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Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 9:18 am
by Mrs D
As a complete newbie apologies if this doesn't make sense.
We have an extension at the back of house which is currently 5 engineering bricks high with the DPC near the top and a concrete block base. Currently we have decking but as we are in the process of wanting our garden done I am considering removing the decking path (we will be retaining the raised decking which has a step) and replacing this with paving. Our garden is on a slight downhill slope so we will need steps. Also as we are on a downhill I can't tell how many breeze blocks we have if we were to excavate to the level of the garden. At the moment there is one level which you can see if you were to remove the deck.
I'm using a garden designer, as I have no clue where to start, and she has suggested having the path coming right up to the house with steps at the side to access the side of the property.
This is fine but if we level off this will expose the concrete block base. Not a problem where the stairs will be but we will then be able to see our concrete block sub base.
Question is if we want to do this what can we do to hide the breeze block or would we be better just having a raised path area with steps across the whole section. I'm thinking of using a sandstone slab as the decking is becoming a nightmare to maintain. DPC and air bricks aren't a problem.
Sorry again if this doesn't make sense but I wanted advice from professionals before we approach landscapers.
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 9:33 am
by Tony McC
I haven't seen the site, so I can't be sure, but the cheapest option when this situation arises is to render the exposed blockwork and then paint it a sympathetic colour.
Would that be feasible?
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 9:45 am
by Mrs D
Hi, sorry they aren't breeze block but concrete as they are the support for the extension.
I did wonder whether we could do this but I'm not sure what it would look like as we have the typical dark grey coloured engineering bricks and then the house brick above. I know that this would be loads cheaper than having a raised paved area with steps.
Thanks so much for your response I was wondering if anybody would know what is was talking about
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 10:37 am
by seanandruby
And some photos please mrs D.....of the site of course :;):
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 10:51 am
by Mrs D
Can you let me know how to do this please? I'm not the most technologically advanced.
I have some pics of when the extension was under construction which show the engineering bricks and the concrete blocks.
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:10 pm
by lutonlagerlout
mrs D i looked at a job just like yours last week
the builders <spit> put an extra course of concrete blocks around the conservatory and now the client has to either render them or lift his patio and paths by 9 inches
its a total nightmare
neat rendering is the easiest option ,but make sure not to bridge the damp course
LLL
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:16 pm
by Mrs D
Hopefully if you click on the above picture you will see what I mean. The proposed steps down into the garden will be from the edge of the extension to the fence line.
The decking that we are keeping sits under the door and comes to the scaffold post just to the right of the door so potentially we are looking at exposing the concrete base from where the old washing line is (as we have steps down) to the edge of the extension.
As you can see the garden sits lower than the extension so if the new path is level with the garden we are going to be exposing quite a bit of the concerete base.
As recommended we could render this but I'm worried that it is quite deep. Otherwise should we consider having a raised path in slabs leading straight onto the garden?
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:34 pm
by Mrs D
lutonlagerlout wrote:mrs D i looked at a job just like yours last week
the builders <spit> put an extra course of concrete blocks around the conservatory and now the client has to either render them or lift his patio and paths by 9 inches
its a total nightmare
neat rendering is the easiest option ,but make sure not to bridge the damp course
LLL
Defo won't bridge the DPC as this sits up near the top of the engineering brick. Thankfully we took loads,of photos during the build so can see exactly where it is.
9" what a nightmare. If we stick with a raised path we'll be fine but i don't have a clue.
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:08 am
by Tony McC
If that gap is intended to host patio doors, won't the paving need to be elevated to affo9rd access, even if it's via a flight of steps?
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 3:06 pm
by Mrs D
I've now gone back to the garden designer and asked her to include a paved path with steps onto the garden which will also lead up to the raised deck which runs off from the patio doors currently.
I've also asked that the paved area is to be at the same height as the lower decking path that we currently have as I didn't want to render at least a height of 3 concrete blocks.
Now I just need to read other threads to decide whether to have sandstone or something similar.
Thanks for posting comments it helped me decide what to do next.
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 10:55 am
by Tony McC
Sandstone or something similar? You don't mean an imitation sandstone, do you? Please don't!
A nice raj sandstone with a clay paver edge would look luvverly on that property, and you could use the clays to build the step risers, or even the whole steps....
....as wasn't done in this photie from many years ago.
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 7:43 pm
by rab1
wow, think they still have that paving lol
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 10:39 pm
by lutonlagerlout
theres a mitre missing in that patio boss :;):
if you are gonna do them it has to be on every corner 
LLL
Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 7:15 am
by Mrs D
Hi Tony. No I was thinking of a sandstone or other natural stone as we are south facing. However I've been looking on websites and there are some lovely pale grey colours too. I was reading the threads on the London Stone thread and had to laugh when it was said that up north they go for grey whilst in the south they go for pale colours.
I'm in Derby so as I'm in the middle I'm not sure what I should be choosing 
it needs to go with a grey block paving edge though as it will link up to the side of the house where we have brindle block paving with a grey edge.
I just wish we could pave the whole job lot but as we have a level threshold door, the DPC would be compromised and the air bricks would be blocked. Decking is a nightmare for hubby to maintain but think that is only option due to constraints. Can't have them telescopic air bricks because they only move them up not to the side.
Until I started looking at stone didn't realise how much lovely choice was available now either.
Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:43 am
by Tony McC
lutonlagerlout wrote:theres a mitre missing in that patio boss :;):
Wasn't laid by me - just photo'd on completion, around about 10 years ago!