Nelson Tree House & Supply

What Nelson Tree House & Supply does

Nelson Tree House & Supply is a privately held, family-owned custom treehouse design and build firm headquartered in Fall City, Washington. Founded by Pete and Judy Nelson and scaled with international visibility via the Animal Planet series Treehouse Masters (premiered 2013), the company designs, prefabricates, and installs custom treehouses for three primary customer segments: residential/personal property owners (baseline ~$300K), vacation rental investors (baseline ~$400K), and commercial or public-entity clients (baseline ~$300K, with $45K minimum design fee). Projects typically range from 200 to 800 square feet, though commercial builds have exceeded 2,400 square feet, and are sold through a multi-step consultative process that includes an inquiry questionnaire, phone consultation, site visit, conceptual design, permitting, and fixed-bid construction.

The firm's underlying technology stack centers on proprietary hardware — Tree Attachment Bolts (TABs) and three graded systems (Tree Fort, Standard Limb, Heavy Limb) — fabricated in the USA from heavy heat-treated steel and validated at Washington State University. Components are prefabricated in the company's Washington shop as a 'treehouse in a kit' and reassembled onsite by traveling carpenter crews; photogrammetry is used to digitally model trees for design and engineering collaboration. Revenue is generated through fixed-bid design/build contracts (with design typically 10-20% of total price), standalone design services ($30K-$45K minimum), hardware and plans sales via the Be in a Tree Shopify storefront, consultations, and adjacent hospitality income from retreat partnerships (TreeHouse Point, Treehouse Utopia, The Woods Maine, Treehouse Grove). Marketing is anchored by the Treehouse Masters TV brand, supported by a blog, YouTube channel, and active social presence on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Name

Nelson Tree House & Supply

Legal name

Nelson Tree House & Supply

Website

https://nelsontreehouse.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nelson Tree House & Supply is a privately held, family-owned firm in Fall City, Washington that designs, prefabricates, and builds custom treehouses for affluent residential clients, vacation rental investors, and commercial entities, supplemented by proprietary hardware sales and hospitality partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Treehouse Construction

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (115310), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Prefabricated Wood Bldgs & Components (2452), Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers (5211)

akta.pro primary industry

Tree Preservation & Construction Site Tree Protection (HSAIADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tree Care & Arborist Services (IMAIAIAB), Cabling, Bracing & Structural Support (HSAIADAF)

Keywords

• Custom treehouse construction
• Treehouse design and build
• Treehouse hardware systems
• Vacation rental treehouses
• Commercial treehouse builders

Headquarters

HQ city

Fall City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Design & Build Services: The primary revenue stream - full-scale design and build of custom treehouses for residential, vacation rental, and commercial clients. Services include conceptual design, permitting assistance, prefabrication, and onsite construction. Revenue is generated through fixed-bid construction contracts plus design services fees (10-20% of total price). Projects range from approximately $300,000 to $1,000,000+.
2. Design Services Only: Clients can contract only design services for approximately $30,000-$45,000 minimum and then hire a local contractor to build.
3. Treehouse Hardware & Supplies: Sale of specialized treehouse hardware through Be in a Tree online store. Products include Tree Attachment Bolts, Tree Fort systems, Standard Limb, Heavy Limb systems, fasteners, and plans.
4. Consultation Services: Consultations for DIY builders who want guidance on building their own treehouses.
5. Treehouse Plans & Instructional Guides: Sale of treehouse plans designed by Pete Nelson and instructional guides for DIY builders through the online store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Nelson Treehouse & Supply is a Washington State-based design and build firm that creates custom, code-compliant treehouses for residential property owners, vacation rental investors, and commercial clients. Services span conceptual design, permitting assistance, in-shop prefabrication, and onsite construction, with projects ranging from approximately $300,000 to $1,000,000+. The company also operates the "Be in a Tree" online store selling proprietary treehouse hardware systems (TABs, Tree Fort, Standard Limb, Heavy Limb), Pete Nelson-designed plans, and instructional guides for DIY builders.

