How should I drain this badboy?

[CovBoy]

Hello,

I moved into this property just over 2 years ago. At the end of the garden is a double garage. I've got plans to convert them into a summerhouse type thing, but first of all I need to address a problem with the area at the front of the garages.

As you can see in the pics, across the width of the garage and about 3m deep is a slab of concrete. This area gets the best of the sun, and so it's a good place to hang out, sit and catch some rays, prod the bbq, hide from the kids etc. and so that slab gets used as a patio.

Much like many other things in this house, the concrete slab has a quirk. When it was laid, nobody really considered that drainage would be required. Before I start work on the garages (preferably) I need to figure out the best way to drain it. Water currently runs off in a number of different directions, including into the left garage and the workshop in the middle.

I've got a few ideas, but I'd like to see if anybody has a better suggestion....

1. Dig a hole in the middle of it, and put a flower bed in - this would catch a lot of the water I think, but not all of it.
2. Dig a trench along the width of the garage, and create a soakaway. There is already an approx 1cm cut across the width - perhaps this is the drainage.
3. Resurface the slab, creating a slope towards a single location (e.g. garden or soakaway) - this would need some co-ordination with replacing the garage doors, as raising the height of the surface would probably create a lip that would prevent the doors from opening. I have plans to replace them at some point, but hadn't been planning on doing it this soon.
4. Rip the whole lot up and start again (not sure if the slab doubles as foundations for the walls at either side).

What's the best thing to do (hopefully that is also the easiest and cheapest)?

It doesn't have to be aesthetically stunning as I can cover things up with plants, etc.

Excuse the mess, need to get a skip booked.

Thanks

Ben

 

[Ian H]

I'd say 3 or 4, then you can add an Aco channel to catch the water.

 

[Doggit]

If you put a long spirit level on it, which way does it fall, and how high can you raise it before the garage doors catch. You could possible fit an acco channel into the centre of the slab, running across it, and that might mean that you can raise the slope just slightly. Then do the same from the other side to the centre.

Option 4 is expensive, but might be the option at the end of it.