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Sorry Ian - just seen your post. Yes the Tobermore is layed dry (other brands are available). Theoretically if we move home I could dismantle it and take it with me :D Dropped a load of soil in behind the wall (with 6" of pea gravel immediately behind the wall to aid drainage). Didn't...

Your blockwork wall will presumably be mortared, and therefore effectively watertight and will act like a dam with water building up behind and ultimately causing the wall to fail unless you provide it with an outlet (drain or at minimium weep-holes). I ran a flexible field drain (embedded in...

I went 12-15 inches deep with my foundations (though that was probably more than necessary) and tried to ensure the overlap at the steps was about the same. Doing a single pour rather than each step individually make for a much stronger bond - only consider a little vertical rebar if pouring...

Not sure I'm understanding your question Thy but probably best to leave house thresholds/ledges untouched and a small gap before starting the decking. You wont notice the gap once finished, and thresholds perform an important task taking rainwater away from the render beneath.

I recommend stepped foundations. Did something similar in my own garden and built some shuttering from wood to enable a single pour of concrete (mustn't be too wet). Although a bit of a faf at the preparation stage, it makes the blockwork easy and the foundations are hidden below final...

I had a fence on top of a double-brick retaining wall with batons all the way down 6 feet of brickwork with fixings every 12 inches. Storm strength winds still managed to pull the wall down. Cost thousands to re-build so wouldn't recommended it. Suggest you place a fence a few inches inside the...

I researched this a few years ago when I re-did my garden, and the best suggestion I found was to first ensure the soil is stone free (a shopping basket makes a great sieve), similarly compacted across the whole area (settlement will otherwise leave peaks and dips), and then the best way to...

I've done it too - no problem. Ripping it up just to have to put down a "stable" base would be a waste of money (its about as stable as you could ask for!). Unless you're planning on using it as a driveway, then all bets are off

As long as it isn't sitting in a divot that can become a puddle... Best to lift it off the ground slightly - even if that means placing loose slabs down or a few lengths of (treated) timber.

There is a treatment/product to remove this, but JohnD’s suggestion is cheaper and better

Looks like that's a solid (patio?) base you'd be building it on, in which case just mix a little mortar and set your bricks on it. You can use your mortar to ensure matching heights. I'm not sure resting your decking on "floating" (unsecured) bricks is ideal, but I guess if the decking frame is...

A good jet-wash would brighten them up, and if you simply don't like them you could possibly even lay different style slabs on top, which would bring it closer to the threshold ;)

I raised our patio by building a low wall 200mm out from the house (out of building blocks) to create a dry moat/French drain. I then laid slabs across the top, which closed the gap a little, and come all the way to the house at door thresholds. Some folk fill the gap with pebbles/stones but I...

Hi. Does the patio slope away from the house to ensure water run-off rather than puddling? If so then support timbers running front to back wont rot (give them a good treating first anyway) and decking running across. I'd say bracket/secure your pergola uprights to the slabs and then lay your...

On your second question, I'd say no problem - loads of folk build decking to threshold height, and as you say, as long as the DPC isn't compromised its all good. Not sure what you're suggesting on your first point - building brick pillars to rest decking frame on, or just laying lots of...

I'm certainly no tradesman or expert, but agree with the building sand comment - at very least use sharp sand as a base, but ideally mix it with some cement (a dry mix of 6 to 1 parts sharp sand to cement). Cut your turf nicely before laying. This base will also resist any ground movement - e.g...

In my view, the Paving Expert site provides "best practice" advice, which meets/exceeds building regs. I've discussed the advice there with a couple of builders, who actually claimed some of it "wouldn't be necessary" (i.e. they'd cut corners but still satisfy their customer). I think you can...

Ah I see - sorry, I'd imagined everyone has a similar situation to my own :lol: So you actually want to lower the patio and it isn't just the DPC issue? I gained advice from an architect acquaintance who considered the French drain/dry moat thing perfectly fine to retain the DPC's integrity (he...

Fantastic Jason. My wall is 15m long in total x 1.2m high (though I raised the patio so a little less visible). Building it was simple, even for a complete novice like me, as long as you get the base and first course of blocks level, its like lego from then on. 3 years later and it still looks...

200mm sounds reasonable to me, but perhaps get in touch with a friendly architect who should be aware of any regulatory requirement. Alternatively, are you able to consider a gap (dry moat) next to the house? Such could even have clark drainage channel lids at your bifold door threshold? Your...