This is a comparatively recent issue, we will take a closer look into things and remove them from any recommendations we make if we find the quality has dropped.
Wish we hadn’t read the Whatshed review and bought the Rowlinson potting shed it rated best. The windows don’t fit, the door is rubbish so the lock won’t sit correctly and as for the roof…! Yes, the style looks good in the photos but this shed is let down by being poorly assembled by the manufacturers using cheap materials, it won’t last more than a few years and represents poor value for money. There were also issues getting delivery of the shed, just to add insult to injury!
Rang them 19/9/2018. I was interested in one of their potting sheds. Very offhand about my enquiry try one of our national chain distributors. Rang two of them they said go direct to Rawlinson for information. Will not be buying any of their products
Bought a 6 seater Plumley garden set from Dunelm supplied to them by Rowlinson – after 1 year all the garden chairs have split two so badly they cannot be used. Rowlinson claim to sell quality products which in our opinion is clearly not true – this set cost us £300 and the whole thing needs replacing after 1 year (6 months of which it was stored in a garage over the winter) – DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THIS SHOWER!
i have recently bought a Rowlinson shed through ‘Sheds First’ and I have never seen anything like it. It came in 20 pieces. The quality of the joints was poor and stapled rather than screwed. We decided to erect it anyway and our problems just got bigger. There are 6 pieces to the roof and it was only when it was erected that we realised one of the panels had been cut wonky. The floor was warped and gaped in the middle (this was in two pieces). The door did not fit the opening by 3 inches and was warped. We paid £489.00 for the 5 x 7 shed as it was supposed to be robust I would say it is probably worth no more than £200 and that is being generous. We have had to buy wood for the frame so the door would fit and we have had to put in a new floor. I asked for compensation to cover our extra costs and inconvenience and was told we could whistle for it as we had erected the shed. I explained that we wouldnt have know about the faults until we errected it as it came in so many difference parts. The side were the door is had to be made with 3 differenct parts and the rest of the walls needed to be errected in order to do this. Cowboys plain and simple. I think I will report them to Trading Standards as they need to be stopped.
Very frustrated with Rowlinson. At the start of August I ordered one of their garden containers through Robert Dyas. Terms : seven days delivery and Rowlinson would contact me to arrange date of delivery. Seven days came and went. I was not too concerned, needed the container before September.
Next thing I received a refund memo via email from Robert Dyas. So I contacted them, or should I say attempted.. could not get through, no response to emails etc. Then my money was refunded!
When RD eventually contacted me they said they had no idea why my order had been cancelled! So I reordered, again it was mysteriously l cancelled! I have recently found out that Rowlinson cancelled my order because I am out of their delivery area? So, why couldn’t they have contacted me themselves , they had my details? RD are also at fault , but there is an inherent lack of communication both between themselves and their customers stuck in the middle. Where on RD’s website does it state that my post code and others are out of the delivery area?
Customer beware Rowlinson only care about the expensive product’s they sell anything under £300 and they are not interested.
I was impressed enough by the reviews to pay in excess of £1000 for the Rowlinson potting shed – a decision I’m beginning to regret. Although ordered and paid for weeks in advance this shed has been out of stock which meant a journey of several hundred miles to collect it from Rowlinson. It’s then taken three fencing contractors the best part of a day to erect it (they said it was the worst shed they had erected) and now that it’s up I am not happy with the poor quality materials, eg light through knot holes, windows that don’t open and close easily, no lock on the door and the way in which the back panel has been cut in half for flat packing. It looks good from a distance but this shed won’t last long and represents very poor value. I’m very disappointed and certainly wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
Scores
Hi Deborah, thanks for the feedback. We have seen a few complaints recently about Rowlinson. This is a comparatively recent issue, we will take a closer look into things and remove them from any recommendations we make if we find the quality has dropped.
Scores
Wish we hadn’t read the Whatshed review and bought the Rowlinson potting shed it rated best. The windows don’t fit, the door is rubbish so the lock won’t sit correctly and as for the roof…! Yes, the style looks good in the photos but this shed is let down by being poorly assembled by the manufacturers using cheap materials, it won’t last more than a few years and represents poor value for money. There were also issues getting delivery of the shed, just to add insult to injury!
Scores
Thanks for the feedback Susan. We will take a closer look at Rowlinson as recently we have had a few complaints about them.
Scores
Rang them 19/9/2018. I was interested in one of their potting sheds. Very offhand about my enquiry try one of our national chain distributors. Rang two of them they said go direct to Rawlinson for information. Will not be buying any of their products
Scores
Bought a 6 seater Plumley garden set from Dunelm supplied to them by Rowlinson – after 1 year all the garden chairs have split two so badly they cannot be used. Rowlinson claim to sell quality products which in our opinion is clearly not true – this set cost us £300 and the whole thing needs replacing after 1 year (6 months of which it was stored in a garage over the winter) – DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THIS SHOWER!
Scores
i have recently bought a Rowlinson shed through ‘Sheds First’ and I have never seen anything like it. It came in 20 pieces. The quality of the joints was poor and stapled rather than screwed. We decided to erect it anyway and our problems just got bigger. There are 6 pieces to the roof and it was only when it was erected that we realised one of the panels had been cut wonky. The floor was warped and gaped in the middle (this was in two pieces). The door did not fit the opening by 3 inches and was warped. We paid £489.00 for the 5 x 7 shed as it was supposed to be robust I would say it is probably worth no more than £200 and that is being generous. We have had to buy wood for the frame so the door would fit and we have had to put in a new floor. I asked for compensation to cover our extra costs and inconvenience and was told we could whistle for it as we had erected the shed. I explained that we wouldnt have know about the faults until we errected it as it came in so many difference parts. The side were the door is had to be made with 3 differenct parts and the rest of the walls needed to be errected in order to do this. Cowboys plain and simple. I think I will report them to Trading Standards as they need to be stopped.
Scores
Very frustrated with Rowlinson. At the start of August I ordered one of their garden containers through Robert Dyas. Terms : seven days delivery and Rowlinson would contact me to arrange date of delivery. Seven days came and went. I was not too concerned, needed the container before September.
Next thing I received a refund memo via email from Robert Dyas. So I contacted them, or should I say attempted.. could not get through, no response to emails etc. Then my money was refunded!
When RD eventually contacted me they said they had no idea why my order had been cancelled! So I reordered, again it was mysteriously l cancelled! I have recently found out that Rowlinson cancelled my order because I am out of their delivery area? So, why couldn’t they have contacted me themselves , they had my details? RD are also at fault , but there is an inherent lack of communication both between themselves and their customers stuck in the middle. Where on RD’s website does it state that my post code and others are out of the delivery area?
Customer beware Rowlinson only care about the expensive product’s they sell anything under £300 and they are not interested.
Scores