Where's my dpc? - How do i find a dpc on a rendered house

[MarshallandEllie]

Hello. I am wanting to install a new driveway and obviously I'm aware of the '150mm below DPC rule' but I live in a 1930's house which has a rendered 'skirting' of 300mm height, wrapped around the property. There is an airbrick 80mm up from the old concrete path. At the rear, the airbricks sit 300mm up from the patio. Is it right that the DPC is in line with the internal skirting boards, which in this case are level with the top of the external skirting. The whole house is rendered so it's difficult to find any clues.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[vinny40405]

Is it possible for you to look under the floors? In the older houses some times they put the bricks above the dpc. I would check and take time to look under. Using Tonys site the back of my house I had to lower the patio as it was too near the dpc and there were issues of damp picked up. Do you know if all your walls are good? clear of damp?
On which walls are you constructing the drive?
It sounds as though you are on the start of a good job, keeping away as much as possible from the dpc.
Vincenzo

[MarshallandEllie]

Morning Vincenzo

Thanks for your reply. Very useful. I'm just about to lay new flooring in the hall so luckily the floorboards are exposed - I shall have a look later. As far as I can tell the house has no damp issues at all; all the walls are good. The drive will reach the front of the house and some of the side (it's semi detached). I've also learnt (from this site and forum - such excellent advice and information) that I can't have a soakaway either as it's clay soil so this will not be a quick and easy job! The previous owners built the patio right up to the house so I need to check for any issues there - so thanks for that too.

Thanks again - much appreciated

L