Advice for Path and shallow footings

[zaceverett]

I've lowered the outside ground level and i dont have any footings i've highlighted in red the row of stepped bricks which has nothing but clay underneath.

Any suggestions as to what to lay on top of the clay soil for the path?

Can I leave the bottom row of stepped bricks exposed like they are?

I was thinking of putting some kind of plastic dpm running along the bottom row of brick and then putting some stones down for the path.
Initially i was hoping to lay a drain. I will try this a bit further away from the footings? And suggestions on distance?

Also my internal concrete floor that i'm removing is only 3 inches thick and level with second course of bricks(just above red line) on photo.

Can I dig down internally against the footings to lay some kind of limecrete floor?

Any help appreciated. Builders dont seem interested in this job.

 

[MatthewC]

Are you retaining the same floor level or possibly raising it? (Don't lower it!!) You could probably do a limecrete floor but you have to angle the edge of the dig at 45 degrees or so. I did a flat ledge of about 3" at about 3" below the planned floor surface, then went down at 45 degrees from there. The loads of the wall are transferred almost vertically downwards but I don't think that clay sounds like a good thing to depend on as it moves - in your case you might struggle to get the depth required for a limecrete floor (like 15-17"!) without worrying yourself silly about the possibility of it all falling down.

I would forget the DPM outside - I can't see what good that would do but it might keep dampness close to the wall which you don't want. For the path, I laid a line of granite setts about 10" from the wall and then laid limestone flags (imported) on sand. Hence the gap up to the wall was open to atmosphere where I would leave those bricks exposed. Then I'd put down a thin layer of gravel there - if you leave it as earth you will get splashback up the wall.

 

[Penners]

I agree - a dpm laid in that trench could do more harm than good by trapping moisture adjacent to the wall. You'd be much better off creating a French drain to channel water away from the wall.

This web page is American, but it clearly shows the principles of creating a French drain. The pipe itself should be perforated plastic (holes at approximately 5.00 o'clock and/or 7.00 o'clock at the bottom), or (better in my view) clay land drains.

http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-French-Drain

Run your French drain to ditch or a soakaway dug a safe distance away from the building.

 

[Lime]

I would not dig at all below the projecting bricks, not even to install a French drain.
The load on the clay extends at an angle of approximately 45 degrees away from the lower edge of the bricks.
Similarly for inside too.

A dpm under the path would not serve any purpose and may make the damp situation worse.
Always make the path slope away from the house so water is not directed to the wall particularly if you are using paving slabs or similar.

It does not matter if the projecting bricks are left exposed just make sure that you are not tempted to dig the subsoil right next to them.

 

[Penners]

I would not dig at all below the projecting bricks, not even to install a French drain.

I quite agree - I certainly wasn't suggesting that you should dig any deeper. That would be extremely unwise.

 

[zaceverett]

Thanks everyone, I'll forget the DPM on the outside then. Limestone flags sound nice, mrs really likes that idea, without being rude do you mind telling me roughly how much they cost and where to get them.

Internally I cant raise the ground level anymore as the ceiling is quite low. Perhaps if i lay a limecrete floor the depth of the lowest brick and then dig it out at 45 degrees to get more depth towards the middle of the room. Does that sound like a good plan?

One of builders quoted limecrete was really hard to work with and produced bad results. I guess this isn't the case if you know what you're doing? Is it possible to do as a DIY job?

Thanks for all the suggetions so far.

 

[Zebra]

The only disadvantage to leaving the bricks exposed might be if they are in a sheltered area with little sunlight, if this is the case they will go green and mossy. It could be better to cover them with a layer of driveway fabric and some pea shingle, as Matthew suggested.

 

[Lime]

The only disadvantage to leaving the bricks exposed might be if they are in a sheltered area with little sunlight, if this is the case they will go green and mossy. It could be better to cover them with a layer of driveway fabric and some pea shingle, as Matthew suggested.

Why do you say that?
I could understand your concern if the bricks were likely to be damaged but "green and mossy" does no harm to bricks.
All that moss/green would indicate is that the bricks were wet which I'd expect at that position anyway.
Covering the bricks up will prevent any evaporation from them and likely make them more wet than otherwise.

 

[zaceverett]

Found out where the drain pipes are draining into. Oh dear.

Think I might have to route this somewhere.

 

[Penners]

Well that discovery could go a considerable way to resolving your damp problem on it's own! Well done for persisting in your investigations.

 

[LadyArowana]

Well that discovery could go a considerable way to resolving your damp problem on it's own! Well done for persisting in your investigations.

Yes, start with the obvious and easily solved. We discovered a small area of damp by one of our windows, and there was a suspicious little crack outside. As it's a mansion block it had to be inspected by the building surveyor prior to fixing and making good. He didn't really think that was the cause of the leak, but given that there were no pipes or gutters nearby and no other good candidates I said why not fix that anyway and see if it is? He was sceptical, but I reminded him of the phrase "when you hear hoofbeats think horses not zebras" ( obviously doesn't apply when on the savannah, or when our lovely Zebs is on site ) Very happy to report that on his follow up visit after several months of heavy rain we could judge the problem fixed ( no increase in the size of the patch and no damp ) and we are proceeding to making good.