Hi all
Would appreciate any advice. I live in a cottage built in approx 1890, with solid walls. I have had various issues with damp and recently had a detailed damp survey by an independent surveyor. One of the issues he has identified is the high ground level of a new house next door (finished around 18 months ago).
The external ground level is roughly 1'6" higher than mine (the street is on a hill), and approx. 1' above my internal floor level (and above my DPC).
The situation is the the neighbour has a patio and then a strip of approx 6" of gravel which buts directly against my external wall (the wall is the boundary). I say gravel, the strip has a gravel covering but it turns out that this is only the top inch or so, and below that is basically sand - saturated sand at that. So this block of wet sand sits against my wall. There does seem to be some sort of bitumen coating on the base of my wall which is hopefully resisting the water so some extent, but obviously is not ideal and I would like to rectify it.
I am going to speak to the neighbour soon, and I am also pursuing the builder (through their surveyor) as it seems to me they have not done what they said they were going to do according to the party wall agreement (I read it as showing that the final ground level should be level with my floor level). The previous property which was knocked down was further away and there was a empty patch between our properties with a lower ground level.
My question is, what resolution would be suitable? Is some sort of French drain or soakaway or other drain appropriate, with coarse aggregate above? Or is the only solution lowering the ground level. Would the whole patio need to be lowered or just the current gravel/sand trench? Water currently runs off the patio into the gravel/sand when it rains.
Thanks
View media item 104896
View media item 104897
View media item 104898
View media item 104899
View media item 104900
Would appreciate any advice. I live in a cottage built in approx 1890, with solid walls. I have had various issues with damp and recently had a detailed damp survey by an independent surveyor. One of the issues he has identified is the high ground level of a new house next door (finished around 18 months ago).
The external ground level is roughly 1'6" higher than mine (the street is on a hill), and approx. 1' above my internal floor level (and above my DPC).
The situation is the the neighbour has a patio and then a strip of approx 6" of gravel which buts directly against my external wall (the wall is the boundary). I say gravel, the strip has a gravel covering but it turns out that this is only the top inch or so, and below that is basically sand - saturated sand at that. So this block of wet sand sits against my wall. There does seem to be some sort of bitumen coating on the base of my wall which is hopefully resisting the water so some extent, but obviously is not ideal and I would like to rectify it.
I am going to speak to the neighbour soon, and I am also pursuing the builder (through their surveyor) as it seems to me they have not done what they said they were going to do according to the party wall agreement (I read it as showing that the final ground level should be level with my floor level). The previous property which was knocked down was further away and there was a empty patch between our properties with a lower ground level.
My question is, what resolution would be suitable? Is some sort of French drain or soakaway or other drain appropriate, with coarse aggregate above? Or is the only solution lowering the ground level. Would the whole patio need to be lowered or just the current gravel/sand trench? Water currently runs off the patio into the gravel/sand when it rains.
Thanks
View media item 104896
View media item 104897
View media item 104898
View media item 104899
View media item 104900