Prefab vs custom shed foundation: which side are you on?

I went with a prefab metal shed on a crushed stone base last spring, but my neighbor built his own wooden shed on concrete piers and it's still dead level after two winters of freeze-thaw. My floor already has a slight sag near the door after 8 months. Am I wrong for thinking poured concrete is the only way to go for anything over 8x10?

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grant_ross274mo ago

Poured concrete is the way to go. We keep trying to skip steps to save a few bucks, but foundations are one of those things where shortcuts always catch up to you. It's the same as buying cheap tires for your truck or using bargain bin paint for your house. You save money upfront, then spend twice as much fixing the problem later. A concrete pad costs more now, but you never have to worry about it shifting or sagging. My neighbor did his 10x12 shed on poured concrete ten years ago and it still looks like the day he poured it. I learned the hard way that the ground moves no matter what you put on top of it.

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the_reese4mo ago

Nah I used to be all about saving money on foundations. Figured stone base was good enough. But after watching my buddy's shed shift sideways this spring I'm converted. Poured concrete for anything bigger than a garden shed.

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