DPC below outside paving level - solutions?

Hi all We've recently had problems with a broken bend at the bottom of the soil pipe. Some digging out (thankfully not me!) and insurance discussions later, we're ready to engage someone for the day or so's work of fitting everything back together properly, filling the ca. 1/2 cubic meter hole with pea gravel, and making good etc.

However ... whilst watching the process of lifting out the crazy paving at the front of the house where this problem was, I saw what I realised was the DPC ... *under* the level of the paving! (The guy who used to own this place was a builder of sorts - every bit of work of his I've seen was a bodge).

So the DPC seems to be be about 1 to 1/5 brick-depths below the current level of the paving. We've never had damp problems here but obviously it's not a good situation.

I pointed this out to the guy who did the insurance quote and they have given me an 'extra' quote involving a length of ACO drainage connecting to the current soakaway. Apart from the cost of this, I'm not that keen. What are the panel's thoughts about alternatives to this scheme?

Thanks Jon N

Reply to
jkn
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Finish the paving about 6" from the house, sloping away from it, and make a trench down several inches below DPC - at least a brick and a half - and if possible put a perf. pipe in running to somewhere lower, or the soakaway, but in any case backfill with gravel. Essentially moat the wall, but fill the most with shingle..and drain the moat!

You might also consider gluing a bit of DPC from just below the existing DP to somewhat above ground level, or using some impermeable tanking/render to reduce ingress of water into the outer leaf. To be honest, if its a cavity wall, it will suck the damp up a couple of inches only above ground, and then evaporate it outwards. That's probably why there hasn't been an issue to date. However you risk frost damage on the lower courses if its a north facing soaked bit of brick..

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

IIRC the patio (or whatever) should be at least 75mm below DPC. Part of the reason is the height to which rain will bounce/splash. The ACO will not help that much with bounce.

A neighbour has recently done his drive (replacing block paving) and, this time, has rasied the level where it adjoins his porch area. He has fitted ACO as suggested. I didn't have the heart to suggest he was wrong... But maybe others will think it acceptable?

Reply to
Rod

Jon Building regs require the depth to be 150 mm You are largely stuffed but I suggests any of the following:

1, Get rid of the ground in its entirety by the house down to final level (with paving) of 150 mm down .................v expensive but best
  1. as others have suggested get rid of the soil in a trench 6" away from the house and leading away from it to a soak away or whatever. I would personally dig down more than 6" (subject to an engineer agreeing you were not risking heave or settlement in clay) and fill the voide with pea shingle for 6" and cobbles for the top 6" (more attractive???) and leave it at that

The more air you can get at the brick the better so I would not go down the vertical dpc also suggested unless it was a proper commencial tanking

Chris

Reply to
ConfusedCarbuyer

Are you sure it is the DPC? Have you followed the course around and made sure it lines up with the internal floor level?

I say this because some houses have two DPC's, the real one, at internal floor level, and sometimes another one 3 or 4 courses below that - it must have been the 'in thing' for a brief period.

If it is the genuine DPC, then unless you excavate the lot at the house end and lower the drive by 150mm, anything else is going to be as you say, 'not a good situation.'

Reply to
Phil L

Good point, and it's prompted me to go and check. But it does look like it's at the equivalent of floor height ;-(

Luckily it's not quite a drive - the front of the house faces up the slope, and this is a smallish paved area between the house front and the front lawn; maybe 4-5ft wide. I suspect this paved area is another bodge by the past owner; I'm starting to be tempted to lift it all out...

J^n

Reply to
jkn

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