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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Building Questions >> Driveway https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1515264103 Message started by Nic70 on Jan 6^th, 2018, 6:41pm

Title: Driveway
Post by Nic70 on Jan 6^th, 2018, 6:41pm

Am buying a house and survey has picked up the drive is above the damp course and has caused damp. Is there any way of sorting this other than completely re doing the drive? Is cutting away some of the drive from next to the house an option?

Title: Re: Driveway
Post by Natedog on Jan 6^th, 2018, 8:52pm

The ground next to the house will need to be below the level of the damp course to stop the damp creeping in. Depending how much higher than the dpc the drive is, it might look a bit weird with a small trench along the edge of the drive. You'd also have to keep it clear of rubbish, leaves etc or the damp could return

Title: Re: Driveway
Post by thescruff on Jan 6^th, 2018, 9:13pm

Assuming you have one is the cavity clear.

I would look at alternative problems as well, water penetrating the outer skin rarely crosses the cavity

Title: Re: Driveway
Post by woodsmith on Jan 7^th, 2018, 9:33am

If it's at all practical to drop the level of the drive I would try to get the cost off the purchase price and get the job done as soon as you move in. Cutting a trench is a bit of a bodge and it needs to be wide enough to prevent rain from splashing up above the dpc.

Alternatively it may be possible to fit an Aco drainage channel along the wall. It will need to be set below the dpc but you could probably get away with it being less than the 150mm minimum recommended drive level.

As Scruff has already mentioned, definitely worth looking to make sure there is nothing else wrong to cause the damp.

Title: Re: Driveway
Post by CWatters on Jan 8^th, 2018, 4:56pm

+1

I'd budget to replace the driveway. If the ground slopes towards the house put in linear drains before replacing the driveway at the right level.