Choosing between ground screws and concrete for your garden building foundation? Ground screws install in a single day with no digging, no curing and no mess — typically costing less than a poured concrete base. Concrete remains the traditional choice but comes with higher labour costs, carbon impact, and a permanent footprint. This guide compares both options across cost, installation time, strength, eco impact and reversibility so you can make the right call for your project.
| Factor | Ground Screws | Concrete Base |
|---|---|---|
| Installation time | Half a day – full day | 2–5 days (including curing time) |
| Typical cost | From £299 (supply only) / £1999 installed | £1800 depending on size and labour |
| Ground disruption | Minimal — no excavation | Significant — digging required |
| Reversible? | Yes — screws can be removed and reused | No — permanent structure |
| Planning permission | Often not required (non-permanent) | May be required for larger structures |
| Carbon footprint | Low — no cement production | High — concrete accounts for ~8% of global CO₂ |
| Load-bearing strength | Suitable for sheds, cabins, garden rooms, decking | Suitable for most structures |
| Works on slopes? | Yes — adjustable height, no levelling required | Requires significant groundwork to level |
| DIY-friendly? | Yes — no specialist tools for installation | No — requires formwork, mixing, professional finish |
The cost difference between ground screws and a concrete base depends on the size of your structure and whether you’re supplying materials only or including labour. For a typical 8×6ft shed, a concrete base requires excavation, hardcore, formwork, concrete mix and curing time — often totalling £[A]–£[B] with a professional installer. Gorilla Base ground screws for the same footprint start from £[X], with no excavation costs and installation achievable in a single day.
For larger structures — garden rooms, log cabins, 12×10ft sheds — the cost saving from ground screws becomes more pronounced because concrete labour costs scale with volume, while ground screw installation time remains relatively flat.
Yes — when correctly specified for the soil type and load requirements, ground screws provide equivalent structural support to a poured concrete base. Gorilla Base ground screws are engineered to carry the loads of standard garden buildings including sheds, garden rooms, summerhouses and decking. The key difference is behaviour: concrete creates a rigid slab which can crack if ground movement occurs, whereas ground screws flex slightly with natural ground movement, which in many UK soil conditions is an advantage rather than a weakness.
Ground screws are not right for every situation. If you’re building a large workshop with heavy machinery, or your structure requires a fully poured floor (rather than a timber frame), concrete may be the appropriate base. Similarly, in very rocky or heavily compacted ground where screw penetration is limited, concrete or pad foundations may be preferred. For standard garden buildings on typical UK residential soil — clay, loam, chalk — ground screws are a proven and practical alternative.
One practical advantage ground screws offer over concrete is their non-permanent nature. Permitted development rules in England allow many garden buildings without planning permission, and a removable ground screw foundation supports this status. A poured concrete base can be considered a more permanent structure, which in some cases may complicate the planning position. Always check with your local authority for your specific structure and site — GOV.UK planning guidance provides the current framework for permitted development rights.
Concrete production generates approximately 8% of global CO₂ emissions, according to research from the Royal Institute of International Affairs. For a garden building foundation, avoiding cement entirely removes a meaningful portion of the project’s carbon footprint. Ground screws also require no water for curing, leave soil structure intact and can be fully removed and reused if the building is relocated or removed — making them genuinely circular compared to a concrete base that must be broken up and sent to landfill.
Yes — ground screws are a proven foundation solution for garden buildings including sheds, garden rooms, log cabins and decking. When correctly specified for soil type and load, they provide equivalent strength to concrete with significantly faster installation, no excavation and no curing time required. Gorilla Base ground screws are installed and load-bearing the same day.
For a typical shed footprint, ground screws start from £[X] — often £[Z] less than a poured concrete base when labour and materials are totalled. The saving increases for larger structures where concrete volume and labour costs rise steeply. Ground screws also eliminate the cost of hired equipment such as cement mixers and skip hire for spoil removal.
Yes — this is one of the key advantages of ground screws over concrete. Each screw can be installed to a different depth, creating a level platform on uneven or sloping ground without any excavation or groundwork. A concrete base on a slope requires significant levelling work and often the removal of large amounts of soil.
Ground screws are a non-permanent foundation, which typically supports permitted development status for garden buildings under English planning rules. Unlike a poured concrete base — which may be viewed as a more permanent structure — ground screws can be removed, which can simplify the planning position. Always check with your local authority for your specific building and site.
Ground screws have a significantly lower carbon footprint than concrete. Cement production is responsible for approximately 8% of global CO₂ emissions. A ground screw foundation avoids all cement use, requires no water for curing, causes no soil excavation and is fully removable and reusable — making it the more sustainable foundation choice for garden buildings.
For strength, speed, sustainability, and flexibility, ground screws are the future of garden building foundations.
