Can I put a building straight onto grass?

No. And we'd rather lose the sale than let you do it.

What happens

Grass holds water. Timber sitting on wet ground wicks moisture up into the floor and the bottom of the wall panels, and it never properly dries out. You get soft floorboards and rotten bearers, often within two or three seasons — on a building that should have lasted fifteen years.

Grass also isn't level, and it moves. As the ground settles, the building twists. Doors stop closing, windows crack in their frames, and panel joints open up.

It will also void your guarantee

Most anti-rot guarantees in this market are conditional on the building being erected on a suitable, level base. A building put straight onto grass or soil almost certainly isn't covered — so the ten-year guarantee you paid for is worth nothing.

What to do instead

Even the cheapest proper base is better than none:

• Paving slabs laid on compacted hardcore
• A plastic grid system — quick, permeable, and cheaper than slabs on a small shed
• A timber bearer frame, kept clear of the ground
• Poured concrete for anything heavy

If you're not confident building one, a local landscaper will do a shed base in a day. It's a small cost against the building it protects.

What about decking?

Decking can work if it's structurally sound, level, and the building's weight is carried by the joists rather than the boards. Check the load. For a log cabin, garden room or hot tub, assume it won't do unless someone qualified has said otherwise.

Tell us what the ground's like now and we'll tell you what it needs before you order, not after.