I was about to add a bell cast bead to a wall on my early 60's quirky house. But there is a gap between the wall and the paving. I could just fill it with cement but it looks deliberate somehow so I don't want to add more problems to an already damp house. I can't tell if there ever was a DPC. I don't think so and in Cornwall, vinyl tiles stuck on to a solid floor often passes for one! Anyway, my question is, looking at the pic below, should I be filling the 10mm gap (which is about 20-30mm) deep) before adding the missing drip bell above? The gap isn't new, I think someone had added a crude cement fillet in the past which has broken up and disappeared over the years.
Gap between wall and ground - pic
- Thread starter T5 TDI
- Start date
Sponsored Links
Don't bother, just leave it. It won't make any difference to anything.
You need your outside ground level to be 150mm (or more) below DPC (if have one) if this wall is damp, might be better to chop the crazy paving back 150mm and fill with large pebbles, that way air can circulate and won't compact to be solid over time.
You need your outside ground level to be 150mm (or more) below DPC (if have one) if this wall is damp, might be better to chop the crazy paving back 150mm and fill with large pebbles, that way air can circulate and won't compact to be solid over time.
Has the wall been rendered under the paint? If so then that could be why you can't see a damp course line, (if a dpc is installed of course).
A dpc should be, as Mr Chibs stated, 150mm, (6"), above the outside ground level and not covered by anything, such as render, as this bridges the dpc. Fitting a bell cast will not solve the problem until any render, (no matter how thinly applied), has been removed.
A dpc should be, as Mr Chibs stated, 150mm, (6"), above the outside ground level and not covered by anything, such as render, as this bridges the dpc. Fitting a bell cast will not solve the problem until any render, (no matter how thinly applied), has been removed.
Sponsored Links
Thank you both for your replies. 
It seems to be the (solid) floors in this house that cause most of the problems but that crack did worry me. I had visions of the (endless) rain running into it and slowly washing away the foundations! This house is built into a hill and is an odd mixture of solid floors with some double walls (like the one in the pic) and timber frame higher up. I don't really understand it. It's saved by a truly gobsmacking view 100 feet above a tidal river.
It seems to be the (solid) floors in this house that cause most of the problems but that crack did worry me. I had visions of the (endless) rain running into it and slowly washing away the foundations! This house is built into a hill and is an odd mixture of solid floors with some double walls (like the one in the pic) and timber frame higher up. I don't really understand it. It's saved by a truly gobsmacking view 100 feet above a tidal river. DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
