General Shelters: because YOUR building matters!

Category: Innovative Cabins

  • Custom Greenhouses in Texas

    This is being written in mid-July, which is just about the right time for designing and ordering your greenhouse! Lucky you, General Shelters offers two models of greenhouses: portable, wood framed greenhouses, and metal-framed greenhouses. Each offer unique features and benefits.

    Portable Wood-Framed

    The portable greenhouses are designed to be (relatively) easy to relocate as needed. Designed in classic General Shelters fashion, they are manufactured to withstand the rigors of being moved, with an emphasis on long-lasting durability.

    Before going any further, visit the General Shelters Design Room, then go to syle, specialty buildings. Scroll down to choose size and other options. Once you have a design you want a quote on, fill out contact information and we will be in touch. We will not harangue or aggressively try to “sell you” on the product, we believe the quality and value sells itself!

    As we have mentioned elsewhere, the greenhouses come with fifty years of experience informing their construction. Remember, the senior leadership at General Shelters have over thirty years experience apiece; they are not some start-up trying to figure things out.

    That is all to say the portable wood-framed greenhouses have a maximum size of 12’x24′. While finished portable cabins have a maximum size of 18’x68′, the use of polycarbonate panels versus high-gauge steel means the buildings will shift around often enough that this as a maximum size was most predictable and durable. All wood is pressure treated for durability.

    Here is a floorless 12×20 as it is being loaded.

    With optional workbenches and hanging rods, you have plenty of storage and work space. Windows, doors, vents, exhaust fans, interior/exterior electrical outlets, and more can be customized for your greenhouse. It is important to note that the buildings have very little insulation value, so at night or during very cold temperatures, supplemental heating is necessary

    The default panelling is smoked coloured polycarbonate. The darkened shade actually emphasizes red light, which stimulates plant growth without affecting the sunlight’s heating effect. Steel panels can be added as a wainscotting or in place of any of the plastic panels.

    In the model pictured below, the customer chose colony green for the trim and wainscotting. Pictured are the skids the building is moved with, which are treated interlaced 2×4’s. Solid concrete blocks are placed underneath to level the greenhouse. “Hurricane straps” are an additional cost, but worth the value.

    Metal-Framed Greenhouses

    The wood-framed portable buildings are spacious enough for the hobbyist gardener, but for more production oriented gardening, the metal-framed greenhouses provide more space. These are industrial strength, heavy duty framed structures – not flimsy hoop houses.

    At fifteen feet wide, the metal greenhouses are built with four inch 14 gauge galvanized steel framing, with each post anchored into concrete eighteen to twenty four inches deep. If the greenhouse is on a slab, the posts are bolted down. While the 29 gauge wainscoting is optional on the wooden buildings, the metal structures feature a thirty inch high metal wainscot, with trim and panel color also customizable.

    The length of the structure is infinite. With a set width of fifteen feet, adding length is just a matter of choice. With aninterior leg height of eight feet, custom locations for doors, windows, vents and exhaust fans can chosen.

    Also featuring the smoked panelling, the structure can be bolted onto a concrete pad or set into the ground as mentioned. A galvanized steel beam runs along the bottom. Below, our demo building was extremely useful in keeping our citrus warm. Note that for the demo, clear panelling was used for the roof. We installed on native soil, laying down ground cover and adding several inches of smooth stone.

    The panelling is Smoke Poly Carb Skylight 8mm AG profile on 9″ centers. The steel is galavanized cee purlin 14 gauge. Wainscotting is 29 gauge AG also on 9″ centers.

    Installation does not include the option of built-in counters or work benchs, though those are easy enough to install. The perlins running above are stout enough to handle thousands of pounds.

    The Design Room builder for the metal buildings You will see options for doors (which will be storm doors), 36×36″ windows, and exhaust fans. If one wants rollup-doors, set the leg height to 9ft and there will be an option to place one on either end.

    To receive a quote, email your design idea to cabins @ treesofcentraltexa.com, or call 979-551-0400. Typical lead time for metal buildings is between four and six weeks after site inspection and deposit. Portable greenhouses are typically two months out.

