FAQs

Castle & Cubby - Frequently Asked Questions

About Castle & Cubby

We don’t have a showroom or cubby houses on display – simply because of what it would take to manage this type of space. 

But you can absolutely make an appointment to visit our workshop, meet the team and see the production process. You’ll also be able to see the materials we use and some built components, to get an understanding of the high quality of our products. 

As we do operate a busy workshop, times and days for onsite visits are limited. Get in touch via our contact form to chat about possible dates.

Our workshop is at 9/26 Longstaff Rd, Bayswater VIC 3153.

We operate between the hours of 7-3pm. We welcome order collection and visitors by appointment.

Payments & safety

We accept a wide range of online payments, including all main forms of credit card and debit card payments (Visa, Mastercard and American Express), ShopPay and GooglePay payments, as well as ZipPay and Afterpay (eligibility applies). 

We also accept payment by direct bank deposit.

Yes. Add your products to your cart, go to checkout and choose Bank Transfer from the available payment methods.

You'll receive an email with a tax invoice attached and payment information.

Once you've transferred your payment and we’ve reconciled it, we’ll send you a confirmation email.

As a security measure, we recommend you call the number listed on our website to confirm the bank account details before transferring funds.

We take the security of your payment data very seriously. Our website is by Shopify and is equipped with industry-standard encryption technology to make sure all transactions are secure and your payment information is protected. Additionally, we comply with all relevant regulations and standards to maintain the highest level of security at all levels of our operations.

Learn more about our store's safe checkout experience (powered by Shopify) here.

For more insight, you may also want to read Shopify’s Terms of Service here or Privacy Statement here.

Shipping & Delivery

We deliver to all areas of VIC, NSW and ACT, as well as Adelaide and surrounding areas between SA and VIC, southern QLD and Tasmania.

Shipping is free for metro VIC, ACT and NSW. For other locations in our delivery zone, the delivery fee is based on the dimensions and weight of your order – you’ll be advised of this cost before confirming your order.

We apologise to the lovely folk of WA, NT, western SA and northern QLD as we cannot deliver to you. This is due to the high cost of freight of such a bulky product. We really do wish it were different.

Shipping is free for all orders in metro VIC, ACT and NSW. Check your postcode during checkout to confirm.

We deliver to regional VIC and NSW, Adelaide and surrounds, southern QLD and Tasmania for an added shipping fee. If you’re located outside of our free delivery zone, select ‘Add to Request a Quote’ for an accurate shipping quote. We offer a subsidised cost based on the dimensions and weight of your total order.

Yes! We offer free shipping currently to metro VIC, ACT and NSW regions. You can check if delivery is included to your postcode at the checkout.

For locations outside of our free delivery zone we ask you to reach out for a quote. Shipping is subsided and based on the total size and dimensions of your order. 

No. Sorry at this stage we do not ship internationally (yet).

The next question is usually, do you sell your plans. Alas, the answer to this is also no.

Of course! Our workshop is located at 9/26 Longstaff Rd, Basywater VIC and we welcome collection during our regular hours (or outside of this by arrangement). 

You’re welcome to collect your goods from us yourself, or arrange an independent freight company. We offer a discount to clients who pick up – choose this delivery option at checkout.

*Note, you will need to make sure you have the appropriate sized vehicle for your order. Please check with us before arrival.

We take immense pride in crafting unique, timeless and high quality timber play products right here in Melbourne. Although we do have a small selection of products in stock, the majority of our designs are built to order, to your specifications.

Our lead times are outlined on our website and may be updated from time to time, depending on demand.

These lead times are based on order value and are calculated from the date payment is received (either a deposit or full payment). These timeframes reflect the ready-to-dispatch dates and do not include delivery time, which can be affected by factors which are beyond our control, such as weather conditions and payment processing.

If you need your products sooner than the outlined lead times, get in touch to discuss options. We can occasionally adjust our production schedule to accommodate expedited orders, although this is not guaranteed and additional fees may apply.

Returns & Refunds

We’re in the business of bringing dreams to life and it’s something we take so seriously! We’d say 95% of our customers report our product is better in real life than they imagined, and that it more than meets their expectations for quality, sustainability, size and play-ability. 

We want EVERY customer to achieve their dream play space so our commitment to you is this: if you feel that our cubby house falls short in any way, let us know within 30 days and we’ll pick it up and refund your money. Simple!

To make sure you know what to expect, we’re happy to answer any questions and provide as much help as possible in choosing the best product for your playspace.

We 100% stand by our product quality. If you experience any issues as a result of the build, shipping or installation process, we will happily make any repairs needed. In the rare instance where repairs will not do the job, we will replace the product at no cost to you.

Warranty & Repair

We 100% stand by the quality of our materials and workmanship. Our products are designed to withstand all sorts of weather conditions and daily play.

On the rare occasion that our products haven’t met these expectations, we’ll absolutely do everything we can to make it right – whether that means repair or replacement of any faulty components. Depending on the fault we may come out to inspect the product first before deciding on the best course of action to fix it. 

