Riga starts at $5,999, but the base is extra. Real 2026 prices, assembly effort, warranty limits, cold-climate strengths, and who should buy one.
Final Decision
Quick answer: The Exaco Riga is one of the strongest serious-hobby greenhouses for a cold, snowy, or windy US climate. The standard Riga uses 8mm twin-wall polycarbonate with 10mm gable panels, while the Riga XL moves to 16mm triple-wall. Official 2026 kit prices run from $5,999 to $22,999, and the factory foundation frame adds $824 to $3,149 before site work or assembly. Long-term owners report frames and panels still holding up after 10 years, but this is a substantial two-to-three-person build, the twin-wall warranty becomes prorated after year five, and extreme-weather damage is excluded. Buy it for insulation and structure, not for a clear-glass look or an easy weekend build.
Best for
Cold-climate buyers with roughly $7,000 to $25,000-plus for the structure and factory base who value insulation, storm resistance, domestic parts support, and long ownership over a clear-glass look.
Wrong fit
Buyers who want a cheap or quick kit, a formal glasshouse, or turnkey installation. Palram costs less, Janssens supplies the glass look, and a fully installed premium greenhouse is a different purchase.
Tradeoff
Riga buys a stronger arched frame, thick multi-wall glazing, and better cold-weather performance than a typical hobby kit. You pay several thousand more, lose the clear view of glass, and take on a serious assembly plus a separate base.
The $5,999 starting price is not the project price. Add the factory base and the smallest Riga is already $6,823 before site preparation, assembly, utilities, shelving, or heat. The popular Riga 4 reaches $9,598 with its base, and a Riga XL 6 reaches $20,698.
That is still good value for the right buyer. Riga is the rare greenhouse between a lighter Palram kit and a glass Janssens that is built first for cold, wind, and snow. It is made in Germany by Hoklartherm and sold and supported in the US by Exaco in Texas. The curved frame sheds weather well, the panels are much thicker than entry-level kits, and owner reports stretch past a decade.
The honest caveat is the build. This is not a snap-together weekend greenhouse. Exaco's current manual recommends having a second pair of hands available. Owners who have done it say two is the floor and three is better, especially for the long roof sections and vents. We have not physically tested a Riga. This review is based on Exaco's current price list and warranty, its assembly documents, and long-term owner reports from Reddit and Houzz.
$5,999 to $9,199 standard, $18,499 to $22,999 for stocked XL models
Factory base
$824 to $1,749 standard, $2,199 to $3,149 for stocked XL models
Warranty
Up to 15 years frame, 10 years twin-wall, 15 years triple-wall
Warranty catches
Twin-wall prorated after year five, non-transferable, extreme weather and large hail excluded
Assembly
A second pair of hands recommended, three is the safer XL plan
Best for
Serious cold-climate growing without paying for glass
Falls short on
Assembly effort, clear views, and a base that costs extra
All prices come from Exaco's 2026 retail price list, effective February 15, 2026. They are structure prices, not complete project totals.
The Riga Line, Decoded
The regular Riga line covers the serious hobby buyer. The models share the same curved aluminium structure, automatic roof vents, a rear window, and a Dutch-style door. Size and vent count are the meaningful differences.
Model
Size
Glazing
Kit
Factory base
Kit plus base
Riga 2s
7'8" x 7', 54 sq ft
8mm twin-wall, 10mm gables
$5,999
$824
$6,823
Riga 3
9'8" x 10'6", 102 sq ft
8mm twin-wall, 10mm gables
$6,899
$1,299
$8,198
Riga 4
9'8" x 14', 135 sq ft
8mm twin-wall, 10mm gables
$8,099
$1,499
$9,598
Riga 5
9'8" x 17'6", 165 sq ft
8mm twin-wall, 10mm gables
$9,199
$1,749
$10,948
Riga XL 6
14' x 19'10", 283 sq ft
16mm triple-wall
$18,499
$2,199
$20,698
Riga XL 9
14' x 29'6", 413 sq ft
16mm triple-wall
$22,999
$3,149
$26,148
The Riga XL 7 and XL 8 are special-order models. The XL is not just a longer hobby Riga. It is wider, taller, uses 16mm triple-wall panels, ships as a much larger freight package, and belongs closer to light professional use.
