Neighbour's new path and my damp course help.

[Alan Reynolds]

Hi, looking for a little advice. My neighbour has had a new patio laid and they have extended it around the side of the house between my single brick garage and their house. It's finished and when I was shown it, their damp course is just 25mm above the slabs. They have laid the slabs against my single brick garage wall and the damp course is also just 25mm above the slabs. There is a slight fall towards their back garden but no more than 25mm in 30ft and no drainage channels and I'm now worried about damp penetration because I have my lathe and other sensitive to damp tools and instruments in the garage. Should I be worried and should I ask them to remedy the problem? This was carried out by 'experienced' builders apparently. Thanks everyone.

 

[Dcal]

Have you a photo?
DPC should be at least 100mm above ground level but many aren't.
Could they not just stop short of your wall and leave a channel?
I would check where your boundary lies, It's often at the foundation which could be about 6 inches from the wall, but again often isn't.

Have a look at the Party Wall Act, there is lots of information there to keep you busy.
It will be a "lot" easier and cheaper for them to sort it out before getting a surveyor in.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/party-wall-etc-act-1996-guidance

 

[brightspark]

I wouldn't bother about it as long as its below .and there is a bit of a fall away from your wall. any bricks below the course will be damp anyhow unless there engineering bricks hardly likely on houses over 40 years . ive just replaced 30 bricks that have shelled off at the face due to frost on daughters house her block drive is only 25mm above dpc

 

[blackolive (Ste)]

It isnt going to cause any more problems than the rest of the garage walls being single skin brick.

 

[Gritineye]

Should be two brick courses below DPC.

It's not usually a problem with a cavity in very sheltered areas, but with single skin real problems may come with prolonged heavy rain splashing up or snow laying for a long time, also freezing may spall the damp bricks.

If it was me I'd be telling the neighbour to either get it done correctly or remove it, as you say, lathes need to be kept dry.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

In London the dividing boundary is the point at which you start yelling at their builders....people really take the Mickey down here.

I'd start by checking that your garage is actually built in the right place before causing any trouble....if you find your wall is actually in the neighbours garden then probably best to keep quiet!

 

[slimjim]

At least tell them of your worries, get them to ask the builder for a solution, it may be as simple as creating a 6 inch gap, and filling the gap with some gravel, to limit splash back in heavy rain.

If the builder just dismisses your concerns, tell your neighbour that it will be down to them if a problem arises, even if the builder is long gone,
At least if you have talked to them, and you have problems, you can go back to them to remedy the problems, be civil.

 

[Morrisman]

My damp proof course is dead level with my block paving (because I had no idea what I was doing when I built the garage) and the only time I had a problem with damp was when I had some sand pile up against the wall once. Just a handful really. I could see a large damp patch appearing on the inside of the wall, but a little investigation and a quick brush and it was dried out in a day or two.

So, as long as your neighbour doesn’t let soil, sand or snow pile up against your wall......

 

[Alan Reynolds]

Should be two brick courses below DPC.

It's not usually a problem with a cavity in very sheltered areas, but with single skin real problems may come with prolonged heavy rain splashing up or snow laying for a long time, also freezing may spall the damp bricks.

If it was me I'd be telling the neighbour to either get it done correctly or remove it, as you say, lathes need to be kept dry.

Thanks for that. If the bricks spall, they are no longer available and nothing is similar in colour. I did have to repoint my neghbours damp course for him a while back as the previous paving was about 4 inches below the DPC.

 

[bigegg]

i'd get some bitumen damp proofing paint - "black jack" from screwfix is the one i use - and paint it on the outside of your garage.

NOT below the damp course!
Above it.
For about 4-6 bricks high.

DO NOT bridge the damp course.
that will keep any rain out of the upper bricks.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

What about adding an additional chemical DP course above the existing as "belt and braces" ?

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I've seen something similar on a mates house....I decided to just keep quiet. They (his builders) had laid a concrete walkway right up to the brick work and the house has a very low DPC....personally I'd always go with something permeable next to brick but some people just love concrete I think.

When I see a concrete path my brain starts calculating the number of skips it would take to remove....and the amount of Type1 and slate chippings required to finish the job!

Could you add some sort of flashing to the lower 2 courses bricks...not lead of course but maybe stainless?

 

[Gritineye]

Could you add some sort of flashing to the lower 2 courses bricks...not lead of course but maybe stainless?

Why? it's not for him to pay for a bodge.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Why? it's not for him to pay for a bodge.

Totally agree....but where I live it's a lot easier to get in and fix the problem yourself properly than leave it to my neighbors.......I'd much prefer a neat 4 inch stainless flashing than have the neighbor slapping "damp proof paint" all over the wall and making a proper mess!!

 

[brightspark]

My damp proof course is dead level with my block paving (because I had no idea what I was doing when I built the garage) and the only time I had a problem with damp was when I had some sand pile up against the wall once. Just a handful really. I could see a large damp patch appearing on the inside of the wall, but a little investigation and a quick brush and it was dried out in a day or two.

So, as long as your neighbour doesn’t let soil, sand or snow pile up against your wall......

its only single brick and the whole wall can absorb rain and moisture. if your so concerned
spray the wall with 2 coats of Thompson's water seal clear silicone .I re pointed and sandblasted then painted my whole house with it . chuck a bucket of water at it and it just falls off leaving the wall dry and been fine for the last 40 years

 

[bigegg]

Totally agree....but where I live it's a lot easier to get in and fix the problem yourself properly than leave it to my neighbors.......I'd much prefer a neat 4 inch stainless flashing than have the neighbor slapping "damp proof paint" all over the wall and making a proper mess!!

its on the neighbours side.
who cares?

 

[brightspark]

the daughters house and all her neighbours gardens flood in front of the house . I dug round and put land drains in re laid the turf and raised the path a bit. I said to the neighbour it will drain your garden as well she chuntered on when it was finished that my paths higher and it would go on to her path silly old cow water cant travel up over the bloody drains are a foot below in 4ich perforated pipe and gravel here's the path and ive replaced some of the shelled bricks will; do the rest now they have hardened off without loosening the rest

 

[Morrisman]

Totally agree....but where I live it's a lot easier to get in and fix the problem yourself properly than leave it to my neighbors.......I'd much prefer a neat 4 inch stainless flashing than have the neighbor slapping "damp proof paint" all over the wall and making a proper mess!!

Rain will run down the wall and inside the flashing, unless you groove it in etc. A good coat with some sort of waterproofing silicon type stuff would work, soaked well and truly in.

its only single brick and the whole wall can absorb rain and moisture. if your so concerned
spray the wall with 2 coats of Thompson's water seal clear silicone .I re pointed and sandblasted then painted my whole house with it . chuck a bucket of water at it and it just falls off leaving the wall dry and been fine for the last 40 years

Mine gets soaked by rain, if the wind blows, but nothing gets through to the inside usually. Ten years ago I toyed with the idea of using that sealant, but never got round to it. I’ve painted the two sides I can see, but even the bare concrete walls don’t get damp on the inside, and the whole garage is remarkably condensation free at all times.

 

[500e]

Only did mine 20 years ago @brightspark keeps it dry, it is those concrete bricks they suck up water like sponges