Product overview

Nelson Tree House & Supply operates as a vertically integrated treehouse company offering custom design/build services, hardware supply, and hospitality experiences. The core offering is custom treehouse design and construction for residential, vacation rental, and commercial clients (baseline ~$300,000), paired with the Be in a Tree e-commerce store selling proprietary Tree Fort, Standard Limb, and Heavy Limb hardware systems, Pete Nelson-designed plans, instructional guides, and merchandise. The company also operates treehouse retreats through partnerships with TreeHouse Point (Washington), Treehouse Utopia (Texas), The Woods Maine, and Treehouse Grove (Tennessee). Design services are typically paired with build services but can be contracted independently.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Be in a Tree: Online store selling treehouse hardware systems (Tree Fort, Standard Limb, Heavy Limb), architectural plans, instructional guides, and merchandise including calendars and coffee mugs.
• TreeHouse Masters
• TreeHouse Point

Products and services

• Residential Treehouse Design & Build Custom treehouse design and construction for personal/private-property owners, including conceptual design, permitting assistance, prefabrication, and onsite construction. Baseline price approximately $300,000; design services represent 10–15% of the total project cost with a minimum design fee of about $30,000. Treehouses typically range 200 to 800 square feet with amenities comparable to a ground house.
• Vacation Rental Treehouse Design & Build Design and construction of luxury treehouses intended for short-term vacation rental or glamping use, including more amenities, larger size, and broader scope. Baseline price approximately $400,000; design services represent 10–15% of the total project cost with a minimum design fee of about $30,000.
• Commercial Treehouse Design & Build Design and construction of commercial-grade treehouses for businesses, nonprofits, and public entities, including permitting, engineering collaboration, and code-compliance support for public-use structures. Baseline price approximately $300,000; design services represent 15–20% of the total project cost with a minimum design fee of about $45,000 for fully permitted and engineered treehouses.
• Tree Attachment Bolt (TAB) Hardware System Proprietary foundational hardware for treehouses, fabricated in the USA from heavy heat-treated steel and tested at Washington State University's ICC-accredited Composite Materials and Engineering Center. Provides safe, sustainable, and strong support for treehouses without harming the tree. Sold through the Be in a Tree online store.
• Tree Fort Hardware System Lightest-duty hardware system in the Nelson family, intended for children's treehouses, tree forts, sunset decks, and tree gazebos. Sold through the Be in a Tree online store.
• Standard Limb Hardware System The original and most commonly used Nelson hardware, built for adult-scale residential projects such as guest rooms, home offices, and art studios. Sold through the Be in a Tree online store.
• Heavy Limb Hardware System Commercial-grade support hardware designed for the most ambitious treehouse projects. Sold through the Be in a Tree online store.
• Treehouse Plans Pete Nelson-designed architectural plans for DIY builders, available as digital downloads through the Be in a Tree online store. International delivery supported via digital format.
• Treehouse Instructional Guide Comprehensive instructional guide covering tree selection through platform design for DIY builders, available in digital or physical format through the Be in a Tree online store.
• Consultation Services Consultation services for DIY builders who want expert guidance on planning and building their own treehouses, typically combined with hardware purchases and plans from the Be in a Tree store.
• Nelson Treehouse Experience (Overnight Retreat Stays) Overnight treehouse retreat experiences at partner properties including TreeHouse Point (Fall City, WA), Treehouse Utopia (Utopia, TX), The Woods Maine (Norway, ME), and Treehouse Grove at Norton Creek Resorts (Gatlinburg, TN). Includes overnight accommodations, weddings, elopements, and guided tours in forested settings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 350+ treehouses built around the world
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• TreeHouse PointflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Pete and Judy Nelson's flagship overnight retreat and event center established in 2006 in Fall City, Washington. Features six iconic treehouses, a central lodge, event space, and hosts weddings and elopements. Represents the company's hospitality vision and serves as a showcase property.
• Treehouse UtopiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Pete Nelson and Laurel Waters (chef and owner of Laurel Tree Restaurant) in Utopia, Texas. Features four luxury rentable treehouses in Texas Hill Country with interiors curated by Laurel Waters.
• The Woods MainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTreehouse designed by Pete Nelson and built by Nelson Treehouse & Supply in Norway, Maine. Two-bedroom, two-bathroom luxury treehouse on 10 private acres with lake access. Part of a Maine retreat experience.
• Treehouse Grove at Norton Creek ResortsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMountain getaway partnership in Gatlinburg, Tennessee featuring eight luxury treehouses near Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Each treehouse equipped with AC, heat, bathroom, WiFi, and refrigerator.
• Christina SalwayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterior designer who collaborates on treehouse furnishing and design, working on projects like the Glamorous Glamping Retreat and Smith Family 'Chemistree' treehouse makeover.
• Down to Earth FlowersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSnoqualmie-based flower shop and gift boutique that creates weekly flower arrangements and wedding floral decorations for TreeHouse Point events.
• Sawhorse RevolutionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeattle nonprofit youth organization that collaborated on treehouse building workshops and projects, including Charlie's treehouse platform at Treehouse Resort and Spa.
• Zac Brown CustomscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the Space Crab treehouse project, creating a stunning retractable parota wood table that descends from the ceiling using Zac Brown Customs craftsmanship.
• Be in a Tree LLCflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerThe 'Supply' side of Nelson Treehouse & Supply - the separate entity that manufactures and sells their specialized treehouse hardware systems including TABs, Tree Fort systems, Standard Limb, and Heavy Limb hardware.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Treehouse Company: UK-based custom treehouse builder specializing in residential and commercial treehouses, including glamping and hospitality projects. Closest direct competitor by activity (custom treehouse construction) and customer profile (high-end residential, vacation rental operators).
• Blueforest: UK-based bespoke treehouse design and build company offering custom residential and commercial treehouses. Comparable as a direct specialty competitor in the custom treehouse design/build category, targeting similar affluent homeowner and hospitality use cases.
• Greenwood Treehouse Co. US-based boutique custom treehouse design and build firm offering treehouses, tree forts, and elevated platforms. Comparable as a smaller US specialty builder competing in the same niche custom treehouse market.