One detail worth catching before ordering: the base is listed separately throughout the official price sheet. Owner discussions consistently treat it as essential because it keeps the arched frame square and gives the greenhouse a defined anchoring point. Price it with the greenhouse from the start, then put that assembly on a level prepared site. The broader base choices are in the greenhouse foundation guide.
Where Riga Is Strong
It starts with thicker glazing. The standard 8mm and 10mm twin-wall panels are a real insulation step above thin single-wall hobby kits. The XL's 16mm triple-wall shell goes further. You give up the clear view of glass, but you gain diffused light, better heat retention, and a panel that is far less frightening in hail. For a grower trying to extend the season in Vermont, Maine, Colorado, or the Upper Midwest, that is usually the right trade.
The shape does useful work. Riga's curved roof gives snow and wind fewer flat surfaces to push against. Exaco markets the line for heavy wind and snow, but do not buy from a headline rating alone. The company's price sheet sells separate reinforcement packages for the XL 6 and XL 9 that raise those models to a stated 135 mph wind-burst load and 64 pounds per square foot snow load. That tells you the exact configuration matters. Ask for the engineering document for your model, base, anchoring method, and local code before ordering. The rating and the warranty are also different things: Exaco's warranty excludes extreme storms, wind, large hail, and excessive snow accumulation.
There is a real US parts desk. Exaco handles the import, warranty, damaged-freight process, and replacement parts from Texas. On Exaco's own customer page, a ten-year Maine owner says the company replaced deteriorating panels for the cost of shipping after discovering that their original UV side had been installed incorrectly. That is seller-hosted testimony, not independent proof, but it matches the support pattern in owner forums: callers reach people who know the greenhouse.
The long-term owner reports are unusually good. A Riga XL owner in Vermont reported in May 2026 that a 2015 build still had panels in good condition after heavy snow and temperature extremes. A Houzz owner reported a frame still solid after four years, and Exaco hosts reports at five, nine, and ten years. No owner corpus is perfect, but this is much better evidence than a product page full of launch-week reviews.
Where Riga Falls Short
Assembly is a small construction project. Exaco's current manual says much of a standard Riga can be assembled by one person, but recommends a second pair of hands. In the owner thread about building an XL solo, an experienced buyer says two is the absolute minimum at several stages and three would be better. Another owner describes the number of bolts as the painful part. Exaco's own customer account puts a standard greenhouse at two days with three people, with ventilation completed on another day. Prepare the base first, inventory every box, watch the assembly videos, and have the extra hands booked before freight arrives.
The foundation frame and useful extras cost real money. The standard bases add $824 to $1,749. XL bases add $2,199 to $3,149. Shelves, shade, fans, electrical work, water, heating, and professional help sit above that. The kit-plus-base table is the minimum honest comparison. It is not an all-in project quote.
The warranty headline needs the fine print beside it. Exaco's July 2024 document covers the aluminium frame and stainless hardware for up to 15 years, twin-wall panels for up to 10 years, and triple-wall for up to 15. Twin-wall coverage is prorated after year five. The warranty is non-transferable and excludes operating parts such as automatic-opener pistons, large hail, projectiles, incorrect assembly, extreme storms, wind, and excessive snow. This is useful coverage against manufacturing defects, not insurance against every storm.
Replacing a locked-in panel can be more involved than replacing one on a cheap kit. The strength comes partly from the panels and frame being assembled as a system. A prospective owner raised exactly this concern on Reddit, and a long-term owner replied that their 2015 XL panels were still in good condition in 2026. That is encouraging, but it does not make future reglazing easy. Ask Exaco what panel replacement requires on the exact model and keep the written answer with the warranty.
It is functional, not transparent. Diffused polycarbonate is excellent for plants and poor for seeing through. If the greenhouse is a visual centerpiece and the view matters as much as the growing, Janssens tempered glass is the closer fit. If you mainly want seed starting and season extension, the Riga's cloudy shell is a feature.
What a Riga Really Costs
Use three numbers, not one:
Structure plus factory base: $6,823 for the Riga 2s, $9,598 for the Riga 4, $10,948 for the Riga 5, and $20,698 for the XL 6.
Site and assembly: grading, gravel or concrete, anchoring, freight access, and either your time or paid help.
