DIY Groundscrews. Any experience?

[Aerate]

Being very bored of barrowing spoil when levelling site, I'm contemplating using ground screws to set up a level site for a 2.4 x 2.4m Wendy House. I love the idea of self-install groundscrews, but do they require certain soil types? are they a nightmare to keep upright? What happens if you hit a rock? Anyone have any experience? good or bad?

[ewanjp]

I used long ones on my large shed (3.6 x 3m) that i keep my (heavy) ride on mower in. Was pretty straightforward - you drill a pilot hole first with a long sds bit which would identify any large rocks. Getting them in level is a bit of a knack but take your time and you can get them well enough. Doesn't need to be perfect.

Leveling is easy if you've a laser level. If the ground is heavily sloping you may have to dig a bit out anyway or get some extensions. Generally the suppliers are flexible on price if you phone them up and are ordering a reasonable amount.

[s1962a]

I'd be interested in this too. How difficult were they to actually get in the ground? Did you buy the special (manual) tool or hire the machine that does it?

Cheers

[bigdom]

Another option would be concrete deck blocks or concrete deck posts. I'd wager quicker and much cheaper.

[L4CON]

Check out Oakwood Garden Rooms on Youtube, they use a threaded bar system for the bases of their buildings which looks really good and is cheaper than groundscrews.

[Rob.]

I installed 15 for our garden room. Clay soil, manual tool. Have been in 18 months with no noticeable issues.

In fact, I have the installation "key" kicking about in the shed if anyone wants it!

[Snow and Rocks]

An alternative is dig some holes and put in small concrete pads. You can then bolt down metal brackets that will support whatever timber structure while maintaining a good airgap for rot prevention.

I've used various types from here - good value and well made.

https://www.adnacomponents.co.uk/product-category/...

[A M G]

L4CON said:

Check out Oakwood Garden Rooms on Youtube, they use a threaded bar system for the bases of their buildings which looks really good and is cheaper than groundscrews.

Sounds a lot like the quickJack-Pro kit I used for my 2m x 4m base. Great piece of kit and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Threaded spike fixes to base, drop into place and get the kids to jump up and down on it, level by adjusting the pads. Any future movement is equally easily adjusted out. Bought from A1Sheds, if I recall correctly.

[ewanjp]

s1962a said:

I'd be interested in this too. How difficult were they to actually get in the ground? Did you buy the special (manual) tool or hire the machine that does it?

Cheers

I have clay soil so it goes rock hard in summer. Therefore I did it in about April and it was pretty easy. My approach was - SDS drill with long drill bit to do pilot hole. Then pour a watering can of water down the pilot hole. Stick in ground screw in hole and start off. Check for true. Screw in a bit. Check for true again. Screw in all the way.

I used the 750mm screws from https://www.groundscrewcentre.co.uk/ and their 34 quid installation tool (basically a bar that lets you twist them in easily). I am a weakly built IT manager rather than a powerfully built director, but I found it easy enough to get them in.

[akirk]

A M G said:

L4CON said:

Check out Oakwood Garden Rooms on Youtube, they use a threaded bar system for the bases of their buildings which looks really good and is cheaper than groundscrews.

Sounds a lot like the quickJack-Pro kit I used for my 2m x 4m base. Great piece of kit and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Threaded spike fixes to base, drop into place and get the kids to jump up and down on it, level by adjusting the pads. Any future movement is equally easily adjusted out. Bought from A1Sheds, if I recall correctly.

Another one here who has used this system - for our summer house...
built a simple framework of CLS across 9 screws (you buy t-junction / right-angled / cross road ones depending where you put them on the frame) - then moved frame over spot - jumped up and down on it a bit and levelled with the disks... has sat rock solid for a few years now

[s1962a]

ewanjp said:

s1962a said:

I'd be interested in this too. How difficult were they to actually get in the ground? Did you buy the special (manual) tool or hire the machine that does it?

Cheers

I have clay soil so it goes rock hard in summer. Therefore I did it in about April and it was pretty easy. My approach was - SDS drill with long drill bit to do pilot hole. Then pour a watering can of water down the pilot hole. Stick in ground screw in hole and start off. Check for true. Screw in a bit. Check for true again. Screw in all the way.

I used the 750mm screws from https://www.groundscrewcentre.co.uk/ and their 34 quid installation tool (basically a bar that lets you twist them in easily). I am a weakly built IT manager rather than a powerfully built director, but I found it easy enough to get them in.

cheers for that - this inspires me with confidence! for your 750mm screws, did you use any tool to check there weren't any pipes/drains/electrical cables where you were installing them?

[ewanjp]

I didn't check before I installed them - my garden is pretty long, so I was 100m from the house at this point with just fields behind me, so fairly certain there was nothing underneath.

You can hire scanners with transponders for tracing drains etc. I guess to a degree you could use your sds drill as a detection mechanism too if you went very slowly! I was installing in a very rooty area (next to a row of mature beach trees), and I had no problems at all with roots. I installed so many of the things (14 ish from memory) it's impossible I didn't hit a root, so I assume they just kinda push it out the way.

[Aerate]

This all seems pretty encouraging. Groundscrews arrive tomorrow. I'll let you know how I get on....

[Consigliere]

Aerate said:

This all seems pretty encouraging. Groundscrews arrive tomorrow. I'll let you know how I get on....

how did you get on?

[onny]

In Australia, we used post anchors for projects from shed base to decking. They come in different lengths. Just have to dig a 30cm x 30cm x 40cm deep hole and level about 25cm below ground and fill with concrete to hold. I'm sure you can get these for way cheaper then the linked URL. I usually pay about 5 pounds each for these at our version of B&Q. I've had some for a deck footings for years and they are as sturdy as the day i put them in.

https://tgsupplies.co.uk/product/heavy-duty-galvan...

[andy43]

Consigliere said:

Aerate said:

This all seems pretty encouraging. Groundscrews arrive tomorrow. I'll let you know how I get on....

how did you get on?

Hired a petrol powered driver to get them in the ground.
Still holding on, just waiting for it to run out of fuel…

[Sford]

How does the cost of these ground anchors work out compared to just doing a concrete base? If they're £25 each and you need quite a few plus tools I can see it hitting the £300 mark easily. Last base I made was for a greenhouse and I mixed it myself. Think it was probably similar cost in the end.

I have a load of wriggly tin that my wife wants a shed building from. Looking at shed base options and keep coming back to just doing it with concrete.

[Consigliere]

Sford said:

How does the cost of these ground anchors work out compared to just doing a concrete base? If they're £25 each and you need quite a few plus tools I can see it hitting the £300 mark easily. Last base I made was for a greenhouse and I mixed it myself. Think it was probably similar cost in the end.

I have a load of wriggly tin that my wife wants a shed building from. Looking at shed base options and keep coming back to just doing it with concrete.

for a 5m x 3m base, they recommend 1 screw every meter, so 15 screws (3 rows of 5) and i think it came to around £700 with tool.

You also have to factor in removing spoil, hardcore, blinding, shuttering, whacker plate and concrete (barrowed or pumped for 15sqm) costs vs ground screws.

[ewanjp]

I used ground screws on my shed as it was 100m up the garden with no access and inbetween trees. Ground screws meant no digging / concrete pumping / wheelbarrowing / damaged tree roots.

[dhutch]

We have a 4x5ft 'tree top' wendy house, and it doesn't have any foundations at all Its just say on the ground.

If the ground is uneven, y could just pack under the area that needs it with bricks? Or for a raised wendy house like ours, cut a bit off the other legs.


This sort of thing
https://www.outdoortoys.com/products/rebo-5ft-x-5f...