Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 3:14 pm
Hi Guys,
been reading the forum, and website, with interest and have learned loads from it. I do have a bit of a question about DPC levels though. I know there are regulations about how far patio's are below this level but I just want to check something out. We've just put an extension on our house, matching the brick work style of the original 1870's house, which was rat-trap style. Current building regs wouldn't allow us to do proper rat-trap style so we've got 2 skins of blocks (with insulation between them) and then an outer skin of bricks laid in rat trap style with a gap between them and the block (but tied in with metal straps).
The ground slopes away from our house so I've built a brick wall and back filled it with rubble and covered with type 1. Only problem is I've made a school boy error and possibly built the wall too high (and backfilled it) as when I've measured it it is only just 150mm below the dpc. When I account for the gradient & height of slab + fixing it'll be 30mm below DPC at worst point & 80 mm below at best although it will slope at 1:60.
What I'd like to find out is,as my house is triple skinned can I get away with it? Advice would be appreciated as I've read through the site & seen sharply sloping slabs close to the wall or french drains but aesthetically I'd like to avoid this with out having to dig out back fill & take course out of wall (basically I'd like my cake & eat it!)
kind regards,
Jon
been reading the forum, and website, with interest and have learned loads from it. I do have a bit of a question about DPC levels though. I know there are regulations about how far patio's are below this level but I just want to check something out. We've just put an extension on our house, matching the brick work style of the original 1870's house, which was rat-trap style. Current building regs wouldn't allow us to do proper rat-trap style so we've got 2 skins of blocks (with insulation between them) and then an outer skin of bricks laid in rat trap style with a gap between them and the block (but tied in with metal straps).
The ground slopes away from our house so I've built a brick wall and back filled it with rubble and covered with type 1. Only problem is I've made a school boy error and possibly built the wall too high (and backfilled it) as when I've measured it it is only just 150mm below the dpc. When I account for the gradient & height of slab + fixing it'll be 30mm below DPC at worst point & 80 mm below at best although it will slope at 1:60.
What I'd like to find out is,as my house is triple skinned can I get away with it? Advice would be appreciated as I've read through the site & seen sharply sloping slabs close to the wall or french drains but aesthetically I'd like to avoid this with out having to dig out back fill & take course out of wall (basically I'd like my cake & eat it!)
kind regards,
Jon