To notify us of a fault and request a repair, submit a Product Feedback Form, noting your order number and any info you can provide about the issue (include photos if possible).

We’ll get back to you within one business day to initiate a plan to rectify the issue and we’ll make sure you’re kept up to date throughout the process.

In some cases, we may not honour a claim, for example if the damage is due to misuse, improper storage, or where the build instructions have not been followed correctly.

We also cannot provide a warranty for changes in the raw materials we use in our products. Any products exposed to outdoor weather conditions will change over time. We recommend you read the care guide and follow the steps we’ve outlined to maintain your products and ensure a reasonable condition of the product over time.

No matter what, you are always covered by the rights and guarantees made under Australian Consumer Law

DIY & Installation

Our DIY option is where we deliver your products, for you to then put together yourself. This might include assembly, painting and adding the final accessories. DIY kits are designed to be easy to assemble, with clear instructions that you can follow step-by-step.

We also offer a full installation service, where our friendly team will build your products for you on site. This may also include surface preparation, building decking and minor landscape works.

We’ve designed our products with DIYers in mind. That means clear instructions to make building easy, and a skill rating on every product page. 

Level 1 - Super easy for anyone confident with a power drill.

Example: Mud kitchens and furniture

Level 2 - If you can put together a flatpack and can follow a plan, you’ll ace this.

Example: Signature cubby houses 

Level 3 - You're adept at reading a plan and can problem solve basic carpentry, like putting on a roof with flashing.

Example: Premium cubby houses

Level 4 - Is for the skilled handy person / carpenter experienced at concreting posts, deck laying, levelling and the like.

Example: Platform cubby house with slide

We recommend at least two people for all cubby houses and more advanced projects.These projects involve lifting and holding pieces in place while they are attached, which is much easier and safer with a few hands.

Just one person is needed for small projects like mud kitchens and furniture (but are much more fun with two!).

This is totally fine! We know life gets busy and things change. If you change your mind on DIY, let us know. We’ll arrange to have our installation team get you all set up.

Cubby House Product Info

It all starts with figuring out how much space you have for a cubby house, along with your budget. Our cubby houses come in all shapes and sizes to suit spaces big and small. Measure up your area then use the product filters (footprint and price) to narrow down your options.

We’ve put together a handy guide to Choosing a Cubby House that’s packed with even more information to help you pick the perfect playspace.

This comes down to a range of factors, including the age of your kids, play styles and your intention for your cubby house after your kids grow out of it.

  • Young Children: If buying a cubby house for very young children (ages 2-5), they are likely to outgrow the standard height by age 8.
  • Older Children: If purchasing a cubby house for children aged 5 or older, the extended height may provide longer use as the child grows.
  • Beyond cubby years: An extended height cubby house provides a greater range of options for later use.

Our Signature Cubby Houses come in two heights with 2 roof styles, designed to cater to different age groups and styles. 

Standard height cubby house:

  • Recommended Ages: 2-10 years
  • Pros: More compact, cost-effective, and windows are at an appropriate height for younger children.
  • Cons: Challenging for adults to interact with children inside without crouching, harder to clean.

Extended Height Cubby House:

  • Recommended Ages: 5-12+ years
  • Pros: More room inside allows for easier adult interaction and cleaning.
  • Cons: Larger size may be less cost-effective.

You can place your cubby house on almost any type of surface, as long as it’s well draining. We recommended laying a 10cm barrier of crushed rock for drainage and to provide a level surface for your base.

Our Preparing and Caring Guide will help you prepare your space for your cubby house.

Our cubby houses aren’t fully sealed – and you don’t want them to be. Airflow is extremely important as it prevents moisture from getting trapped inside, which can lead to mould.

While there are some small gaps at the window and door, and under the roof for airflow, rain very rarely finds its way in. So you can store cubby house toys inside without concern. 

This can absolutely be done. Just leave us a message in the Notes section when you place your order and we’ll update the design to include an extra window. We’ll then email you an invoice to make the additional payment.

We can upgrade one of your roof panels to a clear panel for an added cost ($60 approx.). Leave us a message in the Notes section when you place your order. We’ll send your edited order to you with an invoice for the additional payment.

We’ve made it easy to add on decking panels via the Cubby House Accessories collection. You’ll see some guidelines to help you work out the panels you need and how many. Add each panel to your cart to show up in your order. 

Send an enquiry if you need some help with your calculations!

Yes, we can order any colour from your preferred brand. Simply provide the colour name/code in the Notes section at checkout and we will update your order with the additional custom paint fee.

If you want a colour that’s not in our standard range, we charge a special order fee of $50 per colour. 

We use Tint exterior paint as it's non-toxic and vegan. However you can use any exterior paint that you can find readily available at your local hardware store. You can also use a decking oil or tinted stain for a natural timber look, which will also help protect the cubby for years.

While we do not currently have a formal event hire program in place we are more than happy to speak with you about your event, ideas and budget to see what’s possible. 

ECO-FRIENDLY

Non-toxic sustainable materials.

Aus-wide Shipping

& Free shipping to Metro VIC, ACT & NSW.

MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

Returns within 30 days receive a full refund..