The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Sun May 25, 2008 1:23 pm**

I'm new to all this, so please bear with me .. also I don't know any technical terms!!!

Ok, so heres whats happened. My husband and dad started laying our patio on Thursday .. was coming along really well, only another three rows to lay today (or so we thought)!! When we got up this morning we discovered that the gap where the three rows of slabs were due to be laid was flooded. I guess this proves that the slope is working, but the water isn't draining away anywhere .. any ideas of what we should do??

Thanks.

Posted: **Sun May 25, 2008 2:21 pm**

it has rained a lot
wait till the water has gone and lay your last 3 rows,the water should then drain onto the grass?
a picture would be handy
LLL

Posted: **Mon May 26, 2008 8:04 am**

Thanks for your reply .. I don't know how to do pictures, will figure this out and try to post one.

The patio is lower than the grass ... our garden is long and sloped, although to look at it you would never guess how steep some of the slopes are.

Yesterday they dug holes which the water went into but the water still hasn't anywhere to drain off too.

It doesn't look as bad this morning, but I guess that is because of the holes ...

Sorry if this doesn't make much sense, but I don't really know how to describe it .. they are both back in the garden now trying to solve it!!!!!

Thanks for your reply and any other suggestions/helpful hints you have would be great .

Posted: **Mon May 26, 2008 8:37 am**

The patio is presumably designed with a fall in one or more directions to take the water away. Where is it designed to go?

Posted: **Mon May 26, 2008 9:20 am**

They done it so it would fall away from the house and it also has a slight slope to one side .. to be honest I'm not sure where the water should go, I guess the grass, but as the grass is higher than the patio maybe this is way it isn't working???

They are now thinking of using pumps??!!??

I'm not getting involved .. just trying to understand things in my own mind!!!

Thanks again

Posted: **Mon May 26, 2008 12:52 pm**

with the grass higher than the patio you will need to incorporate some form of drainage see main site. suggest linear drain at patio /grass edge, but you will need to divert the water to a soakaway or other drainage outlet

Posted: **Mon May 26, 2008 2:45 pm**

a picture says a 1000 words
it sounds like they haven't considered the drainage aspect,you definitely need some kind of drain for the water to drain to
LLL

Posted: **Mon May 26, 2008 6:41 pm**

What kind of ground is in your garden ?

Posted: **Mon May 26, 2008 6:48 pm**

Thanks for all your replies.

I think what they are planning to do now is put a sub pump (I think thats what they called it) in and to drain the way down to the bottom of the garden. Hopefully this will do the job and once the rain stops and it all dries out we can continue with the slabs.

The soil in our garden is mainly clay, so I don't know whether this hasn't help either.

Do you the pumps will be suitable?

Thanks again

Posted: **Mon May 26, 2008 7:13 pm**

Was going to suggest digging a french drain at the point of your water run off, not really suitable if you have clay ground though, do you have any existing drainage you can connect to , like downpipes from the roof? pictures would be good also..

Posted: **Mon May 26, 2008 8:23 pm**

We do have a drain that I think they are going to connect the pump thing too ... they have set it up temporarily at the moment, and touch wood, the water is going away!!!!!!!

Thanks so much everyone for your help ... I promise I will try and get a photo sorted. Will ask my husband to help me!!

Posted: **Thu May 29, 2008 2:12 am**

sump pumps work, as long as you have somewhere to pump the water to...

Posted: **Thu May 29, 2008 7:52 am**

Thanks again everyone.

We have managed to come up with a solution. We are using a sumb pump which is being drained back to the manhole drain (or whatever it is called!!!!). So far so good.

Thanks so much for all your help

The Brew Cabin

Flooded patio