  • We needed a mule to get the Guest House to its home

    As we have discussed before, there are a lot of factors that must be considered when evaluating suitability of placement on site. Width of entrance, width along route, ground conditions, and ability to extract the rig and trailer after unloading the structure. This is done during the Site Inspection.

    While the proper clearances were available for the truck and trailer, it was tight enough that using the mule made a lot of sense. Fortunately, the Guest House is a small unit that can be moved by the mule. Two sets of tires are positioned under the outtermost skids, and the mule grapples the opposite end of the cabin. Remote controlled, the mule is guided precisely along the path, making discreet turns when necessary.

    As one may see in the accompanying video from our YouTube page (smash those Like and Subscribe buttons!), Ken from Prestige Transport was able to place the cabin to the inch of the marked location!

    No voiceover or AI narration, just six minutes of raw video peppered with on-screen comments.

    The entire process of loading, delivering, blocking and levelling took about three hours. Enjoy the video!

    Please call or email us with any questions you may have, and if you are in the area make plans on stopping by to tour the cabins we have on location and available for sale.

    See “All Blog Posts” for a list of topics we have discussed here.

  • Custom Greenhouses in Texas

    This is being written in mid-July, which is just about the right time for designing and ordering your greenhouse! Lucky you, General Shelters offers two models of greenhouses: portable, wood framed greenhouses, and metal-framed greenhouses. Each offer unique features and benefits.

    Portable Wood-Framed

    The portable greenhouses are designed to be (relatively) easy to relocate as needed. Designed in classic General Shelters fashion, they are manufactured to withstand the rigors of being moved, with an emphasis on long-lasting durability.

    Before going any further, visit the General Shelters Design Room, then go to syle, specialty buildings. Scroll down to choose size and other options. Once you have a design you want a quote on, fill out contact information and we will be in touch. We will not harangue or aggressively try to “sell you” on the product, we believe the quality and value sells itself!

    As we have mentioned elsewhere, the greenhouses come with fifty years of experience informing their construction. Remember, the senior leadership at General Shelters have over thirty years experience apiece; they are not some start-up trying to figure things out.

    That is all to say the portable wood-framed greenhouses have a maximum size of 12’x24′. While finished portable cabins have a maximum size of 18’x68′, the use of polycarbonate panels versus high-gauge steel means the buildings will shift around often enough that this as a maximum size was most predictable and durable. All wood is pressure treated for durability.

    Here is a floorless 12×20 as it is being loaded.

    With optional workbenches and hanging rods, you have plenty of storage and work space. Windows, doors, vents, exhaust fans, interior/exterior electrical outlets, and more can be customized for your greenhouse. It is important to note that the buildings have very little insulation value, so at night or during very cold temperatures, supplemental heating is necessary

    The default panelling is smoked coloured polycarbonate. The darkened shade actually emphasizes red light, which stimulates plant growth without affecting the sunlight’s heating effect. Steel panels can be added as a wainscotting or in place of any of the plastic panels.

    In the model pictured below, the customer chose colony green for the trim and wainscotting. Pictured are the skids the building is moved with, which are treated interlaced 2×4’s. Solid concrete blocks are placed underneath to level the greenhouse.

    Metal-Framed Greenhouses

    The wood-framed portable buildings are spacious enough for the hobbyist gardener, but for more production oriented gardening, the metal-framed greenhouses provide more space. These are industrial strength, heavy duty framed structures – not flimsy hoop houses.

    At fifteen feet wide, the metal greenhouses are built with four inch 14 gauge galvanized steel framing, with each post anchored into concrete eighteen to twenty four inches deep. If the greenhouse is on a slab, the posts are bolted down. While the 29 gauge wainscoting is optional on the wooden buildings, the metal structures feature a thirty inch high metal wainscot, with trim and panel color also customizable.

    The length of the structure is infinite. With a set width of fifteen feet, adding length is just a matter of choice. With an interior leg height of seven feet, custom locations for doors, windows, vents and exhaust fans can chosen.

