Crane Garden Buildings

Crane Garden Buildings was founded in 1974 and is a family-run company. David Crane hand-crafted the first shed, and the business was originally named Crane Joinery Supplies. It was renamed Crane Sheds and Summerhouses in 1980, and was awarded the Royal Warrant of Appointment in 1995. The company became FSC certified in 2009 and formed a partnership with John Lewis in the same year. A partnership with the National Trust followed in 2010. In 2012, the company relocated to Narford, Norfolk. David and Linda Crane retired in 2013, and James and Nick Crane took over the family business.

It rebranded to Crane Garden Buildings in 2013. A partnership with Farrow & Ball began in 2016. The company passed 100 employees in 2018 and, as of 2023, has over 130 employees and 12 show centres across the country. It offers a 10-year guarantee and has over 50 years' experience. Buildings are handmade to order in Norfolk, with delivery and installation included. The company provides garden sheds, summerhouses, workshops, garden rooms, garden offices, studios, timber garages, and greenhouses. The Oxford show centre is located at Burford Garden Company, and its team includes sales designers Don, Andrew, and Nicola.

Burford's Shilton Road showsite is where many of the buying decisions for Crane Garden Buildings begin, with visitors describing a relaxed showroom experience free of sales pressure. Andrew and Don are named repeatedly for their patient, knowledgeable guidance through design and ordering, whether the enquiry is for a shed, a summerhouse or a garden room to fill an awkward plot.

An aspect raised across a number of reviews is the breadth of the display, with fully dressed buildings allowing prospective buyers to see finishes and layouts before committing, and reviewers note being shown a genuine range of options and price points rather than being steered towards one product. The standard of the buildings themselves draws consistent praise, with sturdy construction and smart presentation mentioned alongside efficient installation teams who resolve any small issues quickly.

Even a customer who ultimately chose a different type of structure for an oddly shaped garden highlighted how well the company handled that outcome, pointing to attentive service that continues regardless of whether a sale follows. Value is framed less around low cost and more around what is delivered for the price paid. With opening hours stretching across all seven days, including Sunday afternoons, the Burford site remains accessible for browsing and consultation throughout the week.