Can this garden be levelled out or would it interfere with DPC?

[Barrattnewbuild]

About to move in to my new build house but concerned that my front garden is sloped towards my house. All the other houses gardens are sloped to the side away from their house, but because there is higher land on the other side of us with a retaining wall. I am worried that water will congregate in that corner and cause waterlogging. The garden slopes in two directions - towards the house and also towards that wall. Does this look like it could cause water logging/ drainage issues or damp? Considering there is often very heavy rain and snow where I live.

I am trying to think why the builders have made it so sloped here and wonder if it is because the bricks which are not rendered (I am assuming that is the damp proof course?) need to remain above the ground level? Is there any way this could be corrected or do those bricks need to remain unobstructed?

 

[^woody^]

I don't thing grass works like paving, and water goes through it not over it to form a puddle in a corner

 

[foxhole]

I don't thing grass works like paving, and water goes through it not over it to form a puddle in a corner

Agree, unless the builder dumped all the spare rubble under the front garden.

 

[^woody^]

Rubble is good, a natural soak-away. Not so good would be a few buckets (JCB buckets) of excess concrete!

 

[Barrattnewbuild]

At first the grass will absorb the water but at some point grass can become saturated and become water logged with heavy rain. Because the slope is going towards the house there is nowhere for the water to drain.

Any idea if that can be levelled out without going above the damp proof course from my photo?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

At first the grass will absorb the water but at some point grass can become saturated and become water logged with heavy rain. Because the slope is going towards the house there is nowhere for the water to drain.

Any idea if that can be levelled out without going above the damp proof course from my photo?

Only by building a dwarf wall near to the house wall, then level to the wall, leaving those exposed bricks well clear.

 

[Barrattnewbuild]

Only by building a dwarf wall near to the house wall, then level to the wall, leaving those exposed bricks well clear.

Thank you, I suppose that is an option. As it is at the moment do you think it could cause any drainage issues?

 

[^woody^]

At first the grass will absorb the water but at some point grass can become saturated and become water logged with heavy rain. Because the slope is going towards the house there is nowhere for the water to drain.

Any idea if that can be levelled out without going above the damp proof course from my photo?

It really does not work like that

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thank you, I suppose that is an option. As it is at the moment do you think it could cause any drainage issues?

Only time will tell. My next door neighbour made a patio adjacent to the rear of the house and a little higher than our garden and draining towards us. A few inches down it is impervious clay. It is also the lowest part of our garden, so two issues. In heavy rain it used to pool several inches deep, which could be there for days - until I added drainage several years ago. It does still pool, but now drains away quite quickly.

 

[Barrattnewbuild]

Only time will tell. My next door neighbour made a patio adjacent to the rear of the house and a little higher than our garden and draining towards us. A few inches down it is impervious clay. It is also the lowest part of our garden, so two issues. In heavy rain it used to pool several inches deep, which could be there for days - until I added drainage several years ago. It does still pool, but now drains away quite quickly.

Thanks I hope it will be ok. Do you think it could be levelled out if some of the turf is removed close to the house and it is levelled out with stones, even though that will cover some of the exposed brick, or would it be bad to even cover those bricks with stones?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks I hope it will be ok. Do you think it could be levelled out if some of the turf is removed close to the house and it is levelled out with stones, even though that will cover some of the exposed brick, or would it be bad to even cover those bricks with stones?

No, don't cover them.

 

[Barrattnewbuild]

Does anyone know if Barratt would have been likely to install any drainage in our garden already? I'm guessing not.

I've just looked back at previous photos I took of the house before the turf was laid.

There is a little layer of stones near the edge of the house under the turf (see photo). Just wondered if this would be a drainage channel or for something different?

Thanks.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The stones will be to help with drainage, but the water needs to have somewhere to go.

I hope that is not an airbrick to the right in your photo and partially buried by the soil?
Do you have a solid floor or a suspended one at the other side of that wall.

 

[Barrattnewbuild]

The stones will be to help with drainage, but the water needs to have somewhere to go.

I hope that is not an airbrick to the right in your photo and partially buried by the soil?
Do you have a solid floor or a suspended one at the other side of that wall.

Yes I think it is. There is also one to the left if you look closely which is completely buried now the grass had been laid.

The floor is at the same level as where the render starts. It is level with the door which you can just make out to the right. Is that bad?

 

[Barrattnewbuild]

The stones will be to help with drainage, but the water needs to have somewhere to go.

I hope that is not an airbrick to the right in your photo and partially buried by the soil?
Do you have a solid floor or a suspended one at the other side of that wall.

I'm guessing its suspended but I'm not sure.

Just read the nhbc regulations on air bricks and now I'm even more worried.