Broad incumbents

• AutoCamp: US luxury outdoor hospitality brand operating Airstream and cabin glamping resorts. Overlaps with Nelson's commercial/hospitality customer segment (e.g., Treehouse Grove, TreeHouse Point) as a benchmark for premium nature-based lodging.
• Getaway House: US operator of network of small, premium outdoor cabins for short-term stays, targeting travelers seeking nature-based experiences. Comparable business model overlap in the 'premium outdoor lodging' segment that drives Nelson's vacation rental customer base.
• Under Canvas: US luxury glamping resort operator with safari-inspired tented accommodations near national parks. Comparable as a publicly recognizable premium outdoor hospitality brand, useful for sizing the experiential-lodging market Nelson serves.

Emerging players

• Tentrr: US glamping platform connecting landowners with campers via curated campsites and signature tents. Adjacent to Nelson's vacation rental customer segment and represents the broader DIY/affordable glamping alternative to custom-built treehouses.
• Plant Prefab: US custom prefab home manufacturer combining sustainable building systems with factory-built modules. Comparable to Nelson's prefab-in-shop, ship-and-assemble process; both apply offsite manufacturing to deliver higher-quality structures faster.
• Method Homes: US prefab/modular home builder producing architect-designed homes in a factory setting. Comparable in manufacturing-style prefab delivery and premium custom residential positioning, providing a useful benchmark for prefab-driven scaling economics.
• Hipcamp: US online marketplace for booking unique outdoor stays (camping, glamping, treehouses, cabins). Directly relevant as a demand channel/aggregator that surfaces treehouse listings similar to those Nelson designs and builds for hospitality partners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/nelsontreehouse
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDJmSvy7LrBCj37Anqvfo9g
• Facebookfacebook.com/nelsontreehouse
• Instagraminstagram.com/nelsontreehouse
• TikToktiktok.com/@nelsontreehouse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nelson-treehouse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nelson Tree House & Supply