I intend to lay a new patio that will adjoin the back of our house. I have read that patios should be laid at least six inches below the dampproof course. Is this absolutely necessary if the patio falls away from the house?
If I wanted the patio to be at the same level as the internal floor would I have to install a linear drain along the back of the house?
Thanks,
Tim.
Patio Adjoining House
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84-1093879891
Hi Tim,
the 150mm below dpc rule is used to protect your property from damp. No-one can stop you laying level with the dpc if you wish, but if you do, you face problems if you ever decide to sell up, as it's one of the things Surveyors pick up on.
If you must lay level with dpc, have a look at products such as Ready Step from RMC, which is a threshold drain, and, if at all possible, limit the high area to dorrways only. You could use a linear drain, but you are creating a potential damp bridge.
There is sound reasoning behind the 150mm below dpc rule - primarily that it prevents 'splashback' damp. It's not just something dreamt up for aesthetic reasons. Why do you feel you need to lay the paving so high?
the 150mm below dpc rule is used to protect your property from damp. No-one can stop you laying level with the dpc if you wish, but if you do, you face problems if you ever decide to sell up, as it's one of the things Surveyors pick up on.
If you must lay level with dpc, have a look at products such as Ready Step from RMC, which is a threshold drain, and, if at all possible, limit the high area to dorrways only. You could use a linear drain, but you are creating a potential damp bridge.
There is sound reasoning behind the 150mm below dpc rule - primarily that it prevents 'splashback' damp. It's not just something dreamt up for aesthetic reasons. Why do you feel you need to lay the paving so high?
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timb
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2002 2:00 pm
The garden is 7m x 5m and originally sloped towards the house. I have removed a lot of soil so now the garden is level. If I set a fall of 1:80 away from the house starting at 150mmm below dpc the end of the patio will be below the footings of the old boundary brick walls. So I thought a way round this would be to start the patio at a higher level at the house.
From what you say, I can see that this might not be a good idea when I come to sell the house.
From what you say, I can see that this might not be a good idea when I come to sell the house.
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84-1093879891
Would it be possible to slope the first 1200-1500mm width, adjacent to the house, so that it falls away from the brickwork to a gully or channel, and then the rest of the patio could slope back to this low point? That's one way of dealing with the level problems. :)
You could use a simple channel, such as Keychannel from Marshalls, or even a Linear drain, if you preferred. Depending on the type of paving being used, you could also use a plain 'soldier course' of brick pavers and slope them towards a central gully. There's more than one way to skin a cat, as they say! ;)
You could use a simple channel, such as Keychannel from Marshalls, or even a Linear drain, if you preferred. Depending on the type of paving being used, you could also use a plain 'soldier course' of brick pavers and slope them towards a central gully. There's more than one way to skin a cat, as they say! ;)