For a wooden hedgehog house, my first choice is untreated timber, a protected entrance and a roof that lifts off for cleaning. A house built to Hedgehog Street’s plan lets you choose the timber and follow a proven design. I would start there if you are happy to build one.
For someone who needs a ready-made house, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society nestbox is worth comparing for its sheltered entrance and opening roof. Its outside timber is treated with a wildlife-safe preservative, so it is a different choice from the untreated DIY house I prefer. Choose the quiet, dry position and check garden access before ordering either.
Best for control over the timber: a Hedgehog Street DIY house
Using Hedgehog Street’s plan means you can choose untreated wood and build the entrance and sleeping space to the published dimensions. I would follow the plan closely rather than copy the outside of a commercial box from a photograph.
A roof that opens makes later cleaning possible, while a tunnel or divided interior helps shelter the sleeping chamber. Allow space around the finished house to lift the roof without uprooting nearby planting. The best position is one you can then leave quiet.
A DIY house can be good value if you already have suitable timber and tools. Count fixings and roof materials too. If building it properly would be a struggle, a well-made ready-built house can be a more practical purchase than a rushed box.
Best ready-made option to compare: BHPS nestbox
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society nestbox has a staggered entrance, a ventilation gap and a hinged, lockable roof made from recycled plastic. Those features give you a sheltered internal space and straightforward access when the house is genuinely empty and ready for cleaning.
Allow about 58cm in width, 45cm in depth and 25cm in height, plus room for the entrance and opening roof. It is a substantial footprint for a small garden corner, so measure the intended site rather than judging its size from the picture.
The shop states that the outside is treated with a wildlife-safe preservative. I would still build an untreated house for my own preferred setup; this option is for someone who accepts the external treatment and wants the charity’s ready-made design. At the 14 October 2026 check it was supplied on back order, with up to 21 days allowed for delivery. Check the current lead time if you need it soon.
Why the Hutch Co house is not my first choice
The Hutch Co hedgehog house has an entrance corridor, a divided interior and a removable roof. Those are useful features, but its timber is treated, so it does not meet my preference for untreated wood.
It measures 46 × 40cm including the roof overhang, with a 13 × 12cm entrance. Allow extra room to lift the roof and check how you will clean the fixed base. I would choose the untreated DIY design first; the “predator-proof” wording in the Hutch Co product name is not a guarantee that every predator is excluded.
Keep sleeping and feeding accommodation separate
A hedgehog house is somewhere to rest or nest undisturbed. Food brings regular visits and needs frequent cleaning, so provide it separately. Our hedgehog feeding-station guide explains how to arrange that.
For any house, look for a weather-shedding roof, sound joints and a sheltered sleeping chamber. Hedgehog Street’s housing guidance is the starting point I use for untreated timber and siting. Avoid altering entrances or ventilation by guesswork.
Find a quiet site before the house arrives
Choose a shaded sheltered position where the ground does not collect standing water. Leave the entrance accessible rather than burying it in mulch or planting. Make sure routine work—mowing, strimming, hedge cutting or moving bins—will not repeatedly disturb the area.
Plan the corner as somewhere that can be left alone. It is tempting to lift the roof to check for a visitor, but repeated inspection undermines the reason for providing shelter. Follow specialist guidance for checking and cleaning, and never open or clean an occupied nest simply because autumn has arrived.
A quiet natural corner can be enough
An undisturbed log-and-leaf corner can provide cover without a commercial house. Keep it away from areas that will be cleared, burned or heavily worked. Choose a corner you can retain through routine garden maintenance, rather than one due to be tidied the following weekend.
What I would spend money on first
I would first improve access and preserve quiet cover, then build an untreated-timber house to the linked plan if the garden lacks sheltered nesting opportunities. For a ready-made purchase, I would look for a protected entrance and removable roof, and ask the supplier to confirm exactly where any timber treatment has been applied. Untreated timber remains my preference. After that, a shallow water bowl and, where appropriate, a separate feeding station can complement the habitat.
No purchase guarantees a resident hedgehog. Judge the setup by the quality of the space you provide, not whether you get an immediate photograph of an occupant. Our small-garden wildlife guide helps balance shelter with other useful improvements.
If the boundary is the obstacle, start with Hedgehog Street’s garden-access guidance. Agree any change to a shared boundary and consider pets and the land beyond before opening a route. Buying a house can wait until the garden is reachable.
