External render - where to locate drip bead?

[RomanAbramovich]

My 60's bungalow has a few external render 'panels', I can see the drip bead is always positioned one course above dpc. Looking at neighbouring properties, the drip bead is at least one course above dpc too - sometimes 2 or 3 courses above dpc. All of the neighbouring properties have 3 or four courses between dpc and the ground.

Is the drip bead placed at that level for functional or aesthetic reasons?

Assume provided the drip bead is above the dpc, there is no potential issue with damp? Or does it have to be at least 75mm above the dpc?

 

[ree]

Above the DPC is good enough - leave well alone.

 

[RomanAbramovich]

...to elaborate, I'm currently adding an extension. On external walls earmarked for render finish, if I match positioning of drip bead as per the existing building, I will need to source approx 60 facing bricks to form the course between dpc and drip bead. Unfortunately my local builders merchants don't stock a facing brick that is a good match.

Alternatively I can start outer leaf blockwork from dpc upward, ensuring the drip bead is fixed to the blocks just a couple of mm above the dpc. This eliminates the hassle of sourcing the single course of facing bricks (which is holding me up).

However, I don't want to fix the drip bead at that level if there is a functional / structural reason for positioning it one course above dpc?