Drainage
I have a Victorian terrace built on heavy London clay. Having lowered ground levels which had been raised too high over the years, I discover that the foundations below the slate DPC are minimal - just two layers of brick, then some 2 - 3 inches of compacted rubble. As this is on clay, I do not want to over-drain the soil which would lead to cracking in dry spells and subsequent wall cracks. Further complications are introduced by the presence of the soil stack and a seperate rainwater drain by the wall. I am hoping to use the Marshalls Driveway 50 range, but advice on what to do up next to the house wall would be most helpful.
I did a design for an almost identical property in Stoke Newington last year. The construction you describe is known as 'Spreader Courses' and is common on older properties built on a stable clay.
On the Stoke Newington job, the paving finished 300mm or so short of the wall and the 'gap' was dressed with a decorative flinty gravel. Disturbance to the spreader courses and the immediate surround was kept to an absolute minimum, and it seems to have been successful.
On the Stoke Newington job, the paving finished 300mm or so short of the wall and the 'gap' was dressed with a decorative flinty gravel. Disturbance to the spreader courses and the immediate surround was kept to an absolute minimum, and it seems to have been successful.