    Also featuring the smoked panelling, the structure can be bolted onto a concrete pad or set into the ground as mentioned. A galvanized steel beam runs along the bottom. Below, our demo building was extremely useful in keeping our citrus warm. Note that for the demo, clear panelling was used for the roof. We installed on native soil, laying down ground cover and adding several inches of smooth stone.

    The panelling is Smoke Poly Carb Skylight 8mm AG profile on 9″ centers. The steel is galavanized cee purlin 14 gauge. Wainscotting is 29 gauge AG also on 9″ centers.

    Installation does not include the option of built-in counters or work benchs, though those are easy enough to install. The perlins running above are stout enough to handle thousands of pounds.

    The Design Room builder for the metal buildings You will see options for doors (which will be storm doors), 36×36″ windows, and exhaust fans. If one wants rollup-doors, set the leg height to 9ft and there will be an option to place one on either end.

    To receive a quote, email your design idea to cabins @ treesofcentraltexa.com, or call 979-551-0400. Typical lead time for metal buildings is between four and six weeks after site inspection and deposit. Portable greenhouses are typically two months out.

  • Thinking of a Barndominium? Let’s talk about Bedrock Structures

    Flexibility and costs have made ‘barndominiums’ an increasingly attractive option. The chief difference between our portable cabins and the ‘barndo’ option is that a metal building is obviously more permanent, and with a much faster install timeframe. While our cabins are delivered turn-key-ready, our metal buildings are ready-to-finish only.

    As we have talked about elsewhere, General Shelters “rolls” their own steel. This means they receive the steel in gargantuan coils, and press it through an enormous machine to make their panels.

    A subsidiary of General Shelters is Bedrock Structures, which manufactures and installs custom metal buildings. Unlike their portable buildings, Bedrock Structures simply cuts the posts and panels, and have skilled contractors erect the structure on-site.

    There are numerous metal building manufacturers, and we proudly represent three (Bedrock Structures, Eagle Carports, and Star Carports). Each having their own benefits.

    Our operations center under construction.

    But we tend to lean into Bedrock Structures, primarily because of the size of the posts they use. While most metal buildings use 2.25 inch galvanized steel posts, spaced at five foot intervals, Bedrock Structures use 4 inch galvanized steel posts spaced twenty feet apart.

    This means that when framing the inside walls, you will have more flexibility for the placement of windows, doors, and interior walls. Bedrock Structures also provides red steel (aka red iron), so they can spec out wider buildings than those using galvanized frames.

    Important to note that Bedrock Structure will install the frame of your project only. While they can add insulation during construction, they do not wire for electricity or provide any finishing services. Standard windows, doors, and rollups can be installed, while customer-supplied items would be installed by the customer’s contractor in frame-outs.

    As with the cabins, the standard steel is 29 gauge, for both sides and roofs. 26 gauge roofs are available for slightly more cost.

    To receive a quote for your project, use the configurator on our website. Easy to use, simply put in your zip code and go from there. You will receive a quote for the entire project, and how much the deposit is. Fill in your contact information and we will reach out to review the project with you. Next, we perform a site inspection to assure suitability of the location, and make recommendations for any land work that may be in order. Once we finalize your order, the deposit is placed, we hit ‘go’ and submit the order. Turn around times vary, but in general with six weeks your building will be ready.

    Lean-tos, porticos etc will not be reflected on the configurator, and we will quote those costs when reviewing your needs.

    So check out our configurator, call us at 979-836-7225, or email.

    Three days later our building was ready.

  • Modular Buildings vs Portable Pier-and-Beam Buildings

    When being introduced to General Shelters buildings, a common question we are asked is if they are modular buildings.  This makes sense, in that they are manufactured elsewhere and brought to the installation site, same as General Shelters buildings.

    While they share this similarity, there is a larger, major difference,  While modular buildings are manufactured elsewhere, brought to the installation site, and then joined together, General Shelters buildings are brought roll-off-ready.  There is no crew or assembly required post-delivery.

