How to finish house render where it meets ground?

[spada01]

Having my house rendered and can either stop it with a drip bead and then use a black paint below against the old brick work or can have it rendered to below ground level.

What's usual/best as I think rendering it to the ground will allow damp into the render

 

[Alastairreid]

rendered to dpc then drip bead.
Below the bead either render or paint.