The growing system: shelves, shade, ventilation beyond the included vents, electrical work, water, and heat if you intend to grow through winter.
That makes the standard Riga a realistic $8,000 to low-five-figure project for many buyers once the site is ready and the useful extras are in. An XL is a $20,000-plus project before paid site work and climate systems. Those are planning ranges, not contractor quotes. Price the exact line items for your property using the real cost guide.
Riga vs Palram vs Janssens
Dimension
Palram/Canopia Glory
Exaco Riga
Janssens Royal Victorian
Core buyer
Value-focused DIY
Serious cold-climate grower
Buyer who wants real glass
Typical kit band
About $3,700-$7,200
$5,999-$22,999
About $8,800-$19,000 for core Victorians
Glazing
10mm twin-wall
8-10mm twin-wall, XL 16mm triple-wall
4mm tempered glass
Base
Prepared base required
Factory frame extra, prepared site required
Aluminium base frame included, foundation still required
Assembly
DIY weekend to multi-day
Two or three people, multi-day
Two or three people, multi-day or paid installer
Best strength
Lowest serious-kit price
Insulation and curved storm-ready structure
Clear view and Victorian appearance
Main catch
Lighter frame and panel retention
Cost, build effort, no clear view
Heat loss, glass risk, and a heavy build
Choose Palram Glory when the budget matters most and you can accept a lighter structure, covered fully in the Palram review. Choose Riga when cold, snow, wind, and heating efficiency drive the purchase. Choose Janssens when the greenhouse also needs to look like a glass garden room and you accept the extra heat loss and glass handling.
Buy it if you garden in a genuinely cold, snowy, or windy place, expect to keep the greenhouse for a decade or more, want thicker multi-wall glazing than an entry kit, and are prepared to build a level base and organize a serious assembly. The standard Riga 3, 4, and 5 are the sweet spot for most serious home growers. The XL only earns its price if you need the space and 16mm shell.
Look elsewhere if the budget stops below roughly $7,000 before site work, where Palram is the honest lane, or if the clear-glass look is part of why you are buying, where Janssens fits better. If you want someone else to deliver a finished structure, the prebuilt Yoderbilt removes the build but changes the product and the price.
Frequently Asked Questions
I was wondering if anyone had any personal experiences with the Riga greenhouses by Hoklartherm?
Yes. The most useful public reports include a Vermont Riga XL owner whose 2015 panels were still in good condition in May 2026, a Houzz owner reporting a frame still solid after four years, and Exaco-hosted owners at five, nine, and ten years. The pattern is strong durability and good support, with assembly effort, door hardware, summer shade, and eventual panel replacement as the recurring cautions. Exaco hosts some of the praise, so weigh it together with independent Reddit and Houzz reports.
Does anybody have any information regarding the longevity of their poly carbonate panels?
Exaco warrants standard twin-wall glazing for up to 10 years, prorated after year five, and Riga XL triple-wall glazing for up to 15 years. Real owner evidence reaches at least 10 to 11 years with panels still in good condition, including a 2015 XL in Vermont reported in 2026. That supports planning around a decade-plus lifespan, but not a promise that every panel will last 20 years. UV exposure, installation, hail, cleaning, and climate all matter.
Has anyone put a Riga XL together single handed?
Do not plan on it. Exaco's current manual recommends having a second pair of hands available, and Riga XL owners say two is the absolute floor at several roof and vent stages, with three preferable. A very capable solo builder can prepare parts and complete many steps alone, but the long profiles and roof panels need multiple hands. Budget help into the project before delivery.
How well is that one able to handle the wind?
The curved frame and locked-in panels make Riga one of the stronger hobby-greenhouse designs, and owners report good results in severe wind. Still, the exact model, base, anchoring, and any reinforcement kit control the rating. Exaco's 2026 price sheet states that separate XL 6 and XL 9 reinforcement kits raise those configurations to 135 mph wind-burst and 64 psf snow load. Ask for the engineering sheet for the exact configuration. Extreme wind damage is excluded from the warranty.
These guides are built from manufacturer documentation, public specifications, primary research where health claims matter, and repeated buyer questions that show up in real ownership and installation decisions.
Manufacturer responses can clarify pricing bands, warranty terms, support footprint, or common mistakes. They do not move a page up the shortlist on their own.
