The Brew Cabin

hi tony,

you may recall helping out on my cracked concrete drive question a few days ago. on a related topic i had originally had in mind to lay classico bricks on a small section outside the kitchen door by removing the concrete base in the same manner as i originally planned for the drive i.e using the angle grinder to cut the segment shape out of the concrete and replacing with the blocks. i now know this is not a good idea!

as i have now put the driveway (which encompasses the area near the kitchen door ) on hold until i can renew the lot i wondered if it might be feasible to still put down the blocks (albeit temporary) using the concrete as a base?.on renewal of the driveway i would then set them correctly on the right sub-base.

i am looking to do an arc to form a sector of approx. 3 metres, would keep a 'gulley' next to the house for drainage and away from damp proof course and effectively have a raised area to the depth of the blocks.
i would retain the blocks in an outer line of slightly deeper blocks.

if this is feasible
1 would i set it on a sand base
2 would you have any suggestions on how to deal with the step into the kitchen which in theory would also need to be raised but would then have a knock on effect to the door size.

i know it is not ideal but if i could do something as a holding job i would be at least covering up some of the dreadful concrete until i replace the lot.

hope you can help, many thanks

john

Have a read of the Laying Blocks over an Existing Base page, John - does that help?

As for the kitchen step, I'm not with you. If you elevate the level of the patio by laying Classico Paving over the ex concrete, how will this impinge upon the kitchen step? If you have, say, a 150mm step from ex patio to kitchen threshold, then by laying the pavers over the ex patio, that would elevate the paving level by approx 90mm, reducing the step height to 60mm (more of a trip than a step), but there's no need to start fiddling with doors, as far as I can see! :)

hi tony,

Thanks for your response and referall to LAYING BLOCKS OVER EXISTING BASE.i did not give you sufficient information on the existing 'step' which in practise is only a 'trip' as its depth ex-patio is only 40mm.

So, is the existing concrete patio only 40mm below the kitchen step threshold, John? Bloody 'eck! There's summat not right there. Extrenal ground or paving level should be 150mm below internal floor level. :(

tony,

unfortunately my whole house extension was carried out by a company that at the time used to tether their horses up outside and for some reason wore masks throughout the whole job.perhaps i should have suspected something at the time !

the kitchen door though that i describe enters a utility room before the kitchen proper so at least i have a flood barrier.
however i am stuck with what i,ve got,any suggestions on how to overcome?

Aaah! Wayne, Autrey & Rogers, the famous Western Builders known to many as John, Gene and Roy. ;)

There's been a lot of new developments in treshold drains to aid compliance with Part M of the Building Regs for disabled access,. RMC have a channel called 'ReadyStep', IIRC and Hepworth have a slot drain that can be used. These help create a safe flood barrier at doorways where the internal floor level is flush with, or only slightly higher than, the external paving level.

They're worth taking a look at - your local BM should have one or more sytems in stock, and they're all under 30 quid, or thereabouts.

I'll dig out more info, if you need it, but your BM should have the tech literature and all the fancy pictures you need. :)

tony,

thanks for the info. on drains.
however i t would seem that i still would not overcome the problem of the paving blocks being some 55mm higher than the step level and therefore a trip risk. this would mean i presume that i could not put the pavers on top of the concrete sub-basewithout structural alterations to the step and door ?( which would make it a non-starter)

If your patio paving is going to be higher than the internal floor level, then it's time to start again and get the levels right, John. You're just asking for trouble making a patio 50+ mm higher than the step. :(