The Brew Cabin

Hi

I have two and a bit questions on setting out a new patio adjacent to the house.

1) I plan to put a layer of pea gravel or shale between the edge of the patio and the house. Are there any regulations regarding how wide this should be? I was planning on 4"?

2) The old 'imperial' house has been extended recently with new metric bricks. The dpc is therefore lower on the original part (about 1") than on the new extension. Should I work to below the old dpc level rather than the new although it will leave a gap below the blues which I will have to cover with the gravel edging?

3) Are there any rules or building regs that I need to consider for the these two questions or a site where I can look them up?

This is my first question so I hope it is clear enough!

Thanks in anticipation

Andrew

Here we go with two and a bit answers, then....

Q1 - The gravel filled gap between hard paving and the brickwork of a house is known as a 'Splash Strip' and is a bit of a nonsense, really. If the paving is laid properly in the first place, the splash strip is redundant, but that doesn't seem to stop some architects and designers from using them on every project. Anyway, as they are a bit of nonsense, there are no regulations governing them, they do not appear in the Building Regs and they are left to the whim of the contractor and/or designer. A typical splash strip will be somewhere between 150mm and 300mm in width, and is filled with a gravel chosen for its looks or its cost rather than any particular hydraulic properties.

Q2 - work to the lower of the two DPCs. It's better to be more than 150mm below dpc than slightly less than 150mm.

Q2b or is it Q3? - Nope. All the info you need is here. :)

Tony

Thanks very much for your prompt reply. I thought only sados like me sat on the internet on a Saturday night!

Can I also compliment you on a well laid out and informative site....I spent hours last night with out realising it reading loads of stuff I am sure I will never use!

Thanks again

Andrew

Given a choice, I'd be in the alehouse on a Saturday night, but Mrs Taz was out with the rest of her coven so I was confined to base, making sure the Reichskinder didn't escape or burn down the house! ;)