Does this count as a soak away?

[perky416]

Hi guys,

My garage sits right on the edge of the boundary next to the neighbours garage, however it is built below ground level and rain water constantly runs in underneath the door.

If i cut/dig a trench through the concrete floor, right at the door, and fill it with gravel to stop the water coming in, does this count as a soakway?

Thanks

 

[Dereekoo]

It counts as a gravelled fill trench that may allow water to disperse into the surrounding strata depending what the surrounding strata is

 

[perky416]

It counts as a gravelled fill trench that may allow water to disperse into the surrounding strata depending what the surrounding strata is

Are there any regs like how far from the boundry/property that apply like there are with soak aways?

 

[Koolpc]

You need to install some french drains leading to a decent soak away or equivalent...

 

[perky416]

I dont have the space to fit a soak away and meet regs. In order to connect to the drain id need to rip up a lot of block paving which im trying to avoid.

 

[Koolpc]

Do it properly, do it once i say...

 

[perky416]

At the minute it just pools on the patch of concrete outside the garage door, and the garage floor, and evaporates.

As far as i know there would be nothing to stop me ripping up the patch of concrete (50cm x 3m) outside the garage and replacing it with permeable block paving, for all practicality i cant see what difference a small trench of gravel to achieve the same thing would make.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

I don't understand what you're suggesting. Are you aiming to deliberately allow rainwater to run under the garage floor/foundations? If so then you run the risk of rinsing the subsoil away, making the garage crack and sink and/or get rising damp in the floor and walls.

Any soakaway is deliberately several metres away from any building, definitely not under it.

Do it properly!

 

[perky416]

Im suggesting having a small trench filled with gravel right in front of the garage door to stop rain water from entering the garage under the door. It is a small area about 3m x 0.5m in size that collects water.

 

[Dereekoo]

Im suggesting having a small trench filled with gravel right in front of the garage door to stop rain water from entering the garage under the door. It is a small area about 3m x 0.5m in size that collects water.

But what area contributes to the trench

 

[perky416]

Ive just read a paper that explains the 5m rule. It says it is actually guidance that first come about when soak aways were more traditional and deeper. It suggests that the 5m guidance can be overcome if it can be shown to BC it wont cause a problem.

It also said the shallower solutions do not pose the same problems as deeper ones. If the size to drainage volume ratio is 10:1 and less than 300mm deep it is fine.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If you want to bore (arf) yourself to death you could read the official blurb that everyone uses (or should use) to size soakaways: https://www.scribd.com/document/542715934/BRE-Digest-365-Soakaway-Design-2016

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

If you put a trench in front of the garage and fill it with gravel then within a year you'll have a trench of mud with weeds growing in it.

 

[perky416]

If you put a trench in front of the garage and fill it with gravel then within a year you'll have a trench of mud with weeds growing in it.

Dont worry, i have good weed killer and a jet wash.