What's gone wrong here? - Drainage

Tom10 · Post: # 106839Post **Tom10** Tue Oct 27, 2015 8:32 pm

Hi, first time poster so please bear with me. I've recently had my front drive paved. It's a steep slope as you can see. In one patch, after rainfall, it gets very discoloured and mucky looking. Almost like the ground underneath is waterlogged and the water is rising up.

What can I do to fix it? House and pipes underneath have been tested. No leaks at all. So I'm guessing there's inadequate drainage on the slope. The garden landscaper should have maybe dealt with it? How do I fix it?

The third pic shows my new slabs in the back garden. Almost straight away they've got discolouration. Any ideas why and how I can fix it?

Many thanks in advance. Seems like a great forum and I'd appreciate some expert advice!
http://i.imgur.com/7nbaxSMh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Ink76m7h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0sUSF1qh.jpg

Tue Oct 27, 2015 11:43 pm

on the block paving it looks like liquefaction
the sand gets so waterlogged it pushes up and leaves a dirty stain,normally only happens if you wack in the rain
the staining on the slabs I dont really know but overall it looks a decent job
LLL

Tom10 · Post: # 106850Post **Tom10** Wed Oct 28, 2015 10:27 am

thanks for your reply - but is there anything that can be done to sort it out, to help the rain drain away - otherwise, it'll keep coming and look like that.

also - why do you think the neighbour's paving to the right is completely fine?

Pablo · Post: # 106854Post **Pablo** Wed Oct 28, 2015 5:46 pm

Hi Tom, The staining on the sandstone is very common with that colour and happens when the naturally occuring Iron in the stone comes into contact with the elements for the first time in millions of years and rusts. You can't do anything about it other than replace the flagstone but as they weather it dissapates and blends in.
I'm with LLL about the liquification of the sand, it happens occasionally and usually settles after a month or so. Drainage for the subbase is not something that the installer would expect to have to do so don't be too quick to jump down his throat. It looks a decent job and the issues you have raised were possibly outwith his control. The only other thing I can thing of is that there is an old soakaway or drain end etc under there that is putting water into the subbase. Was there always a driveway there and did you have any damp issues with whatever was there before?