Service
Ground Screw Foundations for House Extensions & Garden Structures
Single-storey extensions, garages and conservatories founded on driven steel instead of excavated concrete, with no spoil to remove.
No digger, no muck away, no cure
- Development, supply and installation under one roof
- One of the UK's biggest independent ground screw distributors
- Screws made from 70% recycled galvanised steel
- Around 70% faster and cheaper than digging
- No excavation, no concrete, no spoil to remove
What house extensions involves
Ground screws are used for larger construction applications as well as garden structures: single-storey garden buildings, garages, conservatories and extensions.
Screws are driven on the grid the frame or beam layout requires, then the structure is built off the heads. There is no trench, no spoil and no waiting.
Who it is for
Homeowners and builders working on single-storey extensions, garages, conservatories and garden annexes: particularly where access for plant is poor.
It suits plots with mature trees, tight side access, sloping ground or surfaces nobody wants a digger crossing.
When it is needed, and why specialist installation matters
This is a design-stage decision. Once the structural layout and loads are known, the screw grid can be specified and the foundation booked in, which is usually the point a build programme either tightens up or slips.
Screws suit single-storey extensions, garages, conservatories and garden annexes, and they come into their own on tight urban plots where getting a digger in and spoil out costs as much as the concrete itself.
Professional specification matters most here because the loads are real. The screw grid, lengths and diameters follow the structural design and the assessed ground conditions, not a standard garden detail.
What happens if it is left
The cost of leaving it another winter
Traditional extension foundations are the messiest, slowest and least predictable part of the build: excavation, spoil, weather delays and a concrete bill that moves with the depth you end up at.
On a tight urban plot, getting a digger in and spoil out can cost as much as the concrete itself.
Screws turn the foundation into a fixed-quantity, fixed-day operation.
Common mistakes we are called in to undo
- Assuming concrete is the only option, and paying for excavation, spoil removal and curing time you do not need.
- Setting posts in concrete on ground with services below, where a screw could have been positioned and driven safely instead.
- Buying screws without checking the soil conditions or the load, so the wrong length and diameter go in.
- Starting a build on foundations that were never set properly to level, and packing the structure to compensate later.
Our process
How a house extensions job runs, from first call to handover
Step 1
Request a call back
You send the form or call us. We ask what you are building, where it is going and what the access is like, so nobody wastes a visit.
Step 2
Estimate over the phone
We give you an estimate there and then based on the structure, the loads and the number of screws the job needs. No obligation to go further.
Step 3
Site visit and assessment
If you are happy with the estimate, we visit and assess the full requirements: ground conditions, levels, services below ground and the screw specification.
Step 4
Installation
Our qualified installers drive the screws in with practical handheld equipment, to the surveyed positions and levels, with total precision and no excavation.
Step 5
Hand over, ready to build
Screws are set to level, the ground is left as we found it, and you can start building the same day. No curing time, no spoil, no skip.
What you get
The results this work is actually bought for
No digging and no concrete
The foundation is driven into undisturbed ground. Nothing is excavated, nothing is poured, and there is no spoil to get rid of.
Usually finished in a few hours
Most installations are completed in a single visit, so the build on top can start straight away instead of waiting on a cure.
Works in any weather, any soil
Ground screws are designed for year-round installation and suit all soil types, even on hillsides, so winter does not stop the job.
Cheaper overall
Around 70% faster and cheaper to assemble than normal ground digging, with no skip hire, no muck away and far less labour on site.
Reusable and removable
Made from 70% recycled galvanised steel. The soil stays unsealed, so the foundation can be unwound and reused elsewhere later.
In detail
House extensions: materials, methods and where it applies
Working with your structural design
The screw grid is driven by the loads and layout in your design. Send us the plans or the frame drawing and we will set out and specify to them.
Where building control or a structural engineer needs the foundation justified, the specification is based on the screw type and the assessed ground conditions.
Trees, services and slopes
Screws are positioned to avoid roots and buried services rather than cutting through them, which often makes them the only viable option near a protected tree.
On falling ground, the heads carry the level instead of a stepped concrete foundation.
