Pavement higher than dpc

roberts · Post: # 88009Post **roberts** Mon Mar 11, 2013 5:55 pm

Hi all, I have recently purchased a terraced house fron auction and have noticed that the pavement is 4 inches higher than the dpc. Both my nextdoor neighbour and I have airbricks that are lower than the pavement. The floor has rotted and when it rains I have an inch or two of water under the floor. I want to get some facts before I approach the highways department so would greatly appreciate any advice. Thanks.

rimexboy · Post: # 88012Post **rimexboy** Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:48 pm

Get some pictures up please

local patios and driveway · Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:28 pm

This sounds interesting, i have no idea of the law but i would be very suprised if this practice is legal.

Mon Mar 11, 2013 9:39 pm

pavement = their land, house = yours

no correlation between the two really,

they re did the main rd past our recording studio/club in sheffield and block paved the pavement the contractors block paved over our sunken air vents for the cellar had to fight hard with them to get them reinstated.

local patios and driveway · Mon Mar 11, 2013 9:42 pm

Nahh, you cant build up against someons property and cause issues like this.

roberts · Post: # 88023Post **roberts** Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:24 pm

What should I do? Do I go to a solicitor or a surveyor first? But what can they do about it, they're not going to lower the pavement and the road are they? Can the dpc be highered? Any advise ??????????? ???

Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:57 pm

local patios and driveways wrote:Nahh, you cant build up against someons property and cause issues like this.

yeah but the road was likely there first....

there will be laws in places to protect councils/highways etc from this.

ilovesettsonmondays · Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:01 pm

I think you have about an 80 percent chance of having something done . It won't be done overnight but I think you will get something done. I work on l. A work mainly deep soak aways and new road gullies etc . Can't make money at 8 pound a metre lift and relay paving so drainage it is . We mainly work were people have complained about flooding etc . But it will take a good few months to get sorted if you moan now . Ring your local highways dept up and ask for a highways engineer to come out and see you . See what happens from there .

ilovesettsonmondays · Tue Mar 12, 2013 5:49 pm

Plus they are wasting money left right and centre this time of year to spend up their budget

roberts · Post: # 88052Post **roberts** Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:51 pm

The house was built in 1940s the road was not buillt untill the 1970s. I contacted the council in nov and after 3 months of discussions all i've got out of them is a channel that takes nextdoor drainpipe water to the gutter and a collar around one of my airbricks. I made an official complaint and an engineer came out last week and said that they weren't prepared to do anythig else. They haven't mentioned the fact that the pavement is 4 inches higher than the dpc, and they assume that I dont know.

Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:18 pm

The only requirement with 150mm below dpc is building regs for alterations or new build so doesn't apply in your case so you can't use that against them really, good luck though

roberts · Post: # 88065Post **roberts** Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:31 pm

So they don't have to do anything? How can I stop the water from seeping through my wall? Can I put in a new chemical dpc that is higher?

Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:45 pm

3 coats of centhaprufe or black jack and then render
not ideal but it will stop the water coming in
LLL