Local builder helps TV show build a treehouse

By JEFF EPSTEIN
[email protected]
WINDSOR, Vt. — When a television show needs a hand, it’s not bad to be the one asked for help. That’s what happened to Richard Nelson, the owner of Peachtree Builders here, when the Animal Planet show “Treehouse Masters” was looking for some construction support nearby.

Pete Nelson (no relation) helms the show that builds treehouses of all kinds to make treehouse lovers’ dreams come true, “for those with a passion to reconnect with nature and awaken their inner child,” as the show’s website says.

Sometimes the treehouses are elaborate, sometimes simple. Each is custom made for a family. The builds are filmed and the progress of each one is the subject of an episode. For the episode scheduled to air Friday, October 19, the show builds a treehouse for a family in Newfane, Vermont, a little west of Putney.

Treehouse Masters has its own source of labor, from Pete Nelson’s own company based in Fall City, Washington, but since the television projects occur in different locations the show will sometimes use local resources, and that’s where Peachtree comes in. Richard Nelson was able to send around six to eight carpenters to the Newfane site to help with the build, which occurred the last two weeks of August.

“We were fortunate to work with Pete Nelson,” Nelson said. The show supplied the design for the treehouse, which in this case was a relatively simple A-frame, single-room plan. “The design was pretty easy to follow.”

Just being involved with the show “was a lot of fun,” he said. “You almost revert to your childhood,” contemplating working on a treehouse.

But the kicker is this: “We actually have a … particular client that loves that TV show,” Nelson said. The idea of building a treehouse has been informally discussed, but nothing has come of those talks to date. Now that Peachtree Builders has actual treehouse experience under its belt, Nelson is ready roll whenever that client is. And he’ll make sure he knows about the show.