Driveway recommendation...

[t3gav]

Need some ideas on what to do with my driveway, originally when we bought the house they used it as a single car driveway but the day I moved in I cut the hedge back and threw some old paving slabs down to get my Clio on the drive, annoyingly this meant the wheelie bins have to be perched on the raised flower bed. My plan was just to knock down the small flower bed wall and extend the drive way across the flower bed but it appears the driveway is graded so the water runs into said flower bed :/ Anything I can do? I thought about filling the flower bed with gravel or similar to make it flush and so I can get the wheelie bins further over to the right at least (gives me more room to open pas door). Any input appreciated

 

[frank horton]

these work well with either grass or gravel....and still alow drainage.......

 

[gaz1]

dig closest to the steps

make into a french drain behind the wall drill holes through the wall or dig a deep square hole at the corner of the wall and fill with pebbles then just drill holes through the wall

then just flag it

 

[Agrismith]

Do you want cheap or proper??

Cheap is either as above or run the extended area down toward the drive creating a v channel the just remove / cut the bricks so the water flows onto the steps.

Properly is to do the same but in the v run acco drains and pipe into the down pipes for your roof.

 

[t3gav]

Thanks for the replies, unfortunately I don’t have a drain to aim the water into, I’m mid terrace and the gutters flow along the houses to the final house (weird setup I know). I have a gully at the front of the house and there is a drain hole through one brick but wasn’t sure if aiming water here is acceptable or not :/

 

[brightspark]

will be ok providing the gravel trough is a couple of bricks below the house dpc and the hole in the brick can handle the run off

 

[gaz1]

what is left of the door just a pathway ?

with a slope towards the house

 

[t3gav]

what is left of the door just a pathway ?

with a slope towards the house

Yes just a flat path and then next doors front door, it’s a shared path, I’ll grab a pic in the morning when it’s light.

 

[gaz1]

no need to do

your dpc level is the door threshold 2 bricks high so i wouldnt advise putting any extra water on the step

alternative you have take the front bush out make a bin area at front where the bush is behind a wall make a small flag area there

keep the garden as it will still wash away a good amount of water

or fit frank hortons

that front apears like a french drain at front of the house unless you investigate in that area first to see if you have any type of drainage pipe dont take any more water there from the drive

pathway is out as the amount of water from the drive will flood that area rather well and become an ice rink in winter

unless you investigate that french drain area as the whole front garden has been a poor design from the start

dont run it towards the main rd though as your supposed to have a drain between the driveway and the pathway to stop run off from your drive

 

[8ob]

If I have read this correctly the flowerbed has managed to cope with draining the water off the drive, if this is the case dig a small soakaway into the flowerbed and incorporate a gully into this when you pave over the area.

Bob

 

[t3gav]

no need to do

your dpc level is the door threshold 2 bricks high so i wouldnt advise putting any extra water on the step

alternative you have take the front bush out make a bin area at front where the bush is behind a wall make a small flag area there

keep the garden as it will still wash away a good amount of water

or fit frank hortons

that front apears like a french drain at front of the house unless you investigate in that area first to see if you have any type of drainage pipe dont take any more water there from the drive

pathway is out as the amount of water from the drive will flood that area rather well and become an ice rink in winter

unless you investigate that french drain area as the whole front garden has been a poor design from the start

dont run it towards the main rd though as your supposed to have a drain between the driveway and the pathway to stop run off from your drive

Thanks I’ll try and investigate the French drain area a bit more, tbh I think that front drain takes most of the water as the drive seems to slope toward the house more than towards the bins, after heavy rainfall I’m pretty sure my door step remains wet for a while however so aiming water there is definitely out. Here’s a google map pic, hard to tell but I live on a hill and the drive slopes down to the left and in toward the house. Just looked at google map images from a few years back and the hedge went the whole way across so probably not much thought given to a driveway/water run off :/

 

[t3gav]

If I have read this correctly the flowerbed has managed to cope with draining the water off the drive, if this is the case dig a small soakaway into the flowerbed and incorporate a gully into this when you pave over the area.

Bob

Good idea, not sure if I have the depth though as it’s only about a foot deep and the deepest point, by the time I fill with type 1, concrete and pavers not sure I can fit a soak away in unless I’m not understanding you correctly, all a bit new to this

 

[Agrismith]

Thanks I’ll try and investigate the French drain area a bit more, tbh I think that front drain takes most of the water as the drive seems to slope toward the house more than towards the bins, after heavy rainfall I’m pretty sure my door step remains wet for a while however so aiming water there is definitely out. Here’s a google map pic, hard to tell but I live on a hill and the drive slopes down to the left and in toward the house. Just looked at google map images from a few years back and the hedge went the whole way across so probably not much thought given to a driveway/water run off :/

View attachment 351524

That looks like it slopes toward the road in the picture.
Have you gone round with a spirit level to make sure you know where the levels are.
Levels can be very difficult to see without a level on it. Especially if its not you day to day task

 

[t3gav]

That looks like it slopes toward the road in the picture.
Have you gone round with a spirit level to make sure you know where the levels are.
Levels can be very difficult to see without a level on it. Especially if its not you day to day task

I think it’s the drop curb making it look deceptive, if I release my handbrake my car rolls forward. Put a football on the drive earlier and it rolled fast toward the house and a little left.

 

[t3gav]

What about this for a plan.... knock off the top of the wall (blue line) and extend the drive way to the red line, have a flush flower bed with a bit of gravel to soak the water up. (Yellow box will be block paved too).

Do you think I'll be ok just filling half the width of the flower bed with Type 1 and concrete i.e. not directly up against a wall?

 

[gaz1]

its pointless for concrete and a delivery

you would be better getting 3x2 flags and dig under the flags

1ft wide 2ft deep full length in your flower bed filled with pebbles would give a big enough soak away

a soak away is about 1m square in all angles just so you know

 

[gaz1]

really your best option is to use the squares

 

[t3gav]

Sorry you mean put the flagstones down the right hand side on top of the soil? Or just use the plastic squares and fill with gravel and save a lot of effort lol.

 

[gaz1]

Sorry you mean put the flagstones down the right hand side on top of the soil? Or just use the plastic squares and fill with gravel and save a lot of effort lol.

just dig the whole top layer off

fit the square tiles and fill with pebbles

 

[t3gav]

Ah thanks, ideally I need to raise the level in the bed though as it's too low atm (lifting a full wheelie is a PITA) so might have to fill with something 1st then fit the gravel grids. Any idea if the grids are stackable?