Frequently Asked Questions

Even though the pods are heavy, they should be bolted down as a matter of course where they can be. If they cannot be fixed down, they should be weighted down with ballast. We can help with data on how much ballast is required and the way to do it. Each Allpod Classic weighs 360kg. The Allpod Stretch 1 weighs 450kg and the Allpod Stretch 2 weighs 500kg (without plinth/floor). 

The pods must sit on a flat secure surface like very flat paving or very flat tarmac. If the surface is not flat, you can purchase a ‘plinth’ from us, which can be levelled prior to the pod being positioned on it. It can also be weighted down internally (with concrete blocks) should fixing down not be possible (to act as a ballast). The plinth comes with an ‘insert floor’ – also see note 4. If you wish to install your pod on a grassed area please let us know so we can advise you further – as you will need to commission a company to build you a deck that is spaced well off the ground. 

You can put an Allpod on an existing deck – as long as it is very flat. If it is not flat, this may prevent the pod doors working perfectly. If your existing deck (or newly built deck if you’re having one made for the pod) is larger than the footprint of the pod, it is likely that water falling on your deck will ‘track’ under the pod (as there is a 6mm breathing gap at the bottom of the pod to allow the pod base to ‘air’) into the interior area of the pod. You can prevent this by cutting a groove in your deck surface to act as a small surface gutter, or you may wish to purchase the single layer ‘Insert floor’, which fits within the floor area of the pod, is spaced off the surface below, to cover this tracking water up. If you build a deck that is the same size as the pod footprint (we can share a drawing with you), there is no surface for the water to land on – and therefore it should not ‘track’ inside.

The doors slide internally. Your pod can have 1, 2, 3 or 4 doors. They can be locked with a 2-part bracket that fixes to the frame and door element – please request with order. Please note the lock is for tamper prevention only. We do not supply latches as this time. 

The pods have been designed to be in place in all winds and weathers as they are waterproof, but not watertight. There is a ventilation gap at the top and bottom of the door to allow a small air movement. There is also a 6mm gap under the pod base where air will move under to help the pod frame breath – the inclusion of an insert floor will reduce air movement into the pod’s interior. Also, due to the nature of the internal sliding door design, when it rains and the external door surface becomes wet, water will drip onto the area that the door returns in to. This water here is encouraged to run into the door runner slots where it drains out of the pod. We advise you not to keep delicate items in close vicinity in case they get wet from the rain when the door is opened. 

The pods are made from a wet painted plywood and 4mm polycarbonate. They have a design life of around 8 years (or longer) with appropriate care and maintenance. ‘Touch up’ paint can be supplied and should be used on the ‘touch points’ i.e. the door, door threshold, door frame and some areas around the perimeter of the floor inside. The silicone sealant on the upper panels may need to be renewed after 3 years. Most of the fixings are stainless steel so require no maintenance, but some are zinc plated and these would benefit from a wipe down with a light oil annually. 

There is an internal sliding door (multiple door options) and an opening roof vent so that air can flow well around the pod. We also offer a sun shading canopy for use in the summer periods. If you decide to add air conditioning, we can cut an aperture for your cold air pipe. Finally positioning your pod in the shade is always a good idea to prevent direct sun warming it up too much in the first place.

Blow heaters are best as they replace the cold air from the opened door most quickly. 

The pods are modular in their make up which allows them to be deconstructed into their ‘petal’ panels, enabling relocation and storage. 5 pods store in a 12m x 2m x 2m space.

The polycarbonate is designed to be stable down to temperatures of -40c, below this temperature it may become brittle. The frame (which is the highest grade of coated plywood) will also be stable to below this temperature.

In terms of heating, the dome is single glazed, so in cold periods ongoing heating will be required by the blow heater. 

The pod is not watertight and therefore during winter, airborne moisture will find its way into the pod through the air gaps. We therefore recommend that the inside of the pod be wiped down regularly to prevent any excess moisture build-up forming on surfaces and the frame. This is particularly the case as the weather gets colder in autumn, winter and early spring. If you use your pod regularly throughout autumn, winter and early spring and use a heater, the amount of moisture may be reduced, but should still be wiped off if it forms. 

The pods can be supplied with a 5m cable and twin socket, to supply power to lights/heater. These are mounted internally at floor level (UK only). This would need to be wired into an external power supply in your location by a local electrician or competent person organised by you. 

The polycarbonate can scratch, but on a day-to-day basis this will depend on the level of handling that they receive. Overcleaning can prematurely scratch the polycarbonate, so only clean it when it is actually dirty. Panels that are damaged or harshly scratched can be unbolted and replaced if required. (If you are overseas, we can share the CNC cutting file for these panels so you would be able to have a new panel cut locally by a local sheet plastic supplier). 

Gentle cleaning down with clean water is recommended – as infrequently as possible. Overcleaning can lead to premature scratching of the polycarbonate (so only wash the polycarbonate when it’s dirty). The silicone sealant found around the upper panels may need to be renewed after 3 years. The polycarbonate can be easily cleaned utilising a soft cloth made from 100% cotton or a clean lint-free microfiber cloth with lukewarm water. 

If you are able to do 4 sittings a day in a pod – with 6 persons each spending £35. Assuming a £15 profit per person x 6 persons x 4 sittings = £360 per day. The pod would pay for itself in around 30 days. 

We offer a bespoke delivery and installation service for the Allpod due to variations between site locations and conditions. You can build up and install the pods yourself if you wish – but you need to be a competent person with experience of building timber items up. 

This depends on how many pods you have ordered. 1 pod would be delivered in a 3.5t box van, 4 pods fit on an 18t curtain side truck and 6 pods on a 40ft curtain side lorry – transported on bespoke double sized pallets. 

If you are overseas the pods can be flat packed, shipped and delivered for self-build. 

1 pod in a delivery crate flat packed: Size: 1470mm x 2250mm long x 600mm tall (420kg in weight). 

Each pod is built up from 8 lower panels, 8 upper panels and the top dome. These all bolt together using standard fixings – requiring Allen/hex keys. One flat packed pod takes around 8 hours for 2 skilled persons to build up. 

Once the items are all immediately located, build-up takes around 2 hours. The plinth set up and floor takes around 40 minutes. 

Yes, we can send instructions for self-build. If we are delivering the pods to your location for your own set up, the pod items will be nested on pallets and may require to be manually handled off the lorry. 

The Allpod can be put up and taken down as many times as you wish as long as you are VERY careful during the process. It is made of wood and is hand painted so the more handling it takes, the more risk there is of damage. We would not recommend them for ‘hire weekends’ if you're thinking of operating them for hire. 

In order to be able to import the pods into your country you will need an EORI number. If you don’t already have one you can apply for one through your government website. You will need someone responsible to clear the shipment into your country for you. An importing agent close to the delivery point is best (as the vehicle may have to visit the importing agent to complete the importing process). You will need to find an agent and expect to pay them for their services (approx. £150-200) - they will help you officially import the pod into your country; you will also need to pay the import duty as well as the VAT. You can find out how much duty is required to be paid by using the commodity code ‘94 06 10 00 00’ for the pod – and checking on your government’s website. Our terms for shipping are ‘Incoterms DAP’. 

For pods in the UK we guarantee a 1-year manufacture warranty on the pod itself and a 30-day warranty for the heating and lighting options. For pods outside of the UK we guarantee the moving parts only – these items are the upper and lower door wheels and the roof light opening mechanism. Replacement items would be sent by courier for client installation.