The Brew Cabin

Finally found a contractor to install a block patio in the rear garden of my victorian semi in Battersea and settled on Bretts Beta Autumn Gold - thanks for your guidance. My builder is somewhat worried about the DPC levels but if we go down 150mm my patio would drain the entire street! Builder suggests French Drain and have researched what I can. Seems there are two types, one with a drainage pipe and one without. Technically the French is with shingle only and it is this which I have specified for circa 100mm adjacent to the property. What are your thoughts on the matter???

Many thanks as usual...


Guy

To where will this French Drain drain? If there's a suitable outfall, why not use a linear drain or a conventional gully rather than a 'last-resort' french drain?

I guess it will really be a simple soak-away as it would drain vertically into the sub-soil. What started out as quite a simple job, or so I thought, is getting bigger the more I find out. There are two sewage drains at either edge of the 'garden' one along the side-return the other by the kitchen door where I assume the outside loo might once have been. How much am I looking at this time????

Regards,

Soakaways are all well and good as long as they actually 'do what it says on the label', ie, soak away. All too often, what was hoped to be a soakaway turns out to be a hole filled with water. :(

Have any percolation tests been done, or do you know for a fact that the sub-soil is very free draining, Guy?

If you have existing drainage, I'd tap into that, as then you know the water will be drained away and not left hanging on the paving. Cost-wise, a proper drainage connection wouldn't/shouldn't be much more than the cost of a French Drain. 50 quid or so for a connection, pipewerok is around 20-25 quid per metre and a linear drain can be bought for around 10 quid per linear metre. Ask your contractor to price it as an option - there's no harm in asking. :)