Ground-screw installation is one of the more satisfying days on any Arden & Oak build — a full foundation grid goes from bare garden to load-tested, load-ready platform in around six hours. Here's what actually happens on the day.
The morning: setting out
The site team arrives with the engineered foundation drawing showing exactly where each screw sits. Corner positions are marked with pegs, and a laser level is set up to give a common reference height. Once the layout is agreed, the steel-anchored rig is offloaded — a compact tracked machine roughly the size of a small ride-on mower.
The middle: driving the screws
Each steel-anchored is loaded into the hydraulic head, positioned over its mark, and driven vertically into the ground. The rig applies torque continuously; as the screw hits competent ground, torque rises, and the operator monitors the reading to confirm the screw has fully bitten. Each screw takes 10-15 minutes to drive from start to finish.
The afternoon: levelling and connection
- Each screw is cut off at a common finished level determined by the laser
- Steel bearer plates are welded or bolted to the screw tops
- The primary structural bearers are dropped onto the plates and mechanically fixed
- A quick torque re-check confirms every screw is at design load rating