Read moreShow less
Applications and structural interface
Single-storey extensions, garages and conservatories are founded on a screw grid set out from the beam or frame layout, with head plates matched to the connection above; timber sole plates, steel shoes or post bases.
Light steel frame and timber frame builds interface especially cleanly, because the frame bolts straight to the heads with no sole-plate bedding or levelling screed.
Where building control or a structural engineer needs the foundation justified, the specification is based on the screw type, the layout and the ground conditions assessed on site, so share the drawings and any engineer's requirements with us early.
Trees, services, slopes and access
Screws are positioned to avoid roots and buried services rather than cutting through them, which regularly makes them the only viable foundation near a protected tree or over a shallow drain run.
On falling ground the heads carry the level, so there is no stepped concrete foundation and no build-up to pay for.
Because the driving equipment is handheld, plots with no plant access are treated like any other job, and with no excavation there is no spoil, no muck away and no skip on the drive for the duration of the build.
Programme, cost certainty and the build above
Screw foundations are a fixed-quantity operation. The number of screws, their specification and the day they go in are known in advance, which removes the part of an extension budget that usually moves; depth, spoil volume and concrete quantity.
Installation is around 70% faster and cheaper to assemble than normal ground digging, and the structure can be built off the heads the same day because there is no cure to wait out.
That brings every following trade forward: frame, roof, glazing and first fix all start earlier, and the plot stays clear of spoil heaps and skips throughout.
Not sure this is the right specification for your wall? See all of our services, the areas we cover, or go back to the homepage.
FAQs
House extensions questions we are asked most
Are ground screws suitable for an extension?
They are used for single-storey applications including garages, conservatories and extensions. The specification is set from your design loads and the ground on site.
Will building control accept it?
Foundations are specified for the loads and ground conditions in the normal way. Share the drawings and any engineer's requirements with us early and we will work to them.
How long does the installation take?
Most jobs are completed in a few hours, in a single visit. Larger commercial installations are programmed around your site, but there is never any curing time to wait on.
Is there any mess?
Very little. There is no excavation, no concrete and no spoil, so no skip is needed and the surrounding ground is left largely as we found it.
Will ground screws work in my soil?
Ground screws suit all soil types, even on hillsides, and different screws suit different conditions. We confirm the specification when we assess the site.
Can the foundations be removed later?
Yes. The soil is never sealed, so screws can be unwound and reused. That is one of the reasons they suit temporary and relocatable structures so well.
How much will it cost?
Cost depends on the number of screws, their specification and the access on site, so we price each job rather than publishing a rate. Send the details or call us and you will get an estimate over the phone before anybody visits.
How long will the foundation last?
The screws are galvanised steel made from 70% recycled material, so the shaft in the ground is corrosion-protected for the life of the structure above it, and unlike a concrete base it can be unwound, moved and reused rather than broken out.
Can you install in winter or wet weather?
Yes. Ground screws are designed for installation all year round and there is no concrete to protect while it cures, so weather that would stop a dig and pour does not stop us.
Which areas do you cover?
We install across Liverpool, Merseyside, Sefton, Wirral, Knowsley, St Helens, Warrington, Cheshire and the wider North West, and we supply ground screws nationally as one of the UK's biggest independent distributors.
Related work
Often carried out alongside this
Garden buildings
Garden rooms, offices and sheds of any size sat on a level screw foundation the same day.
Read moreGround screw foundation installation
Qualified installers screwing your foundations into place in hours: no digging, no concrete, no skips.
Read moreDecking
Decking mounted straight onto the screws: no post holes, no concrete sets, no waiting for cure times.
Read moreFree quote
Extension at foundation stage?
Send your plans or a sketch with dimensions. We will tell you the screw layout, the cost and how quickly the foundation can be in.
- Development, supply and installation under one roof
- One of the UK's biggest independent ground screw distributors
- Screws made from 70% recycled galvanised steel
- Around 70% faster and cheaper than digging
- No excavation, no concrete, no spoil to remove
No obligation. We'll ask a few questions about the project and give you an estimate over the phone. Prefer to talk now? Call 0151 530 1825.