French drains - Paving level with dpc

[pants]

I recently moved into a new property that turned out to have a damp problem in the kitchen.

It appears there are several possible causes one of which is the ground levels. Flag pavers have been laid only 20 mm below the DPC. I've had a couple of damp repair services look at it and they've both proposed building a french drain.

Looking around the internet various people suggest french drains aren't ideal. They fill with dirt and need maintenance, and if indeed the required 150 mm is to prevent splashback, how would a french drain prevent this?

Its been suggested that a dry area is better. Better yet is lifting the pavers, lowering the ground level and relaying them. I'd expect lifting the pavers to be prohibitivley expensive so I'd need to do it myself.

Are french drains adequate? Is it worth going for a dry area? I'm thinking of doing it properly, spending the time myself and lifting all the pavers and lowering them but my wife thinks I'm mad.

How would you recommend dealing with this problem?

[lutonlagerlout]

what about a linear drain along the wall??
like an aco drain,these work well and can be cleaned out,i never liked those french drains,always seemed a bit mickey mouse to me,at leAst with an aco the water will get away from your house,plus BC allow us to make the top of them 75mm below dpc,which helps
cheers LLL

[pants]

Does look much better than a gravel ditch, but to get the top down to 75mm I'd have to lower the paving anyway. Might as well drop it down 150mm and not worry about a drain yeah?

[seanandruby]

i wonder why the ground is so high on a new property? could be the services are to high in which case you will have to go with french or aco. hopefully you can lower the flags but be prepared for a lot of digging of mud , hardcore etc. it is achievable tho so dont be put off by" er indoors."

[Dave_L]

Is this property new to you or were you using the term as in 'brand new'?

Or both?

[pants]

Erm, when I said new I meant new as in I just moved in. It's an old Victorian - built 1899.

I've had the original paving company around and they insist that they've done a good job and that I've been reading too many DIY books. They insist you only need to pave below the DPC not 150 mm below. I'm sure I've read that it's a british building standard, and not just a DIY recommendation.

Anyway, the previous owners had contracted them so I have no recourse myself.

I've taken the surveyor I contracted to inspect the property to court and the judge has ruled in my favour thus far - saying that the surveyor must return their fee. I'm not sure if they'll go so far as compensation for repairs yet.

Need to work out the best way of going about it so not sure what those repairs will be exactly.