Guttering/french drains and soakaways arghhh

[nicola.case]

Hi Everyone

Please can someone offer some advice etc.

I have moved into a 1970s semi that has an extension with a surface area of 56sqm which runs into guttering towards the back of the house with the final downpipe just hovering above the clay soil - needless to say it gets a bit flooded.

I am looking at putting decking across the back of the house and it has been suggested that I would need to look at either a soakaway or a french drain as there is no storm drain on our property. However - the soil is solid clay to quite a depth onto hard bedrock with a reasonable high water table and so I am guessing that neither of these are appropriate??

Am I wrong - could these be beneficial?

If not can anyone suggest anything else that would work? I have had a look at a very large water butt but am unsure whether it would take the volume of water due to the large surface area.

Any hints tips or advice would be greatly appreciated etc

Cheers

Nicola

[Mary Fisher]

Why not have a butt - or connecting butts - AND a french drain?

It works for us.

Mary

>

[nicola.case]

Hi Mary

Thanks for the reply - I am quite new to this - how does that work then?

Is the butt primary with an overflow to a french drain then?

Cheers

Nicola

[The Natural Philosopher]

Probably. I've got all that and more..the french drain feeds a pond cut into the clay!

Clay makes a perfectly adequate soakaway tho..you just need a lager area than normal.

Tell us something about the topography - are you in a dip? On a slope? where is your nearest ditch or river etc?..

[Mary Fisher]

More or less. The butts are connected, any extra goes to the drain.

Mary

Mary

[nicola.case]

The back garden slopes towards the house - no ponds, rivers or ditches anywhere near the house :-(

[nicola.case]

Thanks Mary :-)

[The Natural Philosopher]

You mean you are at the bottom of a hollow? or partway down a slope?