At least $600,000 was spent by Mike Fitzgerald to build a tree house.
There is a patio on one of the trees and a swinging bridge connecting it.
He's selling the property for more than one million dollars.
Fitzgerald climbed trees and made forts as a child. Now that he's nearing 60, he decided it was time to make his dream come true.
Fitzgerald said that they didn't have the cool, little games that kids play with today. I always had a dream of being out there and building something.
Fitzgerald worked in the tile industry and wanted to keep up with his work.
Josh Hart from Natural State Treehouses told him that the trees on his property were not strong enough. They ended up on his neighbor's property when they looked at the trees in the vicinity.
At the time, I didn't think about that property, but I asked how about these four trees. Fitzgerald made a statement.
Fitzgerald decided to purchase the land because the trees were the perfect type for his design. Property records show that he bought the lot for $30,000.
Fitzgerald wanted the tree house to be raised by the trees. He needed an expert to look at the trees' health.
Fitzgerald said that every branch had to be carefully inspected.
He said that you have to depend on that tree to last so that your tree has the strength to stand.
Fitzgerald reached out to the Nelson Treehouse and Supply team for advice.
I had to let them know how high I was going to build it. Fitzgerald said that he had to measure the trees at the base and up where the treehouse would be.
A swinging bridge leads to a lookout patio on one of the four trees that support the treehouse. Fitzgerald said the bridge was a challenge to finish.
Fitzgerald said that the final bridge was inspired by a bridge in a "Treehouse Masters" video.
There is a hammock on the other side of the bridge. He said that you can lay out on the net that hangs 15 feet up in the air.
The cabinets and bathroom were built by Fitzgerald.
There is a loft-style design in the tree house. A ladder is used to get to the sleeping quarters upstairs.
Most of the wood and tiles in the build were made in the area.
He said that the floor was one of the most labor intensive parts of the build.
It took two years and four months for the project to be finished. The property was built by Fitzgerald in April 2022.
When you bring your equipment with you, you need to be careful with the trees. You don't want to damage the root system.
Fitzgerald said it took two years to build the main house.
I remember how difficult it was to put the roof on the house. It took a couple of months to get the roof on the tree house because everyone was scared to get up there.
The outdoor kitchen and dining area is a striking feature of the main house.
A big piece of wood with live edges was used to make an outdoor table. Fitzgerald said that it has a grill and an outdoor fireplace.
The main house has a couple of stories. A spiral staircase leads to the loft bedroom upstairs.
The reclaimed truck beds were used to make some cabinets in the main house. The wood from the old wagon was turned into a coffee table.
Fitzgerald says that the construction process was more time consuming than he thought.
Fitzgerald thought it would take six to eight months. Doing everything to preserve the trees slowed everything down.
The treehouse has been drawing attention for a long time.
People would stop to take pictures when we put the beams up in the trees.
The property is close to a bike trail, but it is still a quiet area.
Most of the people in the neighborhood were invited to come and see the grand opening. Fitzgerald said it made him proud.
The stones in the driveway and around the pool were from Oklahoma and it was difficult to move them due to their weight.
Fitzgerald said that they had to stack all the stones on a pallet and put them on truck beds.
He said it took about three to four hours to get them over.
He thinks there is 80,000 tons of stone there.
Fitzgerald has some advice for people who want to build a home, remember to track all costs because things can get expensive quickly. Good materials pay off.
We didn't know how much it would cost when we started.
He said that the project was expensive because of the process of building the house into the trees. While upfront expenses were high, he expects to save on repairs in the future.
I made sure that the materials we used were durable. The outside of the house is made of wood that won't rot easily and won't be affected by bugs.
He thinks he spent between $600,000 and $700,000 on the project.
The entire property is being put up for sale. Until he finds a new owner, he's going to be renting the place out.
The listing is held by First Real Estate.
The median listing home price in Arkansas is $485,000. There are a number of single- family homes for sale in the neighborhood. The property is in the middle of the market.
Fitzgerald had planned to sell it a couple of years after he owned it. I took what we had and put it into the project because I don't have enough money to put into a 401(k) or a savings account.
The treehouse can be rented for $486 a night, which is more than double the cost of a hotel room.
I clean and relax around it if it's not rented. Fitzgerald said that he loves being at the tree house. It will be difficult to see it go.
You can read the original article.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