    This turn-key approach is what makes General Shelters buildings fairly unique in the industry.  A follow up crew will visit the building to tie down anything that may have shaken loose during transport, if necessary. The simplicity of this one and done approach brings down costs, especially when the site is remote.

    Like everything else, there are exceptions.  For General Shelters, the exception is that customers can order buildings to join together for larger areas.  This would all be done post-delivery by the customer’s own contractor.  Below is an example of a skilled contractor adding a room and bathroom to a custom Maverick we delivered last year.

    While not a weekend project, the process is fairly straighforward.

    Please visit us at Trees of Central Texas, meet our design team, and see what we have immediately available for you!

  • Insights from General Shelters’ Annual Dealer Seminar

    We look forward to the annual General Shelters dealer seminar, and every year we are astonished to see their current projects when we visit.  2025 did not disappoint!

    Located in the piney woods of far East Texas, General Shelters hand crafts all of their buildings in several sprawling manufacturing facilities in Center, TX.  It is a beautiful part of the state, and so far East Texas that one could hit Louisiana with a rock.  There is always a lot of work going on, but the workspace is incredibly organized and picked up.

    Because they are built in a dried-in environment, there are no rain delays or materials left out in the weather. Above, a standard Cedar View is midway through its all-wood construction, the colony-green offset nicely by the steel cedar accent wall.  Below, the truss for the dormer; the insulation has yet to be installed, which can be blown fiberglass, or foam cell. 

    The buildings are all clad in 29 gauge steel, which is “rolled” in another facility on the property.  The siding passes easily as board and batten siding.  Never paint again: the siding and roof colors are backed by a 40 year waranty. The building below is our custom “Texas Two-Step (2be/2ba),” with a custom painted cedar gable.

    The executive staff have worked alongside each other for decades, bringing valuable years worth of experience and love of craft to their builds.  It really is a family business at heart, and it feels like visiting with a family of incredibly skilled individuals.  Because they have worked closely with each other, they have seen and done everything; if you have an idea for your cabin, they can expertly advise based on over fifty years of experience

    We were excited to see examples of their mobile product, as well. Unlike the custom cabins, which are delivered on a trailer and carefully slid off then blocked/leveled, their mobile buildings are permanently fixed to a trailers. And what a trailer: five axles!  This means all one needs is a powerful truck and a hitch to relocate. This is one of twenty that they were building at the time of our visit; two others are seen on the far side of the lot.

    Very straightforward design, with an office on each end and a large room in the middle. It was surprising to see only space for a half fridge:  whoever ordered this was all business.  Built for functionality, it featured steel doors and window bars, vinyl paneling for walls and flooring, with a gypsum ceiling.

    These units were custom-made for deployment in the oil field, and perfectly illustrate the versatility and deep bench that General Shelters brings for anyone who needs a large, secure place of business.  To say it again: if you submit a design idea, the engineering team at General Shelters will expertly advise what it will take to make your vision a reality.

    The seminar itself was very informative, with an emphasis on properly advising customers on the delivery and installation of the buildings.  It is a significant engineering feat to get buildings to their final destination, and a lot of things need to be properly done for this to be done seamlessly.  Oftentimes the buildings are delivered in relatively remote locations with unimproved access, and it sounded like some team members did a better job of observing the delivery route before the building arrives on-site than others.

    Thankfully, the team at Trees of Central Texas performs pre-delivery assessments to follow up on the initial site-inspection to determine that action items have been completed.  The biggest snafu was, apparently, the presence of  branches and tree limbs along county roads.  Even then, it sounded like General Shelters went the extra mile and remediated any damage that occurred.

    It was good to hear from other team members about what they have been designing, and look forward to next year’s meeting.  If you are seriously considering purchasing a building, they will entertain visitors for brief tours of the facility,

    For more information on General Shelters’ specialty commercial buildings, including bunk houses and other buildings go to https://www.generalshelters.com/commercial/.   And to see what we are doing please give us a visit at https://www.treesofcentraltexas.com/