FIRST BASE Ground Screws: 'Foundations don't have to be difficult'

A patio cover or sunroom needs a stable foundation. They know all about that at FIRST BASE Ground Screws. Managing Director Joris Bullens talks about the ease of their screw-in machines and foundations in weaker soil types. 

Foundation without concrete and without digging? According to Bullens, it can be done with the screw foundations from wholesaler FIRST BASE Ground Screws. "Screw foundations are large steel screws that you can screw into the ground both manually and mechanically. This way you easily realize stable foundations that do not sink. In addition to a wide range of screw foundations and handy accessories, we offer two types of powerful, electric screw-in machines," Bullens said. "It's an investment that pays off quickly." 

"Mechanics like to install patio covers; they want to do what they're good at," Bullens knows. "Ground work is often not the most fun work and can also be quite difficult with certain types of soil. So the fact that we can make this easier for them is important to us. We like to inform our customers in detail about reading soil maps and probing reports, and together we determine the type and length of screw foundations needed. This allows them to differentiate themselves from their competitors." 

To make this information always available to customers, the FIRST BASE Academy was created. "On the online Academy, the basics of our foundations are clearly explained. How do I determine the length? Where do I find information about the soil and how can I interpret it? What are the risks and how can I mitigate them? Consumers are usually surprised and immediately convinced when our customers come with a well-founded story. We always look at the customer's technical needs and advise what best suits them."

FIRST BASE Ground Screws also provides foundations for wood and steel construction homes, such as outdoor shelters, stables and temporary housing. "But the shading industry remains a very important market for us," says Bullens. "In particular, the speed with which our foundations can be installed convinces our customers to choose screw foundations. One advantage of working without concrete is that you don't have to dig, set or move your concrete pile, remove soil or wait for concrete to harden." 

When patio covers and conservatories, especially with glass, are installed on weak soil, the deeper load-bearing layers of soil must be sought. Nine years ago, FIRST BASE Ground Screws started with screw foundations of various fixed lengths, but soon it turned out that this was not enough. "In the Netherlands, especially in the west and north of the country, we have a lot of weak peat and clay soils," Bullens explains. "In order to use screw foundations even in these more difficult situations, we have developed an extendable system. These foundations are also easy to apply with our manually operated screw machines." 

To assist erectors and contractors when a building permit is required, FIRST BASE Ground Screws has in-house engineering that can calculate the bearing capacity of the piles. Furthermore, everything FIRST BASE Ground Screws supplies is competitively priced and of high quality. "For example, our screw foundations with a diameter of 76 mm and larger comply with the EN-1090-2 production standard," concludes Bullens. "And when the lifetime of the steel foundations is over, the steel can be recycled, thus completing the circle. That's a big advantage compared to concrete, which can only be downcycled." ■