Good afternoon! You're right to ask about disadvantages - every foundation type has trade-offs. One significant disadvantage is poor thermal insulation. The open subfloor space created by pile foundations is prone to drafts and freezing, which can lead to cold floors and increased heating costs. To reduce heat loss, adequate floor insulation is absolutely necessary - this isn't optional if you want a comfortable, energy-efficient home. You'll need to plan for insulating between floor joists, possibly adding a skirt around the foundation perimeter to block wind, and ensuring proper vapor barriers. This adds cost and complexity to your project. Another disadvantage is susceptibility to corrosion - since metal is susceptible to electrochemical corrosion, it's better to choose piles with galvanized or two-component coating to extend service life. The third major drawback is no basement capability - when building a house on pile-screw foundation, it's impossible to install a basement, underground garage, or ground floor. If you need storage or living space below grade, piles won't work. However, piles offer advantages like reliability, safety (don't crack like concrete, resistant to temperature/humidity fluctuations and frost heaving), and 80-year minimum service life. More at
https://screw-piles-what-you-need-to-know.blogspot.com/2025/07/screw-pile-installation-methods.html Weigh these trade-offs carefully for your specific needs.
