Garden (Steel) Shed Base - Height Query

frankled

Hi all- hoping that it makes more sense to place this question in the DIY sub-forum rather than Gardening- this really deals with garden planning more than anything else.

I'm awaiting a steel shed to be delivered and erected by a shed supplier, in the following space:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ctnc3c8DQAgU-gPxz-aM6CeYWivIT_e8/view?usp=sharing

This shed will span across the width of the garden (16.5ft) and will be 10ft deep. So, it will come out from the back wall, onto the grass, finishing just after where the clothesline pole was as per the picture (I've since removed it with an angle grinder). 40-50% of the shed will sit on the concrete, the rest will be over the grass. The company have confirmed that it is fine for their shed to be on blocks on the grass at the front, and concrete at the back.

My question is this- for my own sake, for planning my garden, would it be a better idea to dig down a little, compact the soil (it's already very compact) so as to lower the future height of the shed? Or should I leave it as is? The company have advised me that due to the height differential (the grass where the front of the shed will land will be 8-10 inches higher than the back) between the front and back, the shed will likely be on one block on the front and 3-4 supporting it at the back.

I may of course decide to add better support for the shed by means of some hardcore/slabs (you can see I have an old path full of slabs that I could use for this). However, this isn't really my question, which is more to do with garden planning and what the 'norms' are here. If I were to dig out a level for the shed to sit at, I would of course have to ensure that it wasn't too deep so as to cause water to flow towards the shed (I'll also likely implement better drainage at the shed in future). But in a situation where we will be likely paving some of the garden on the right, and possibly rotovating the lawn on the left, possibly with different levels on the garden (there's quite a slope)- does anybody have any advice as to what I should do? Allow the shed to be plonked in as is, or bring the height down by a few inches?

Lumen

Digging down offers two advantages:

1. The (big) shed will be less visually intrusive.
2. You can have a flatter threshold for entering the shed, rather than stepping up.

A low retaining wall (e.g. a couple of courses of brick) would look nice.

Dunno about the drainage. If it's not a problem now I don't know why it would be with the grass removed.

frankled

Lumen wrote: »

Digging down offers two advantages:

1. The (big) shed will be less visually intrusive.
2. You can have a flatter threshold for entering the shed, rather than stepping up.

A low retaining wall (e.g. a couple of courses of brick) would look nice.

Dunno about the drainage. If it's not a problem now I don't know why it would be with the grass removed.

Thanks for replying. I'm not too clear on what you mean by retaining wall? Excuse my ignorance!

As for drainage, there's no major issue, it has gotten fairly sodden down there during bad weather but it's not urgent and will be something that I'll address in due course. But I do know that the threshold of the shed still has to be higher than any grass running up to it!

GreeBo

frankled wrote: »

Thanks for replying. I'm not too clear on what you mean by retaining wall? Excuse my ignorance!

As for drainage, there's no major issue, it has gotten fairly sodden down there during bad weather but it's not urgent and will be something that I'll address in due course. But I do know that the threshold of the shed still has to be higher than any grass running up to it!

Presumably the retaining wall will be to hold back the ground outside of where you have dug down to set the shed.

Something less elaborate than this, with your shed where the table/chairs are.

Calahonda52

what is the floor in the shed?

frankled

GreeBo wrote: »

Presumably the retaining wall will be to hold back the ground outside of where you have dug down to set the shed.

Something less elaborate than this, with your shed where the table/chairs are.

To be honest, I should've googled it. I think a retaining wall is something to think about. Digging to create a flat area would necessitate lowering the level of the ground in parts next to the garden walls on either side. I wonder is there a limit on how far one should go towards the wall's foundation?

Calahonda52 wrote: »

what is the floor in the shed?

Steel shed, steel frame, plywood floor. Whatever I do, the floor will always be at least one block above ground level, well away from water.

Lumen

I meant like this.

Draining through the boundary wall might not be legal or ethical, it's just an idea

frankled

Lumen wrote: »

I meant like this.

Draining through the boundary wall might not be legal or ethical, it's just an idea

Thanks, I was a bit stupid about this the other day. Definitely something to think about.

Calahonda52

depending in what it is used for i would prefer my shed frame to be fully supported rather than up on blocks.
If concerned about drainage, a good soak hole along the front of the shed would work, with a sump in it for a submersible pump if it gets flooded

frankled

Strongly considering digging down and putting in a bit of hardcore. The area would be 18 feet wide by 6 feet deep (with a further 4 feet on existing concrete).

Looking online seems to return varying opinions on recommended depth of the stone. I imagine a few inches would be enough?